Any of Them is or Are

Forms of “To Be”

Both
is
and
are
are forms of the linking verb
to exist.
You can tell which grade to employ based on the noun performing the verb. Singular nouns use
is, while plural nouns use
are. When yous apply the correct class of a verb that matches your subject, that’s called field of study-verb understanding.

Information technology’s easier to tell whether yous should use
is
or
are
in a uncomplicated sentence. For example:

• Mary
  is
  excited about her first day of schoolhouse. (Mary
  is singular.)
• The dogs
  are
  playing in the backyard. (Dogs
  is plural.)
• Eric’south desk
  is
  too tall for him. (Desk-bound
  is singular.)
• Mrs. Cost’south students
  are
  noisy in the morning. (Students
  is plural.)

There are a few exceptions, such every bit when using the pronoun
I
(which uses the verb
am). But, what happens if the subject field tin’t exist counted? And, should y’all use
is
or
are
after a list? The answers are simpler than yous might call up.

When to Use Is

Besides singular subjects,
is
would be the correct selection in several unlike contexts. In more complicated sentences, it’s harder to tell the departure. Here are some instances in which you should use
is
instead of
are.

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Pronouns that end in –torso
or –i
are known as singular indefinite pronouns. Fifty-fifty though
everyone
may seem plural, you’d cull
is
when using it in a sentence. Here are some examples of singular indefinite pronouns.

• Is
  everyone ready to get out?
• Everyone
  is
  having a groovy fourth dimension at the party.
• No i
  is
  set up to admit who stole the coin.
• Somebody
  is
  playing their music without headphones on.

Either/Or and Neither/Nor

Either
and
neither
are pronouns and adjectives, depending on their use. When you identify
either
or
neither
in front end of a singular noun, it takes the course of an adjective.

• Either auto
  is
  a expert choice.
• Either freeway
  is
  better than taking metropolis streets.
• Neither of my brothers
  is
  helping me clear the table.
• Neither movie
  is
  my favorite.

In the instance of
either/or
and
neither/nor
subjects, they are atypical pronouns. For instance:

• Either Manny or Fred
  is
  driving me to the game.
• Either the black cat or the orange cat
  is
  scratching the sofa.
• Neither Mom nor Dad
  is
  able to attend the conference.
• Neither Saturday nor Sunday
  is
  a proficient twenty-four hours to meet.

In that location is one exception to this rule. Even though these subjects are technically atypical, they audio incorrect when the substantive closest to the helping verb is plural. Bank check out this example:

Either my mother or my sisters is coming to my art testify.

Because
sisters
is plural,
is
sounds odd next to it. You lot take two choices to correct this type of sentence:

1. Switch the guild: “Either my sisters
   or my mother
   is coming to my fine art testify.”
2. Change the helping verb: “Either my mother or my sisters
   are
   coming to my art prove.”

These choices are both correct, and then it comes down to your ain preference. When in uncertainty, rewriting your sentence for clarity is the best thought.

Non-Countable Nouns

Dissimilar countable nouns, not-countable nouns take no specified numbers and do not utilize indefinite manufactures
a
or
an. These are words like
money
or
news. Another type of non-countable substantive is the abstract substantive, which is also always singular. Here are some sentences that include not-countable nouns.

• Independence
  is
  a core value of any democracy.
• Milk
  is
  leaking from the carton in the refrigerator.
• Sleep
  is
  very of import for both your concrete and mental wellness.
• Sunshine
  is
  shining through the stained glass window.

Collective Nouns

Words like
family
or
customs
can be confusing because they stand for more than one person, making them seem plural. Still, collective nouns almost always use
is
in a sentence. The exception is when you discuss the members of that group, making the noun plural. For instance:

• The team
  is
  determined to brand the playoffs this year. (Team
  is singular.)
• The members of the squad
  are
  working hard on the field. (Members
  is plural.)
• Is
  your form learning most invertebrates? (Class
  is singular.)
• The students in my class
  are
  excited to dissect an earthworm. (Students
  is plural.)

When to Use Are

Some tricky nouns apply
are
fifty-fifty though they don’t seem plural. So, how can yous tell the divergence? Here are some examples of nouns that use
are.

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Some, many, all,
and
few
are examples of plural indefinite pronouns. They describe an unknown number of nouns, which is why you should utilise
are
when including them in a sentence. These are some means to utilise plural indefinite pronouns in your writing.

• Some animals
  are
  not meant to exist domesticated.
• A few of us
  are
  going to the wedding reception this weekend.
• Many countries
  are
  considering pulling out of the peace understanding.
• All of the houses on the block
  are
  in danger of flooding.

Compound Subjects

When a sentence has two subjects that are connected by
and, it has a compound subject. Compound subjects include lists of atypical items such equally names or ingredients. Some examples of compound subjects include:

• Lisa and Jill
  are
  going to the concert this night.
• Brainstorming and proofreading
  are
  two important parts of the writing process.
• Rain and hail
  are
  in the weather forecast for next week.
• John, Ignacio, and Scott
  are
  on the ballot for the schoolhouse election.

A Number or Pair

Using “a number of” or “a pair of” earlier a substantive makes bailiwick-verb agreement seem complicated. However, fifty-fifty if the noun is a collective noun, the traditional approach is to use
are. For instance:

• A number of people
  are
  saying that Rodney cheated on his test.
• A pair of birds
  are
  known to mate for life.
• A number of polls
  are
  predicting that Greg Simpson volition win the election.
• The pair
  are
  inseparable since they got engaged last year.

Because the phrase refers to the individuals in the group, it is considered plural. An exception to this rule would be for terms like “a pair of pants” or “a pair of scissors.” If the item is considered a atypical object, it would use
is.

More Assist With Verbs

If you lot tin can’t tell which verb is right right away, consider reading more than grammer resource. These five hacks are sure to meliorate your writing and vary your sentence style. Yous can also learn more most subject-verb agreement with an article that lists twenty of import grammar rules.