➲ In the sentence, ‘‘One of the girls is counting the tickets,’’ the subject is
one and the verb is is. Both the subject and the verb are singular.
➲ In the sentence, ‘‘Many of the girls are counting the tickets,’’ the subject,
many, and the verb, are, are plural.
Notice how in these example sentences the subjects and verbs agree in
number.
➲ The design for these few buildings is intricate. (The singular subject,
design, agrees in number with the singular verb, is.)
➲ The portraits in the White House are memorable. (The plural subject,
portraits, agrees in number with the plural verb, are.)
Note: When you are working with the indefinite pronouns that can be either
singular or plural (all, any, more, most, none, and some), the verb will agree in
number with the object of the preposition in the prepositional phrase that is
associated with the verb.
➲ Some of the newspaper is missing. (Because some can be either singular or
plural, match the verb with the object of the preposition. As newspaper
is singular, use is [not are] as the verb.)
➲ Some of the newspapers are missing. (Because some can be either singular
or plural, match the verb with the object of the preposition. As newspapers
is plural, use are [not is] as the verb.)
