Grammar Is or Are A Practical Guide to Subject Verb Agreement

When you're staring at a sentence, wondering whether to use "is" or "are," the fix is usually pretty simple. It almost always comes down to one thing: is your subject singular or plural?

If you're talking about one thing, use is. If you're talking about more than one, use are. That's the core of it. For example, you'd say, The dog is happy, but The dogs are happy. This fundamental rule is called subject-verb agreement, and getting it right is the secret to clear, professional writing.

The Core Rule: Subject-Verb Agreement

The whole "is or are" debate boils down to a grammar concept called subject-verb agreement. It sounds a little intimidating, but the idea is actually quite intuitive. The subject of your sentence (the person or thing doing the action) and the verb (the action itself) have to match.

Think of it like puzzle pieces. A singular subject needs a singular verb, and a plural subject needs a plural verb. In our case, "is" is the singular verb, and "are" is the plural one.

When these two parts of your sentence agree, your writing flows smoothly. When they don't, the sentence feels clunky and can even confuse your reader. Nailing this concept is the first major step toward writing with more confidence.

Matching Subjects and Verbs

Let's see how this works in practice. The trick is to find the subject of your sentence first. Is it one thing, or more than one? Once you’ve got that figured out, picking the right verb is a piece of cake.

Take a look at these examples:

• Singular: The report is due tomorrow. (The subject, report, is a single thing.)
• Plural: The reports are due tomorrow. (The subject, reports, is more than one thing.)

See the direct link? One report is. Multiple reports are. This logic holds true for any subject you can think of—people, places, ideas, you name it.

A strong grasp of subject-verb agreement is the bedrock of clear communication. Getting this right ensures your writing is professional, credible, and easy for your audience to follow.

To help you lock this in, here's a quick reference table. It lays out the basic rule with a few more examples, giving you a solid foundation before we dive into the trickier cases.

Is vs Are Quick Reference Guide

Keep this table in mind as you write. It’s a simple cheat sheet that covers the most common situations you'll encounter. Now, let's get into some of the edge cases where things aren't always so straightforward.

Navigating Tricky Singular and Plural Subjects

While the basic rule of subject-verb agreement seems straightforward, English has a few curveballs that can blur the line between singular and plural. These words are often the culprits behind common "is vs. are" mix-ups. The good news? Once you learn how to spot them, making the right choice becomes second nature.

Many of these tricky words are indefinite pronouns—words that don't point to a specific person, place, or thing. The trick is remembering that some are always singular, a few are always plural, and a handful can switch depending on the sentence.

Pronouns That Are Always Singular

Here’s where a lot of people get tripped up. Certain indefinite pronouns feel like they should be plural because they refer to groups, but grammatically, they’re always treated as singular.

Take words like each, everybody, everyone, anybody, and no one. Even though a word like "everyone" clearly includes multiple people, the word itself acts as a single unit. Because of this, it always gets paired with the singular verb "is."

• Correct: Everyone is excited about the trip.
• Incorrect: Everyone are excited about the trip.
• Correct: Each of the candidates is qualified.
• Incorrect: Each of the candidates are qualified.

A simple trick is to look for the "one" or "body" in pronouns like "everyone" or "anybody." Since "one" and "body" are singular, the entire pronoun is singular. This little clue helps you match it correctly with "is."

On the other hand, some indefinite pronouns are always plural. Words like several, few, both, and many obviously refer to more than one, so they naturally take the plural verb "are." For instance, you’d always write, "Many are hoping for good weather," never "Many is hoping."

The Chameleons: Some, All, Most, and None

Finally, we have the pronouns that can change their minds depending on the context. Words like some, all, most, any, and none are the chameleons of grammar. To figure out if you should use "is" or "are," you have to look at the noun they’re referring to.

Your verb choice all comes down to the object of the prepositional phrase that usually follows the pronoun. If that object is a singular or non-countable noun, use "is." If it's a plural noun, switch to "are."

Let's break it down:

• Singular Context: Some of the cake is missing. (Here, cake is a single, non-countable thing.)

• Plural Context: Some of the cookies are missing. (But cookies is a plural noun.)

• Singular Context: All of the information is on the drive. (Information is non-countable.)

• Plural Context: All of the files are on the drive. (Files is plural.)

By just glancing at the noun the pronoun is pointing to, you can confidently decide whether "is" or "are" fits. This simple check takes all the guesswork out of it.

Mastering Tricky Situations: Collective Nouns and 'There Is/Are'

Alright, let's dive into a couple of areas that trip up even seasoned writers. The first is how to handle collective nouns—those tricky words like team, family, committee, or audience that refer to a group. The second is figuring out whether to use "is" or "are" in sentences that kick off with "There…"

Get these two concepts down, and you’ll see a massive improvement in your writing's clarity. It really just comes down to spotting your true subject and figuring out if it's working as a single unit or a bunch of individuals.

The Team 'Is' or the Team 'Are'?

When it comes to collective nouns, context is everything. Think about what the group is doing. Are they acting in unison, as a single, cohesive entity? If so, you'll treat the noun as singular and use "is."

But what if the members of that group are acting like individuals? Maybe they're disagreeing, or each person is taking separate actions. In that case, the noun suddenly behaves like a plural, and you'll need to use "are." It's a subtle shift, but it completely changes the meaning of your sentence.

Let's look at it in action:

• Acting as one: The committee is releasing its final report today. (The entire committee is behind one report.)
• Acting as individuals: The committee are still debating the final details among themselves. (The members are acting individually, having a discussion.)

As a side note, this is one of the classic tells between American and British English. Americans almost always treat collective nouns as singular. The British are far more comfortable treating them as plural, especially when they want to emphasize the people making up the group.

Collective Noun Agreement: American vs. British English

The difference between regional styles can be confusing, so here’s a quick breakdown of how collective nouns are typically handled.

So, what’s the takeaway? If you’re writing for a primarily American audience, sticking with the singular form ("is") for collective nouns is your safest bet. It’s what sounds most natural to the American ear.

Solving the 'There Is' and 'There Are' Puzzle

This next one feels like a grammar trap, but it’s actually quite simple once you know the secret. When you see a sentence starting with "There is…" or "There are…", your first instinct might be to think "There" is the subject. It isn't.

"There" is just a little word that gets the sentence started. The real subject is hiding just after the verb.

All you have to do is look past "is" or "are" to find the noun that follows. Is that noun singular? Use "is." Is it plural? Use "are."

• Singular Subject: There is a reason for the delay. (The subject is the singular noun "reason.")
• Plural Subject: There are many reasons for the delay. (The subject is the plural noun "reasons.")

Once you get into the habit of looking ahead for the true subject, you'll never get this one wrong again. The choice between grammar is or are becomes automatic and always correct.

How Numbers, Fractions, and Percentages Affect Your Verb Choice

Numbers can make subject-verb agreement feel like a pop quiz, but the rules are surprisingly simple once you know where to look. When you see a fraction or a percentage in your sentence, don't let it throw you off. The real subject isn't the number itself—it's the noun that comes right after the word "of."

This little trick makes choosing between "is" and "are" a breeze. If the noun following "of" is singular (or a non-countable noun like water or information), you'll use a singular verb. If that noun is plural, your verb needs to be plural, too.

Fractions and Percentages in Action

Let's see this in action. Pay attention to how the verb choice hinges entirely on the noun being measured, not the fraction or percentage.

• Singular Noun: One-third of the pizza is gone. (We're talking about a single pizza.)
• Plural Noun: One-third of the slices are gone. (Here, the focus is on multiple slices.)

The same exact logic applies to percentages. It’s a beautifully consistent rule that takes the guesswork right out of it.

• Singular Noun: Eighty percent of the information is accurate. (Information is a non-countable noun, so it's treated as singular.)
• Plural Noun: Eighty percent of the sources are accurate. (Sources is plural.)

The key takeaway is to always look past the number and find the noun it's describing. That noun is the true subject of your sentence, and it's what tells you whether your verb should be singular or plural.

The Special Case of 'A Number' vs. 'The Number'

Now, while the "look at the noun" rule is your best friend for fractions and percentages, there's one specific phrase that plays by its own rules: the difference between "a number of" and "the number of." This is a classic stumbling block in writing, but it’s an easy one to master.

Think of "a number of" as just another way of saying "several" or "many." It emphasizes the individual items in the group, which is why it always takes a plural verb.

On the other hand, "the number of" refers to a single, specific figure—one total amount. Since it's pointing to a single quantity, it always gets a singular verb.

Let’s put them side-by-side. The difference will click right into place.

A Number Of (Plural)
This phrase means "many," so the focus is on the multiple things.

• A number of employees are working from home today.
• A number of questions were asked during the meeting.

The Number Of (Singular)
Here, we're talking about a single total.

• The number of employees working from home is increasing.
• The number of questions asked during the meeting was surprising.

Just remember that "a number" acts plural and "the number" acts singular, and you'll nail one of the trickiest parts of subject-verb agreement every time.

Solving the Puzzle of Compound Subjects

Things get tricky when a sentence has more than one subject. We call these compound subjects, and figuring out whether to use is or are comes down to the small word that connects them.

The most common connector you'll see is "and." When you join two or more things with "and," you're effectively lumping them together into a plural group. That means you'll almost always need the plural verb "are."

• The manager and the team are in the meeting. (Manager + Team = a group)
• Both research and planning are essential for success. (Research + Planning = two crucial things)

This rule is pretty straightforward. Using "and" is like adding 1 + 1—you get a plural. But watch out, because other connecting words play by a different set of rules.

When to Use the Proximity Rule

This is where many people get tripped up. When you see connectors like or, nor, either/or, and neither/nor, the game changes. These words don't combine subjects; they offer alternatives.

In these cases, we rely on something called the proximity rule. It’s simpler than it sounds: the verb agrees with whatever subject is closest to it. Just look at the word right before the verb and match it.

This is a classic tripwire in professional writing. The trick is to ignore the first subject and focus only on the noun or pronoun sitting right next to the verb. That’s your guide.

Let’s see how the proximity rule plays out:

• Neither the manager nor the employees are happy. (The verb is next to the plural "employees," so we use "are.")
• Neither the employees nor the manager is happy. (Now, the singular "manager" is closest, so we switch to "is.")
• Either the report or the presentation is due. ("Presentation" is singular, so the verb is "is.")

Ignoring Distracting Phrases

Writers often tuck extra phrases between the subject and the verb to add detail. These are called interrupting phrases, and they are designed to throw you off track. Don't let them.

The secret is to mentally cross out everything between the true subject and the verb. Once you strip the sentence down to its core, the right choice becomes crystal clear.

Take a look:

• The list of project requirements is on your desk.
• The speaker, along with his two assistants, is running late.

In that first example, the subject isn't "requirements"—it's the singular "list." Similarly, in the second sentence, the subject is the "speaker," not his "assistants." The phrase "along with his two assistants" is just extra fluff.

Learning to spot and ignore these interrupting phrases will keep your grammar is or are choices sharp, no matter how complicated the sentence gets.

When Grammar Rules Evolve: The Curious Case of 'Data'

Language isn't set in stone; it's a living, breathing thing that changes right along with us. There's no better example of this than the word 'data.' The "data is or are" debate is a perfect window into how grammar adapts to the real world.

For a long, long time, 'data' was only ever the plural form of the Latin word 'datum.' If you were writing a scientific paper a century ago, you had one choice and one choice only: "The data are conclusive." This traditional usage is still the standard in many formal academic and scientific circles where that kind of precision really matters.

The Shift from 'Are' to 'Is'

But then, computers happened. As information became a central part of our lives, the way we thought about 'data' began to change. Instead of seeing it as a collection of individual points, we started treating it as one big, unified concept—a singular mass of information, like 'water' or 'sand.' This is what led to 'data' being used as a mass noun.

This evolution happened fast, especially in the worlds of tech and business. After World War II, technical fields started talking about "data" as a single entity. Fast forward to the end of the 20th century, and "data is" had become the norm in everyday language, media, and computing, even while many scientific journals held firmly to the plural form. You can dig deeper into this linguistic shift and its history.

The takeaway here is simple: context is king. Good grammar isn't just about memorizing old rules. It's about knowing your audience and choosing the right words to connect with them.

Making the Right Choice Today

So, which one should you use? It all comes down to who you're writing for and what style guide you're following.

• For Academic or Scientific Writing: Playing it safe with "data are" is usually the best bet. It signals that you understand the word's formal, historical roots.

• For Business, Tech, or General Audiences: Using "data is" is now perfectly acceptable and, frankly, sounds more natural in most modern contexts, from blog posts to business reports.

At the end of the day, the story of 'data' is a great reminder that language isn't static. Knowing how words evolve helps you write more effectively, moving beyond rigid rules to make choices that truly work. The question of grammar is or are so often comes down to who’s on the other side of the screen.

Common Sticking Points: Is vs. Are

Even when you feel like you've got the rules down, some sentences just make you second-guess yourself. Let's tackle a few of the most common head-scratchers that writers run into. Think of this as a quick-fire guide to get you unstuck and writing confidently again.

The 'None' Conundrum: Singular or Plural?

This one is a classic grammar puzzle. The truth is, 'none' can be either singular or plural, and it all depends on the context. If you mean "not one" or you're referring to something you can't count (like 'advice' or 'water'), you'll want to use "is."

• Example: None of the advice is helpful. (You can't have "two advices.")

However, if 'none' means "not any" and it's referring to multiple, countable things (like people or objects), it can take a plural verb. This is actually how it's most commonly used today.

• Example: None of the experts are in agreement. (You can count the experts.)

Money and Time: Always a Single Unit?

Here's a simple rule of thumb: treat amounts of money and periods of time as a single unit. Even though the number might be plural (like ten dollars or two hours), you're usually talking about one lump sum or one block of time. So, you should use "is."

Think of it this way: ten dollars isn't ten separate, individual dollar bills in this context; it's a single price. Two hours isn't a collection of minutes; it's one specific duration.

• Example: Ten dollars is the price of the ticket.
• Example: Two hours is not enough time to finish.

Watch Out for Subjects Joined by 'As Well As'

Phrases like "as well as," "along with," and "in addition to" can be tricky. They look like they're creating a plural subject, but they're actually just interrupters. When you're picking your verb, you should mentally set these phrases aside.

The verb needs to agree with the main subject of the sentence—the word that comes before the interrupting phrase.

• Example: The manager, along with the employees, is attending the meeting. (The real subject is "manager," which is singular.)

Getting these details right does more than just make your writing correct. A solid handle on subject-verb agreement is a huge help in improving reading comprehension skills, as it clarifies who is doing what in a sentence. Mastering these nuances is a big step forward.