Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: verb agreement

  1. #1
    zigzag is offline Newbie
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    11

    Default verb agreement

    Is it "know" or "knows" in "no one but you know(s)..."?
    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Dany's Avatar
    Dany is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    602

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by zigzag View Post
    Is it "know" or "knows" in "no one but you know(s)..."?
    Thanks.
    No one but you know ...... (without 's').
    's' is only used with he, she and it.

    Best wishes,
    Dany

  3. #3
    ian2 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • China
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    431

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by zigzag View Post
    Is it "know" or "knows" in "no one but you know(s)..."?
    Thanks.
    As a non-native speaker of English, one is not sure which is correct. Of course you can try to find a native speaker for an answer. When you can't find one, the best is still the Internet. Here is what I found:

    no one but you know=54 returns
    no one but you knows=935 returns

    Which means more people use "knows", the difference is big enough to conclude that "knows" is correct.

    Grammatically, "knows" is correct, because the word "but" here is a preposition, which means the subject of the sentence is "no one" which is third person singular.

    We need native speakers to confirm or otherwise.

  4. #4
    hyd1000 is offline Newbie
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Hello,,
    I want to join you guys.


    I think ''knows'' used for he,she and it.

    Thanks guys.

  5. #5
    Dany's Avatar
    Dany is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    602

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by ian2 View Post
    no one but you know=54 returns
    no one but you knows=935 returns

    Which means more people use "knows", the difference is big enough to conclude that "knows" is correct.
    I don't know where you have these numbers from, but when you look at google you will see that you have

    154.000 entries for "no one but you know" "no one but you know" - Google-Suche=
    and only
    936 entries for "no one but you knows" "no one but you knows" - Google-Suche=


    Dany

  6. #6
    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • Philippines
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    35,345
    Teacher

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Dany, that's the German Google. It should be 'knows' because the subject is 'no one'. You can rephrase it:

    No one knows but you
    you know but no one

  7. #7
    Dany's Avatar
    Dany is offline Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    602

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by Tdol View Post
    Dany, that's the German Google. It should be 'knows' because the subject is 'no one'. You can rephrase it:

    No one knows but you
    you know but no one
    But when I look in at google.co.uk I get the same numbers.
    154.000 for "no one but you know" - Google Search=
    936 for "no one but you knows" - Google Search=

    I am very confused now

  8. #8
    ian2 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • China
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    431

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by Dany View Post
    But when I look in at google.co.uk I get the same numbers.
    154.000 for "no one but you know" - Google Search=
    936 for "no one but you knows" - Google Search=

    I am very confused now
    When you use Google, you have to use brackets. If you just type:

    one one but you knows, then you will have tons of returns. But if you type
    "no one but you knows" (with brackets), then the number of returns is much smaller.

    Again BUT is a preposition. This is very important. In the same way, you say:

    A letter together with three books HAS been sent to you. But
    A letter and three books HAVE been sent to you.

    Words after preposition cannot be counted as part of the subject.

    Tdol, you can correct me, if I am wrong.

  9. #9
    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • Philippines
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    35,345
    Teacher

    Default Re: verb agreement

    Dany, be carefulo with Google results- some of them are for things like 'no one. But you know', which is completely different.

Similar Threads

  1. Usage Of "does"
    By crool in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 09-Aug-2007, 15:56
  2. Please suggest an activity for teaching Subject Verb Agreement
    By Unregistered in forum Teaching English
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 07-Dec-2006, 20:24
  3. subject verb agreement
    By chiewnet in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 20-Jun-2006, 02:34
  4. Subject Verb..agreement
    By ELC in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 31-May-2006, 22:42
  5. noun phrases
    By sting in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 26-Aug-2004, 20:52

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0