Why is this sentence gramatically correct?

[Oceanz]

<p>"None of the fish<a href="A">/u</a> in the aquarium is<a href="B">/u</a> native to this part of the world, having instead<a href="C">/u</a> been imported from<a href="D">/u</a> overseas. No Error.<a href="E">/u</a>"</p>

<p>I would think that the correct wording would be "...none of the fish are..", can anyone elaborate, please?</p>

[Got2BeGreen]

<p>The word “none” can take either a singular or a plural verb, because it can mean either “not any” or “not one.” When it means the former, it takes a plural verb. When it means the latter, it takes a singular verb. So, your sentence really means:</p>

<p>NOT ONE of the fish in the aquarium IS native . . .</p>

[Oceanz]

<p>Thanks for your help! But how are you supposed to know which form it’s supposed to take?</p>

[blob793]

<p>Is this a CB question?</p>

[NspiredOne]

<p>yeah that seems a lil ambiguous.</p>

[Got2BeGreen]

<p>Honestly, I’ve just looked through all my grammar books (I taught college writing) and on a bunch of websites, and I have no idea anymore. It seems pretty clear that native English speakers (even expert ones) disagree on when ‘none’ is singular and when it is plural. </p>

<p>Some people use the rule I gave above. Others say that if ‘none’ refers to a count noun, then it takes a plural verb and if it refers to a non-count noun then it takes a singular verb. I’ve seen other diagnoses as well. I’ve also seen people insisting it’s almost always plural and others suggesting it’s almost always singular.</p>

<p>My conclusion: this kind of question would (should?) NOT be on the actual SAT.</p>

[GreedIsGood]

<p>None is just an amalgamation of “not one.” So here you need singular.</p>

[Got2BeGreen]

<p>From Silverturtle’s Guide:</p>

<p>

• Some indefinite pronouns’ singularity or plurality depends on that of the intervening prepositional phrase. As I indicated earlier, the subject is never in such a phrase, but this is one of those circumstances under which we nonetheless need to refer to the object of the preposition. These pronouns are some, any, all, most, and none. For example:
  Some of you are coming tonight.</p>

<p>Some of the pie is nice.</p>

<p>Any of them are able to excavate.</p>

<p>None of it is enough.</p>

<p>None of those colors are happy.
[A special discussion of none is warranted. Describing none as equivalent to not one, some grammar-conscious writers insist upon none’s being singular without exception. I, instead, recommend sticking with the above guideline. Consider this entry from The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage:</p>

<p>

Quote:
none. Despite a widespread assumption that it stands for not one, the word has been construed as a plural (not any) in most contexts for centuries. H. W. Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1926) endorsed the plural use. Make none plural except when emphasizing the idea of not one or no one — and then consider using those phrases instead.

</p>

<p>Likewise, I often see (in several of my school textbooks, for example) any used in the singular sense even when the object of its intervening prepositional phrase is plural. This does not seem to be the prevailing practice, however. In any case, in order avoid getting embroiled in controversy, the College Board is unlikely to test agreement with either of those two words.]

</p>

[Oceanz]

<p>This was actually a Princeton Review question. Apparently a lot of their questions aren’t that great for practice?</p>

<p>EDIT: But hey, if it’s not on the SAT then it’s one less thing I need to worry about…</p>

[NspiredOne]

<p>yeah PR is slightly more difficult since they test some of these obscure topics…</p>

[GreedIsGood]

<p>I WOuld only recommend PR FOR subject tests and not for the reaL SAT.</p>

[NspiredOne]

<p>other than CB tests/ QASs, what would you recommend then greed?</p>

[NspiredOne]

<p>bump at greed?</p>