Despite “popular” opinion, none can be singular or plural. In general it all depends on the context and the emphasis needed.
Sometimes it’s a singular emphasis, in which case use none is. You’d also use none is if the following noun is an uncountable noun, i.e., something seen as a whole but not divisible into separate elements.
If a sentence has a plural feel to it, then you’d want none are — the are being a plural verb.
Exploring Later . . .
You may want to explore “None versus Nun” and/or “Neither Is vs Neither Are“.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| None Is | None Are |
|---|---|
 — |
 — |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Singular pronoun | Plural pronoun |
| If followed with a singular verb, another singular pronoun, OR a mass noun . . .
Not one No one No single one |
If followed with a plural verb, another plural pronoun, OR the sentence feels plural
Not any
No persons or things |
| Examples: | |
| None of the water is polluted.
None of the members is going. Among the candidates who filed none was from the Independents. None is more vulnerable than Nathaniel, a soft-spoken sixteen-year-old who is quick to flash a smile. None of it was to his taste. None of this is necessary. |
I talked to the boys, and none of them are coming to the party.
None of the guys are going. None of the 1,542 photos were classed as indecent. None of the forecasts were very close to what the game conditions were. None of these were necessary. |
| History of the Word: | |
| Old English nān, is from ne (not) + ān (one) and is of Germanic origin. | |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for None Is vs None Are
Apple Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com: none
Fogarty, Mignon. “‘None Is’ or ‘None Are’?” Quick and Dirty Tips. 13 Sept 2018. Web. 4 April 2020. <https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/none-or-none-are>.
“None Is or None Are.” Grammarist.com. n.d. Web. 4 April 2020. <https://grammarist.com/spelling/none-are-or-none-is/>.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
YeGon Millions is courtesy of the Department of Justice and is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Revised as of 16 Apr 2024
By: Kathy Davie