which sentence is correct none of the students have a car or has a car?

Question

which one is correct

1none of the students has a car

2none of the students have a car

Answer 1

Short answer - BOTH may be used, but if you want to please your local grammar expert, you'll usually use #1.

(I love this question, because my wife used to always 'correct' my usage on this point. I always caved in, though there were sentences where her "rule" didn't seem to work. So I finally stopped to research it! Here are my results.)

Most grammarians --who like things nice and tidy-- will tell you that it MUST be the singular "has", because "none" is singular.

Not quite so simple. In fact, as much as it bothers people, BOTH forms can be correct, though using one or the other MAY be preferred in specific sentences, and the two different expressions may have a slightly different emphasis.

HISTORICALLY, "none is" and "none are" have both been used since Old English (and by the best writers!).

Now those who tell you that the subject is "none" (and that "students" just expands on it) are correct, BUT that does not settle this question. Is "none" itself singular or plural? Can it vary? Some insist that we should understand "none" as the equivalent of "not one", and so as a singular. But it can ALSO be equivalent to "not any" which may be used as a plural (see the end of this post).

Here's a very helpful usage note on the matter -

"Usage Note: It is widely asserted that none is equivalent to no one, and hence requires a singular verb and singular pronoun: None of the prisoners was given his soup. It is true that none is etymologically derived from the Old English word n, "one," but the word has been used as both a singular and a plural noun from Old English onward. The plural usage appears in the King James Bible as well as the works of John Dryden and Edmund Burke and is widespread in the works of respectable writers today. Of course, the singular usage is perfectly acceptable. The choice between a singular or plural verb depends on the desired effect. Both options are acceptable in this sentence: None of the conspirators has (or have) been brought to trial. When none is modified by almost, however, it is difficult to avoid treating the word as a plural: Almost none of the officials were (not was) interviewed by the committee. None can only be plural in its use in sentences such as None but his most loyal supporters believe (not believes) his story. "
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/none

See also the excellent discussions at:
http://www.lydbury.co.uk/grammar/forum_posts.asp?TID=11254&get=last
http://forum.wordreference.com/archive/index.php?t-91606.html

The latter compares instances where "There is none" and "There are none" are appropriate --

Are there any cars on the road?
There are none. (any cars - a multiple quantity)

Have we any bread left?
There is none. (any bread, a singular quantity)

Note the connection of "none" with "(not) ANY" mentioned above-- this isn't perfectly equivalent to "not one", despite the etymological connection of "one/ane" and "any". And so, unlike "not one", we can use "any" with PLURAL forms, as the question above --"ARE there any cars?" demonstrates.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

2

Answer 6

2 is correct. The only reason that 1 sounds okay is it is close to: one of the students has a car, which would be correct.

Answer 7

1 none of the students has a car

Answer 8

I choose mechanical engineering as my major because I am interested in all kinds of machine. I consider myself a builder. At the age of eight, my dad bought me a cars magazine. That was the most memorable moment of my life. My talent in mechanics started from then on. When I was a child, I dismantled small electronic products like remote controls and clocks. I would spend all of my pocket money for my toys like mini 4wd model cars; and because of the gears and motors in these model cars, I came to know more about machines. In high school, I was a member of the table tennis school team. My physics teacher liked me for being very active in the class. I joined four competitions in my five years of high school. I was a champion among the 200 attendances of a competition that was organized by Green Council of Hong Kong. I built a mousetrap car for this competition. My mousetrap car ran about 10 meters for only 2.01 seconds. I was again champion of another competition. My project then was a cable car competition which was organized by Hong Kong Quality Education Fund. The energy was generated from my rubber band. I made a cable car which was as 1 meter above the ground go for 10 meters. I attended a competition organized by Hong Kong City University wherein I built a Machine Hand that carried a cup of water. I also attended a solar car competition which was organized by Green Council and Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. I built two solar cars in my workshop; one was for testing, and the other one for competition. I only got seventh place among the fourteen people who attended the same competition. It was a blessing in disguise though because even if I wasn't the champion in this competition I learned lots of things like the precision of a screw, teamwork, being emotionally strong, acceptance of a downfall and, more importantly, rising up from the downfall. Today, I have my workshop in Hong Kong where I can do many wood job and metal jobs. I have welded three bicycles together to build new styles. I have also worked in a car repair house owned by my friends where I have learned lots about car repairs.

Answer 9

2 is correct

Answer 10

The second one is correct. The subject in the sentence is a plural noun -- "students."