When to Use a Singular or Plural Verb in Spanish

When to Use a Singular or Plural Verb in Spanish Spanish has several situations in which it may not be obvious whether a singular or plural verb should be used. These are some of the most common such cases. Collective Nouns Collective nouns - ostensibly singular nouns that refer to a group of individual entities - can be used with either a singular or plural verb for reasons that arent always clear. If the collective noun is immediately followed by a verb, a singular verb is used: La muchedumbre piensa que mis discursos no son suficientemente interesantes. (The crowd thinks my speeches arent sufficiently interesting.) But when the collective noun is followed by de, it can be used with either a singular or plural verb. Both of these sentences are acceptable, although some language purists may prefer one construction over another: La mitad de habitantes de nuestra ciudad tiene por lo menos un pariente con un problema de beber. La mitad de habitantes de nuestra ciudad tienen por lo menos un pariente con un problema de beber. (Half of residents of our city have at least one relative with a drinking problem.)   Ninguno By itself, ninguno (none) takes a singular verb: Ninguno funciona bien. (None function well.) Ninguno era fumador, pero cinco fueron hipertensos. (None were smokers, but five were hypertensive.) When followed by de and a plural noun, ninguno can take either a singular or a plural verb: Ninguno de nosotros son libres si uno de nosotros es encadenado. Ninguno de nosotros es libre si uno de nosotros es encadenado. (None of us are free if one of us is in chains.) Although some grammarians may prefer the singular form or make a distinction in the meanings of the two sentences, in practice there doesnt appear to be any appreciable difference (just as the translation of none of us is free in the translation might have been used with little if any difference in meaning). Nada and Nadie Nada and nadie, when used as subject pronouns, take singular verbs: Nadie puede alegrarse de la muerte de un ser humano. (Nobody can rejoice in the death of a human being.) Nada es lo que parece. (Nothing is what it seems.) Ni and Ni The correlative conjunctions ni ... ni (neither ... nor) is used with a plural verb even if both of the subjects are singular. This is different from the corresponding English usage. Ni tà º ni yo fuimos el primero. (Neither you nor I was the first.) Ni el oso ni ningà ºn otro animal podà ­an dormir. (Neither the bear nor any other animal could sleep.) Ni à ©l ni ella estaban en casa ayer. (Neither he nor she was at home yesterday.) Singular Nouns Joined by O  (Or) When two singular nouns are joined by O, you usually can use a singular or plural verb. Thus both of these sentences are grammatically acceptable: Si una ciudad tiene un là ­der, à ©l o ella son conocidos como ejecutivo municipal. Si una cidudad tiene un là ­der, à ©l o ella es conocido como alcalde. (If a city has a leader, he or she is known as the mayor.) However, the singular verb is required if by or you mean only one possibility and not both: Pablo o Miguel ser el ganador. (Pablo or Miguel will be the winner.)

Press Release Reedsy opens to authors on Monday October 13th 2014

Press Release Reedsy opens to authors on Monday October 13th 2014 Press Release: Reedsy opens to authors on Monday October 13th 2014 â€Å"The best editors, designers, and marketers no longer work for big publishing companies. Instead, they are striking out on their own and working as freelancers,† says trader, investor, writer and entrepreneur, James Altucher.The richness of the freelancer landscape is no secret, but many don’t understand the true impact of having so much talent, so easily accessible: authors can now achieve the same level of quality they would get with a traditional publisher, without sacrificing royalties or creative control. Navigating such a wealth of freelancer talent can be daunting; how can authors meet the quality demands of their audiences and bring their work to a level of professional polish previously unseen in the realm of independent publication?Enter Reedsy. Or rather, enter the freelancers featured on the new platform, launching this month.â€Å"Our freelancers define the difference between vanity publishing and being an independent author,† says Reedsy co-fou nd Ricardo Fayet. â€Å"They are the ones who have turned self-publishing into something serious, professional- a real alternative to finding a publisher.†Reedsy is based on the idea that great authors telling great stories must be joined by equally talented editors and designers in order to produce professional-caliber books. This is why the London-based (though global-minded) startup launched two weeks ago by privately inviting a select group of professional editors and designers to set up their profiles.â€Å"On Monday October 13th, Reedsy will make these profiles public†, Ricardo explains, â€Å"regrouping them on a marketplace. Authors will be able to browse Reedsy, filter their search according to their needs and genre, and instantly message the freelancers they want to reach out to.†Reedsy has been vetting all the freelancers invited to the site, checking their profiles and displaying only those with experience, certifications, and good recommendations.Th e â€Å"streamlined self-publishing solution† can proudly count on the support of the Alliance of Independent Authors, who recognises the work Reedsy has been doing and the value it will add to the publishing ecosystem. Reedsy’s intentions have also been approved by the Society of Authors and The Literary Consultancy.Reedsy will not stop there. CEO Emmanuel Nataf reveals that the company plans to release project management tools that aid collaboration between authors and freelancers. â€Å"Emailing manuscripts and chapter revisions is a thing of the past,† Emmanuel says. â€Å"Reedsy will provide a place to gather these documents and allow for effortless collaboration.†In the meantime, Reedsy aims at becoming what Emmanuel describes as "the trusted network independent authors automatically turn to when looking for a quality editor or designer.†Reminder: Reedsy was founded in January 2014 by Emmanuel Nataf, Richard Fayet, Matthew Cobb and Vincent Dur and, and has been financially backed by Seedcamp and DC Thomson. It has been featured in The Bookseller,  Techcrunch  and Words With JAM.