Is Vs Are

The Fundamental Rule: Singular Subjects Need Singular Verbs

At its core, subject-verb agreement is about matching your verb to its subject in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject needs a plural verb. The most common singular verb form used with the third-person singular subject is 'is.' Think of it as a direct pairing: one subject, one verb. For instance, 'The dog barks.' Here, 'dog' is singular, and 'barks' is the corresponding singular verb form. When we apply this to 'is' and 'are,' the rule becomes straightforward for simple cases. 'He is happy.' 'She is studying.' 'It is raining.' In each of these, the subject ('He,' 'She,' 'It') is singular, and the verb 'is' correctly reflects that singularity.

The confusion often arises because 'are' is the plural counterpart to 'is.' So, if the subject is plural, you'll use 'are.' 'They are here.' 'We are learning.' 'The students are engaged.' The subjects ('They,' 'We,' 'students') are all plural, and 'are' is the appropriate plural verb. It's a simple substitution: if you can replace the subject with 'they,' you'll likely use 'are.' If you can replace it with 'he,' 'she,' or 'it,' you'll likely use 'is.'

Navigating Plural Subjects and Pronouns

Plural subjects are generally easier to identify. They often end in 's' (though not always, as in 'children' or 'people'). When the subject is clearly plural, 'are' is the verb to choose. Consider sentences like: 'The books are on the table.' 'My friends are coming over.' 'These ideas are interesting.' The subjects ('books,' 'friends,' 'ideas') are all plural, and 'are' fits perfectly. The same applies to plural pronouns: 'You are doing great.' 'We are a team.' 'They are the winners.' The pronoun 'you' can be singular or plural, but it always takes the plural verb form 'are' in standard English.

The Tricky Terrain of Collective Nouns

Collective nouns present a common stumbling block. These are words that refer to a group of people or things as a single unit, such as 'team,' 'family,' 'committee,' 'audience,' 'government,' or 'class.' The rule here is that if the group is acting as a single, unified entity, you treat it as singular and use 'is.' For example: 'The team is playing well tonight.' 'The committee is meeting next week.' 'The audience is captivated by the performance.' In these instances, the focus is on the group as one cohesive unit.

However, if the members of the group are acting as individuals, you can treat the collective noun as plural and use 'are.' This distinction can be subtle. For example: 'The team are arguing about the strategy.' Here, the implication is that individual members of the team are in disagreement, not that the team as a whole has reached a unified decision to argue. Similarly, 'The family are all going their separate ways for the holidays.' This highlights the individual actions of family members. While this plural treatment of collective nouns is more common in British English, it's a valid construction in American English when the emphasis is on the individuals within the group.

Indefinite Pronouns: A Source of Frequent Errors

Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to non-specific people or things. Many of these are always singular and thus require 'is.' These include 'each,' 'every,' 'either,' 'neither,' 'one,' 'anyone,' 'everyone,' 'someone,' 'no one,' 'anybody,' 'everybody,' 'somebody,' 'nobody,' 'anything,' 'everything,' 'something,' and 'nothing.' For example: 'Everyone is invited to the party.' 'Neither of the options is suitable.' 'Somebody is at the door.' 'Each of the students has a textbook.'

Other indefinite pronouns are always plural and require 'are.' These are 'both,' 'few,' 'many,' and 'several.' For instance: 'Both of the suggestions are excellent.' 'Many are called, but few are chosen.' 'Several are missing from the roster.' 'Few understand the complexity of the situation.'

The most challenging indefinite pronouns are those that can be either singular or plural depending on the context: 'all,' 'any,' 'more,' 'most,' 'none,' and 'some.' When these pronouns refer to a singular, uncountable noun, they take a singular verb ('is'). When they refer to a plural, countable noun, they take a plural verb ('are'). Consider these examples: 'Some of the water is spilled.' (Water is uncountable, so 'is' is used.) 'Some of the cookies are gone.' (Cookies are countable and plural, so 'are' is used.) 'All of the cake is left.' (Cake, as a whole, is uncountable here.) 'All of the apples are bruised.' (Apples are countable and plural.) 'None of the information is helpful.' (Information is uncountable.) 'None of the participants are present.' (Participants are countable and plural.)

Compound Subjects: The 'And' vs. 'Or' Dilemma

When two or more subjects are joined by 'and,' they typically form a plural subject and require the plural verb 'are.' This is because 'and' implies more than one entity. For example: 'The manager and the assistant are reviewing the report.' 'John and Mary are going to the conference.' 'The cat and the dog are playing together.' Even if one of the subjects is singular, the combination with 'and' makes the subject plural.

However, when subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor,' the verb agrees with the subject that is closer to it. This is known as the 'proximity rule.' If the closer subject is singular, use 'is.' If it's plural, use 'are.' This can lead to sentences that might sound slightly awkward but are grammatically correct. Examples: 'Either the teacher or the students are responsible for the mess.' (Students is plural and closer.) 'Neither the students nor the teacher is aware of the policy change.' (Teacher is singular and closer.) 'The report or the presentations are due by Friday.' (Presentations is plural and closer.) 'The presentations or the report is due by Friday.' (Report is singular and closer.) When one subject is singular and the other is plural, and they are joined by 'or' or 'nor,' it's often best to place the plural subject closer to the verb to avoid awkwardness: 'Either the students or the teacher is responsible...' sounds better than 'Either the teacher or the students is responsible...'

Phrases That Interfere: Don't Be Fooled

A frequent source of error involves phrases that come between the subject and the verb. These can include prepositional phrases, appositives, or non-essential clauses. It's crucial to identify the true subject of the sentence and ensure the verb agrees with it, ignoring the intervening words. For example, in the sentence 'The box of chocolates is on the counter,' the subject is 'box' (singular), not 'chocolates' (plural). Therefore, 'is' is the correct verb. The phrase 'of chocolates' is a prepositional phrase modifying 'box' and should not influence the verb choice.

Consider other examples: 'The members of the committee, who were all experts in their field, are presenting their findings.' The subject is 'members' (plural), and 'are' correctly agrees. The clause 'who were all experts in their field' is non-essential and doesn't change the subject-verb agreement. Another instance: 'My sister, along with her two children, is visiting this weekend.' The subject is 'sister' (singular), and 'is' is correct. The phrase 'along with her two children' is an intervening phrase.

Special Cases and Exceptions

Certain words and constructions require special attention. Titles of books, movies, or organizations, even if they appear plural, are treated as singular. For example: 'The Grapes of Wrath is a classic novel.' 'The United Nations is a global organization.' Similarly, phrases indicating a quantity or a sum of money are often treated as singular: 'Ten dollars is too much for this item.' 'Two-thirds of the project is complete.' When referring to a single unit of measurement or a specific duration, use 'is': 'Five years is a long time to wait.' 'Three miles is a good distance for a run.'

Sentences beginning with 'there is' or 'there are' follow the rule of agreement with the noun that follows. 'There is a cat on the roof.' (Cat is singular.) 'There are several cats on the roof.' (Cats is plural.) This is a common construction where the subject follows the verb. Be mindful of this inversion.

• Identify the true subject of the sentence.
• Determine if the subject is singular or plural.
• Pay attention to collective nouns and how they are used (as a unit or as individuals).
• Remember the rules for indefinite pronouns (always singular, always plural, or context-dependent).
• Apply the 'and' vs. 'or'/'nor' rules for compound subjects.
• Ignore intervening phrases and clauses when determining agreement.
• Be aware of special cases like titles, quantities, and sentences starting with 'there is/are'.