Subject-verb agreement can be a tricky grammar rule to master. However, it is essential to ensure that your writing is concise and grammatically correct, especially when it comes to SEO copywriting. One area that can often cause confusion is when dealing with the phrase „none of them.“
When we use „none of them“ in a sentence, it`s essential to determine whether it functions as a singular or plural subject. The grammar rule for this phrase is somewhat nuanced, so let`s break it down.
First, let`s start with some basics. „None“ is a pronoun that means „not any“ or „no one.“ It`s important to note that „none“ is always singular in English, even when it refers to more than one thing. Therefore, we should use a singular verb after „none.“ For example:
– None of the pizza is left.
– None of the students was happy with their grades.
In both of these sentences, „none“ is treated as a singular subject, and the corresponding verb is also singular („is“ and „was,“ respectively).
However, things can get a little more complicated when we add „of them“ to the phrase. The word „them“ is a plural pronoun, which can make it seem like „none of them“ should be treated as plural. However, „of them“ is actually a prepositional phrase that modifies „none.“ Therefore, when we`re dealing with „none of them,“ we need to look at the noun that follows the preposition „of“ to determine whether the sentence should be singular or plural. For example:
– None of the students were happy with their grades.
– None of the pizzas were left.
In the first sentence, „students“ is plural, so we use a plural verb („were“). In the second sentence, „pizzas“ is also plural, so we again use a plural verb („were“).
In summary, the phrase „none of them“ can be a bit tricky when it comes to subject-verb agreement. However, the key is to remember that „none“ is always singular, even when paired with „of them.“ The noun that follows „of“ will determine whether the sentence should be singular or plural. By keeping this rule in mind, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and grammatically correct.