# Grammar Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 16, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175 "2001-04-16T16:48:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jsteinhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@jsteinhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsteinhorn)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175/1 "2001-04-16T16:48:00Z")

</div>

Grammar question. Which is correct:

The person or persons are big.  
The person or persons is big.  
Why?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175/2 "2001-04-16T17:00:18Z")

</div>

The former is correct. This is because when parts of a subject are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearer part. Sometimes it’s better to rewrite the sentence to avoid what may be a technically correct construction but which sounds awkward anyway.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175/3 "2001-04-16T17:00:46Z")

</div>

The plural are something.  
The singular is something.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175/4 "2001-04-16T17:01:31Z")

</div>

Generally, the word “or” in a subject leads you to use the singular form of the verb. Either Bob or Larry has your money. When this rule doesn’t help you (as in your hairy example), the subject nearest the verb should determine whether the singular or plural is used. The person or persons are big.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question/62175/5 "2001-04-16T23:16:29Z")

</div>

and also , it just sounds better. …the persons are vs …the persons is.