Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

None of your business
Verbosity about verbs: The big blunders

DEFINITELY INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

You can be undecided about donuts, a Saturday night date, or client data. But verbs after indefinite pronouns call for a decision. Indefinite pronouns are those such as none, most, all, one, some, more, or any. Verbs after these pronouns can be singular or plural, depending on what noun or pronoun they replace or refer to in context.

Most of my equipment is under warranty.

Most of my computers are under warranty.

Some of my money is invested in mutual funds.

Some of my retirement funds are invested in annuities.

Some of the bombs have been set to detonate at noon.

Some of the paint has been leaking.

All of the paperwork is complete.

All of the contracts are complete.

None of the building has been damaged.

None of the employees have been complaining.

If you’re going to get any grief about this, somebody somewhere will probably want to lecture you about none, insisting that none means “not one.” Mrs. McCullough, seventh-grade English, bless her heart, pursed her lips and insisted on that until the day she died—or at least until I graduated. But none can mean “not one” or “not any.” More frequently than not, people use it to mean “not any.”

None of the cars are damaged. (not any)

None of the cars is damaged. (not even one—how remarkable)

None of the coins are missing. (not any)

None of the coins is missing. (not even one—amazing)

Memory tip

With indefinite pronouns, be definite. Consider the context to determine the meaning, and then make the verb choice either singular or plural.