Exception: a subject that is singular in sense though plural in form: Twenty miles a long way to walk. is Six months the time allowed for completion. was Fish and chips a popular dish. is Countries that are plural in form take singular verbs: The United States the world's most powerful economy. has A singular verb is used when the group is seen as a unit: The team currently based at Brindisi. is The staff entirely of locally employed people. consists A compound subject (with is normally plural: and) Their lives, their liberties and their religion [NOT in danger. are is] When alternative subjects (with are both singular, the verb is singular: or) [subject 1] United Nations troops have been ordered to shoot if life or property [subject 2] [NOT in danger. is are] However, if one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb is plural: The registered woman head of household [subject 1, singular] or her children [subject 2, plural] allowed to receive the food ration. are The plurals men and women, not "male" and "female", are used as adjectives when referring to people, e.g. Use women farmers. households headed by women, NEVER "female-headed households". The following determiners require a verb in singular: Anybody, anyone, somebody, someone, nobody, no one, everybody, everyone; each, every, either, neither; more than one; much, little; one of (plural noun but singular verb: one of the projects is ....); the number of.
Exception: a subject that is singular in sense though plural in form: Twenty miles is a long way to walk. Six months was the time allowed for completion. Fish and chips is a popular dish. Countries that are plural in form take singular verbs: The United States has the world's most powerful economy. A singular verb is used when the group is seen as a unit: The team is currently based at Brindisi. The staff consists entirely of locally employed people. A compound subject (with and) is normally plural: Their lives, their liberties and their religion are [NOT is] in danger. When alternative subjects (with or) are both singular, the verb is singular: United Nations troops have been ordered to shoot if life [subject 1] or property [subject 2] is [NOT are] in danger. However, if one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb is plural: The registered woman head of household [subject 1, singular] or her children [subject 2, plural] are allowed to receive the food ration. The plurals men and women, not "male" and "female", are used as adjectives when referring to people, e.g. women farmers. Use households headed by women, NEVER "female-headed households". The following determiners require a verb in singular: Anybody, anyone, somebody, someone, nobody, no one, everybody, everyone; each, every, either, neither; more than one; much, little; one of (plural noun but singular verb: one of the projects is ....); the number of.