[Grammar] Don't or Doesn't?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Portuguese
Home Country
Brazil
Current Location
Brazil
Here's the following sentence:

"Maybe those words don't/doesn't mean a lot to you."

I know the "word" refers to the third person, therefore I should use "doesn't". However, I got confuse when sentences like that comes up. In this sentence we have the "word" in plural, what makes me think in "don't". am I right? Is my reasoning correct?
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Third person, like first and second, has both singular and plural.

It does. They don't.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
In this sentence we have the "word" in plural, what makes me think in "don't". am I right? Is my reasoning correct?

This part is correct, though I would say it in something like the following way:

In this sentence we have "words" in the plural, which makes me think "don't" is correct. Am I right?
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Here's the following sentence:

"Maybe those words don't/doesn't mean a lot to you."

I know the "word" refers to the third person, therefore I should use "doesn't". However, I got confuse when sentences like that comes up. In this sentence we have the "word" in plural, what makes me think in "don't". am I right? Is my reasoning correct?

Try simplifying the sentence and comparing the options:
Words don't mean a lot.
Words doesn't mean a lot.

Which sentence looks correct?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top