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b4a5a.htf
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1997-03-31
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B4A5a
Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Exception
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You may remember this subject/verb agreement rule:
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The number of the subject is not affected by any phrases
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that fall between the subject and the verb.
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The above rule has an exception. An indefinite pronoun
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acting as subject may refer to a noun in the phrase between
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the pronoun and the verb. When
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all, any, most, none,
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or
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some
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refer to a singular noun, they take a singular verb.
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When they refer to a plural noun, they take a plural verb.
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Singular:
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Some
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of the paper is dry.
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Plural:
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Some
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of the papers are on the desk.
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In the first example above, the indefinite pronoun
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some
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refers to
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paper
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, which is singular. In the second example,
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some
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refers to
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papers
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, which is plural. Therefore, the
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phrases
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of the paper
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and
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of the papers
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do affect the number
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of the subject, which is
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some
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.
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