[Grammar] Noun-verb agreement

[navis]

I need the rules about noun-verb agreement in mixed singular and plural nouns-sentences for British English. For example - "My sons and my daughter are playing in the garden now.", or "My sons and my daughter is playing in the garden now.". Which sentence is correct in this case and why? If the sentence is "My daughter and my sons are playing in the garden now." I am sure that it is correct. Is it the rule "The closest noun's form must agree with the verb in the sentence." is workable? Thank you in advance!

 

[MikeNewYork]

In both cases, the subject is plural because of the conjunction "and". So the verb must be "are".

 

[Tdol]

The nearest noun can affect the verb, but it is not an over-riding rule. Here, where the speaker is talking about his family members, the singular doesn't work for me. It is used in sentences like There's a man and a woman waiting to see you, where many find that the singular verb sounds better.

 

[MikeNewYork]

The closest noun rule, in a normal sentence construction, applies to "or" not "and'.