Should I Use a Singular or Plural Verb with None?

None can take either a singular or plural verb.

When none is followed by a mass noun (a noun that cannot be counted or made plural) it takes a singular verb.

– None of the wine was drunk. (wine = mass noun)

When none means no one or not any, use whichever verb makes more sense.
Consider none as singular when you want to emphasize a single entity in a group, but consider none to be plural when you want to emphasize more than one.

– None of the books is worth reading.
– None of the books are worth reading.

– None of us is going to the banquet.
– None of us are going to the banquet.

– None of the printers is working.
– None of the printers are working.

– None of you is guilty
– None of you are guilty.

If your meaning is β€˜none of them’, treat the word as plural; if it is β€˜none of it’, treat it as singular.

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