None has or have

[tufguy]

Hi guys,

What we have to say "None of the codes has been denied or have been denied"?

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

There are those who believe that none is singular and should always take a singular verb.

This is the usage note on the subject taken from oxforddictionaries.com.
"It is sometimes held that none can only take a singular verb, never a plural verb: none of them is coming tonight rather than none of them are coming tonight. There is little justification, historical or grammatical, for this view. None is descended from Old English nān meaning ‘not one’ and has been used for around a thousand years with both a singular and a plural verb, depending on the context and the emphasis needed."

To my BrE ear it sounds pretentious and bordering on the hypercorrect to insist on the singular at all times.

In your example I would naturally say, "None of the codes have been denied".

 

[tufguy]

If you are saying that it should be used as singular than why have you used "Have" for my example.

 

[bhaisahab]

Roman55 didn't say that, tufguy. Read the post again, carefully.

 

[tufguy]

OK so it can be used as singular or as plural like "None of my friends is coming tonight" or "None of us is going there".

 

[bhaisahab]

Yes.

 

[riquecohen]

I speak AmE and nobody has ever suggested that I am pretentious or hypercorrect in using the singular verb. It seems very natural to me.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In many cases, the use of "none of xxx" can be singular or plural. When the noun following the preposition is an uncountable noun, the singular form is used. There are, however, cases in which a plural verb is needed.

See the usage note here.

 

[2006]

I am not a teacher.



To my BrE ear it sounds pretentious and bordering on the hypercorrect to insist on the singular at all times.

In your example I would naturally say, "None of the codes have been denied".

I agree.
I would say 'None of that is important.' and 'None of the members are happy about that.'

 

[MikeNewYork]

None of the cake has been eaten.
None of the cakes have been sold.

 

[Matthew Wai]

"None of these pens works/work."
"We have three sons but none of them lives/live nearby."
Both are quoted from my Oxford Dictionary.