How do you know to use is or are in a sentence?

Answer 1

'Is' is used with a singular subject. 'Are' is used with a plural subject.

Examples:

'My house is in the country.'

'I saw him yesterday, and he is looking better.'

'She says she is unhappy in her new job.'

'Those houses are badly designed.'

'They are the best we can offer.'

'She and her mother are in the supermarket.'

Sometimes it's not immediately clear whether a subject is singular or plural. For example, the word 'majority' is singular in form but is plural in meaning if it is used with a 'countable' noun. So it may take 'is' or 'are', depending on the context.

Examples:

'The majority of the work is being done by the plumber.' ('The work' is not a 'countable' noun, so this must be singular.)

'There are five hundred people at the meeting, and the majority are in favour of the proposal.' ('The people' are considered as 500 individuals, so the subject is plural.)

'The majority of the population is in favour of ending the war.' ('The population' is considered as a single entity, so the subject is singular.)

The distinction can be quite fine, and the choice of whether to use 'is' or 'are' can sometimes be a matter of personal preference.

Answer 2

Use "is" when referring to a singular subject or item, and "are" when referring to multiple subjects or items. Check whether the subject of the sentence is singular or plural to determine which form of the verb to use.