is "one or the other" singuar or plural?
it is used in this sentence :
"One or the other (becomes, become) the controlling influence of our lives." and im supposed to choose the right form for become(either for singular or plural)
2007-07-28 19:06:36 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The phrase is singular so you use "becomes." If the phrase is "one AND the other," then it becomes plural so you use "become."
2007-07-28 19:09:56 · answer #1 · answered by JADE 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Singular.
One is obviously singular. The other is also singular. Because the conjunction that joins them together is "or," we know that only one of the two things is being refered to (opposite of 'one AND the other).
So since it is one OR the other, and each is singular, the verb needs to agree with the singular.
"One becomes the controlling..."
"The other becomes the controlling..."
So,
"(Either) One or the other becomes the controlling..."
If it were "and," the two things would collectively be plural. But this is not the case, so they are singular.
2007-07-28 19:11:11 · answer #2 · answered by Coach McGuirk 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In your example, "One or the other becomes" is correct.
Break it down into a single noun and a single verb phrase:
Would you say, "One become the controlling influence"?
NO, you would say, "One becomes the controlling influence".
Would you say, "The other become the controlling influence"?
NO, you would say, "The other becomes the controlling influence".
In this case, if the noun was plural (others) then it would be correct to say, "The others become the controlling influence".
2007-07-28 19:23:58 · answer #3 · answered by whiner_cooler 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you try the sentence with each part "One becomes the controlling influence\the other becomes the controlling influence" it makes it clearer which is correct...specifically because both "one" and "the other" are singular.
2007-07-28 19:11:58 · answer #4 · answered by jlhpisces 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. The man, woman or child was leaving the country (only one person is leaving) 2. Rita and her friend bought (a) dozen mangoes from the market The verb "bought" has no singular or plural, eg "The men bought a watermelon" 3. The women gave birth to male children
2016-04-01 07:53:01 · answer #5 · answered by Linda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe you should choose the singular form, becomes, because you are making a choice of one of the options presented, and that options becomes the single subject for the rest of the sentece (for the predicate).
2007-07-28 19:10:09 · answer #6 · answered by Lola 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use the singular because "one" and "the other" are singular nouns. Just because they are connected by a conjunction doesn't make the phrase plural.
2007-07-28 19:12:30 · answer #7 · answered by Richard B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
becomes,
Say the sentence with one or the other separately....
One becomes the controlling influence of our lives.
The other becomes the controlling influence of our lives.
One become the controlling influence of our lives.
The other become the controlling influence of our lives.
Which makes more sense to you?
Becomes is the answer.
2007-07-28 19:09:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Singular, One or the other becomes....
2007-07-28 19:11:03 · answer #9 · answered by Max 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know the proper answer, but the sentence sounds better to me when it's "becomes".
2007-07-28 19:09:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋