grammar - Is "Five dollars is all I have" correct?


I want to emphasize that I only have 5 dollars, so can I use the sentence:



Five dollars is all I have.



Or must it be:



Five dollars are all I have.



Please give the explanation as well.



Answer



It all depends on the context. If we refer to five dollars as a single entity, then the verb that follows must be singular. If we refer to "five dollars" as five separate pieces of 1 dollar , then the verb must be plural.


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