Writing for Business - A Whatis.com Blog » plural or singular http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business Is your grammar as good as your code? Thu, 23 May 2013 20:41:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Is that on everyone’s mind or on everyone’s minds? http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-on-everyones-mind-or-on-everyones-minds/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-on-everyones-mind-or-on-everyones-minds/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:45:21 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-on-everyones-mind-or-on-everyones-minds/ Which is correct?
The question on everyone’s _____ is how to improve customer experience and cut costs at the same time.
a. minds
b. mind


Answer: b.

Explanation:
Everyone is singular — it means “every person.” We would say “on every person’s mind,” so we should also say “on everyone’s mind.”

Bonnie Trenga explains further for Grammar Girl:

“Although I’ll focus on the words everyone and everybody, the same rules apply to the words no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody. Earlier I stated that grammarians don’t agree on the issue of indefinite pronouns. There are actually two issues concerning this topic: Are the words everyone and everybody singular or plural? And can I use a plural pronoun (such as their) to refer to these words? Grammarians actually agree that the words everyone and everybody are singular. Grammar Girl (that is I!) herself explains the answer in her upcoming book. She says, everyone sounds like a lot of people, but in grammar land, everyone is a singular noun and takes a singular verb. For example:

* Everyone loves Squiggly. (This is right because everyone is singular and paired with a singular verb, loves.)
* Everyone are happy. (This is wrong because it’s pairing the singular noun everyone with a plural verb, are.)
* Everyone hates subject-verb agreement. (This is right because everyone and hates are both singular.)

It’s OK to hate subject-verb agreement, but sometimes you just have to do things you don’t want to do. I promise to pick weeds if you promise to make sure your subjects agree with your verbs.”

Thanks to@biggreenpen for the idea for this question!

Follow us on Twitter @tao_of_grammar

]]> http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-that-on-everyones-mind-or-on-everyones-minds/feed/ 0 Is majority plural or singular? http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-majority-plural-or-singular/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-majority-plural-or-singular/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:17:03 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-majority-plural-or-singular/ Which is correct?
A majority of CIOs ___ either using or considering SaaS products.
a. is
b. are

Answer: b

Explanation:
By itself, majority is singular but if it’s linked to a group, as above, use the plural form.

The Economist has more information about collective nouns.

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]]> http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/is-majority-plural-or-singular/feed/ 0 Criteria is or criteria are? http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/criteria-is-or-criteria-are/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/criteria-is-or-criteria-are/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:23:58 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/criteria-is-or-criteria-are/ typing Which is correct?
Your own criteria for selecting a computer ___ defined by how you intend to use it.
a. are
b. is

Answer: a
Explanation: Criteria is plural, although the singular form, criterion, is much less often seen.

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