Concord Exceptions

Notional agreement and proximity.

Examples

• Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.

Key rules

• Notional agreement: meaning not form, e.g. The committee are divided
• Plural form with singular meaning: mathematics is
• Proximity: The teacher or the students are
• Quantity expressions: Ten dollars is a lot

Common mistakes

• The staff is arguing among themselves → The staff are arguing among themselves
• Fifty miles are far → Fifty miles is far