2006-09-05 20:41:54 · 17 answers · asked by mara 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
It is singular
According to Subject-Verb agreement, an INDEFINITE pronouns "anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody" are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.
Ex:
Everyone has done his or her homework.
Somebody has left her purse.
2006-09-05 20:45:47 · answer #1 · answered by SassyGurl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ah, it is going to let me answer this one... everyone is treated as a singular pronoun because it not know that "everyone" is more than one. If you are talking about everyone who came to my 16th birthday party then everyone is equal to none. My 15th was the year, however, that year everyone was Phylis. You couldn't have a better everyone than she.
Seiously, I don't know why "everyone" is singular. I think it is grammar enough to know the rule or convention. Pronouns were explained to me a long time ago as words that take the place of nouns. As you see above everyone takes the place of a noun and a proper noun. I might add that a pronoun may also take the place of another pronoun: in the summer of 1957 everyone was she. In looking further into this the point would be obscured if you were my everyone.
2006-09-06 08:32:27 · answer #2 · answered by madchriscross 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
gramatically, it's singular beacuse you use a verb in singular with it, but if you look at the meaning, it's plural because it thinks of Every single person sort of joined in a group
2006-09-08 05:31:35 · answer #3 · answered by ellen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Singular. Don't know why, but it's easy to remember that all the "one" pronouns are singular--everyone, anyone, someone, no one, none.
2006-09-06 03:44:33 · answer #4 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is simgular "everyone thinks." This is becuase it is a collective pronoun, a singular pronoun referring to a single entity containing multiple objects. Collective nouns are more frequent: a gaggle of geese, a flock of sheep etc.
2006-09-07 10:00:44 · answer #5 · answered by Jonathan D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Singular (as one group)
"if everyone IS ready to go, "
2006-09-06 03:49:13 · answer #6 · answered by marie 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think singular, the only reason why I can think of is because it is one thing, one concept: everyone. Also because you say, 'everyone IS waiting, dear,' or whatever.
2006-09-06 03:44:32 · answer #7 · answered by niwriffej 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Singular, because of that ONE, I guess.
2006-09-06 13:42:39 · answer #8 · answered by cmilja m 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Singular- it is one group like a football team ' who was it who won the world cup?', not 'who were it?'
2006-09-06 03:50:37 · answer #9 · answered by emily_jane2379 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Singular. "Everyone" is a group, a single group comprised of every one.
2006-09-06 03:46:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋