None Is vs. None Are: Which Do You Use?
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
None Is vs. None Are: Which Do You Use?
Even among those who pay attention to grammar, the none is versus none are debate can be a spirited one. Do you know which one is correct?
We don’t want you to get it wrong or to follow misguided advice. That’s why we are going to clear things up in today’s post.
As a starting point, let’s address one issue that causes a lot of confusion.
None Can Be Singular or Plural
Some people will tell you that none are is always incorrect because none is singular. However, in certain contexts, none can carry a plural connotation.
None can be short for “not one is” or “no single one,” which are singular uses. However, it can also take on a plural quality, meaning “not one of them “or “not one of any.” The key component here is the nuance of the prepositional phrase that modifies none.
This might seem complicated on the surface, but it’s simpler when we look at it in a couple of examples.
None of my suits is right for a court appearance.
In this instance, none is singular because it refers to “no single one.”
Compare that to:
I spoke to all five of my teammates, but none of them are able to drive me to practice.
In this usage, none corresponds to “not one of any.”
While you will likely use none is more often than none are in your daily communications, simply keep in mind that sometimes none can take a plural verb.
How to Find the Right Version of None Is or None Are
Even with the guidelines we’ve shared, we still understand it can be difficult to find the right answer between none is or none are when you aren’t sure. In those cases where you might still feel confused, simply follow two basic rules.
1) Ask yourself whether the context seems singular or plural. If it’s singular, go with none is, but if it’s plural, then use none are.
2) If that rule doesn’t help, then default to none is. That usage is more accepted, and it tends to be right more often than not when both versions sound correct to you.
All in all, this represents a finer point of American grammar. So, if you struggle to get it right with every reference, there’s little cause for concern. You’ll get better with practice, and it isn’t the sort of thing most others are likely to catch or correct very often.
Give Your Grammar a Boost
Figuring out whether to use none is vs. none are is a good example of the grammatical challenges some of our readers might run into. If you want to learn more about grammar and have fun doing it, we welcome you to return to our site again soon. If you have any thoughts or questions about none is vs. none are, be sure to leave us a comment below.
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
Please which is correct? None of you are lazy or none of you is lazy?
You could make a case for either one:
None of you is lazy. (Not one of you is lazy.)
None of you are lazy. (Not any of you are lazy.)
You take the position that “none are” is acceptable when the object of a prepositional phrase is plural. I argue that the verb phrase needs to relate to the subject, not the object. Since “none” is a back-formed word or contraction of “not one” then the singular verb “is” is always correct and pluralizing it is always wrong.
As we state in the post, the word “none” can represent several meanings:
“not one is”
“no single one”
“not one of them “
“not one of any”
See the comments and replies in the post None Were vs. None Was for an extensive discussion on the topic.
“Not one” means “none” is singular irrespective of the prepositional phrase that follows “none.” Check your college grammar books. Prepositional phrases in a sentence’s subject do not impact singularity or plurality of the subject.
As we state in the post, the word “none” can represent several meanings:
“not one is”
“no single one”
“not one of them “
“not one of any”
See the comments and replies in the post None Were vs. None Was for an extensive discussion on the topic.
Every time I think I understand this, I lose my grip and get confused again. Case in point, your opening example. Based on what you wrote, it seems like the sentence “I spoke to all five of my teammates, but none of them are able to drive me to practice” could be shortened to “None of my teammates are able to drive me to practice” and that still would be a proper use of “none…are.” BUT… if that’s correct, then the similar sentence “I looked at all five of my suits and none of them are right for a court appearance” could be shortened to “None of my suits are right for a court appearance,” which is OPPOSITE the example you used: “None of my suits is right for a court appearance.” So, now I’m confused. Is it that in some instances “none…is” and “none…are” can be used interchangeably, or am I just horribly misunderstanding this?
Because the difference can be so nuanced, determining a specific, immutable principle can be elusive upon deeper analysis. We maintain that the best way to differentiate none is from none are is to continue interpreting usage as meaning either “not one is; no single one” (singular) or “not one of them; not one of any” (plural, which is governed by attention to the plural object of the modifying prepositional phrase). In other words, decide if the context intends to emphasize a single unit or multiple units. If that guideline doesn’t help, you can always default to none is and you will be grammatically accurate.
I’ve always thought of “none” as “zero,” with “zero” being plural; because only “one” is singular. Thus “none are.” But I am an engineer and think in numbers.
“None of my suits” (“suits” is plural) vs. “Not one of them”: It’s the same thing, so this is a fallacy. Theoretically, “is” should always be correct; however, colloquially, “are” is used almost 100% of the time. I vote we just keep it as “are”: It makes life simple. English is full of exceptions!
Please see our reply of August 22, 2022, to Mark Appelstein.
Your reply of December 22, 2022, to Bill seems to verge on saying that Bill may actually be correct. Personally I think that “none” is always singular in the expression “none of X,” including therefore “none of them” in the example where the speaker is seeking to cadge a lift off a teammate. This is because “none of X” means “not one of X.” Even if it is suggested that “none of X” means “not any of X,” I would say that is a shortened form of “not any one of X” and should also, therefore, be singular. Any contrary examples cited seem to me to be errors. This may be a generational opinion; the English language does evolve.
This post is from several years ago. Please visit our recent post Is None Plural or Singular? for more information about the nuances associated with the word none.