grammar - If you or somebody you know ... are/is ...?



What is the correct grammar for a sentence such as the following:


"If you or somebody you know is an experienced such-and-such, please contact us."


Vs.:


"If you or somebody you know are an experienced such-and-such, please contact us."


I primarily want to know which of "are" or "is" is the appropriate verb.


My hunch is that "you or somebody you know" can be substituted by a plural pronoun, which makes the verb "are"; but I am thrown off by "if somebody you know are" (which is wrong, I think - or at least it sounds wrong), and I don't know what the rule is.


There is also the rule that Telastyn states below - choose a verb as if one of the options was chosen. However, "you or somebody you know" is two singular options, but "are" is used with singular "you" while "is" is used with other singular subjects, and so they conflict. That's where my confusion lies (or is my confusion deeper -- are "you" and "somebody" actually subtly plural here?)



Answer



The appropriate verb, formally, is is. If the subjects are a mix of singular and plural as in your example, then the verb agrees with the closest subject (after or).


"If you or somebody you know is an experienced such-and-such, please contact us."



Rule 3. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.


Examples: Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf. Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.



Source




  1. When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.


The boy or his friends run every day. His friends or the boy runs every day.



Source 2


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