Q&A - PSLE English

[jlloke.09430gmail.09430com]

Sorry but I think it should be ‘None of the items is…’

Teachers out there, please correct me I am wrong, tks!

[D3-n]

It is my understanding that both "is" and "are" can follow "none of", but it depends on the situation.


The case for the singular "is" is more straight-forward. It is used for uncountable nouns.
None of the water is clean.
None of the money is returned.

For countable nouns, there are opposing schools of thought.
But both "is" and "are" are possible, it simply depends on the semantics (ie. the intended meaning) of the sentence.
"None of ___ is" would be placing the emphasis on the individual whereas "None of ___ are" would be placing the emphasis on the group as a whole.
For example,
None of the items is cheap.
This would mean each single item is expensive.
None of the items are cheap.
This would mean all the items are expensive.

Having said that, for the examination purpose of synthesis (where students are not tested on semantics), we should stick to the singular "is" for "None of".
Hence,
All of _____ are ===>>>None of _____ is

Hope this helps.

[Love Clouds]

Thanks Iggy23 and Finderskeepers.

[shurley197323]

Thank you all for your help.

[Xtintedcandies]

The loaves of bread has/have been baked.


Please help. Thanks

[D3-n]

Xtintedcandies:

The loaves of bread has/have been baked.


Please help. Thanks

loaves is plural of loaf, and it is countable.
eg. How many loaves did you bake?

Hence,
The loaf of bread has been baked
The loaves of bread have been baked

[jetsetter]

Iggy23:

Hi, the answers are as follows:


1) are (students precede the word university so the plural form should be used as it refers to the students)

It's not always accurate to look primarily at the denominator, in this case \"students\". Do look at the numerator \"A third\" and contextualise it. \"One of the students\" will yield a singular predicate. And of course, we all know the expression \"the number\" takes a singular verb, but \"a number\" takes a plural verb, regardless of the plurality of the noun in the denominator.

2) are (the word \"none\" is usually treated as a plural)

Historically, none takes the singular, but these days, pedants have accepted both, depending on the semantics. The question deliberately gave the Positive Context, \"All of the items are expensive\" and requires the student to inverse/transform it to Negative \"None of the items are cheap\". I would think \"are\" is the correct logical answer.

3) hold off (hold on is to keep hold of it, which doesn't suit the context; hold up is to stall; hold out is to resist something)

4) have scored (The addition of \"have\" is to suit the sentence because there isn't a specific time like yesterday, last week, or two days ago. \"Have scored\" is the present perfect tense that explains scoring but the timing is unknown.)
Actually the timing is not unknown here, because the writer used \"is\", the simple present. That should give you a big hint

Iggy23:

I believe it's when the noun preceding the is/are that determines it. Let's say we use a term like water, sugar, milk - Things that are uncountable. In this case, we'll use \"is\": None of the milk is spoilt/ None of the water is contaminated.

I think these 2 uncountable noun e.gs are kind of awkward! hehe...

[jetsetter]

D3@n:

It is my understanding that both \"is\" and \"are\" can follow \"none of\", but it depends on the situation.


The case for the singular \"is\" is more straight-forward. It is used for uncountable nouns.
None of the water is clean.
None of the money is returned.

For countable nouns, there are opposing schools of thought.
But both \"is\" and \"are\" are possible, it simply depends on the semantics (ie. the intended meaning) of the sentence.
\"None of ___ is\" would be placing the emphasis on the individual whereas \"None of ___ are\" would be placing the emphasis on the group as a whole.
For example,
None of the items is cheap.
This would mean each single item is expensive.
None of the items are cheap.
This would mean all the items are expensive.

Having said that, for the examination purpose of synthesis (where students are not tested on semantics), we should stick to the singular \"is\" for \"None of\".


Do you mean Transformation instead? :?


Hence,
All of _____ are ===>>>None of _____ is

Hope this helps.

[D3-n]

jetsetter:

D3@n:

It is my understanding that both \"is\" and \"are\" can follow \"none of\", but it depends on the situation.


The case for the singular \"is\" is more straight-forward. It is used for uncountable nouns.
None of the water is clean.
None of the money is returned.

For countable nouns, there are opposing schools of thought.
But both \"is\" and \"are\" are possible, it simply depends on the semantics (ie. the intended meaning) of the sentence.
\"None of ___ is\" would be placing the emphasis on the individual whereas \"None of ___ are\" would be placing the emphasis on the group as a whole.
For example,
None of the items is cheap.
This would mean each single item is expensive.
None of the items are cheap.
This would mean all the items are expensive.

Having said that, for the examination purpose of synthesis (where students are not tested on semantics), we should stick to the singular \"is\" for \"None of\".


Do you mean Transformation instead? :?


Hence,
All of _____ are ===>>>None of _____ is

Hope this helps.

Yes, I do mean Transformation indeed.
Thank you for pointing it out, head-scratching and all.

[D3-n]

jetsetter:

2) are (the word \"none\" is usually treated as a plural)

Historically, none takes the singular, but these days, pedants have accepted both, depending on the semantics. The question deliberately gave the Positive Context, \"All of the items are expensive\" and requires the student to inverse/transform it to Negative \"None of the items are cheap\". I would think \"are\" is the correct logical answer.

For exam purposes, with the negation of the sentence, I think students are supposed to transform the plurality as well to contrast \"All\" against \"None\". So I would maintain that \"is\" is the answer to provide.