More than one person

[tufguy]

"If more than one person is involved in this matter" or "are involved in this matter"? which one is correct?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would say "more than one person is". Usually, "more than one" does not make the noun plural.

 

[tufguy]

So I should say "More than one person is involved in this matter"?

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Person' is singular, so a singular verb should be used, regardless of the fact that 'more than one' is at least two.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

This is arbitrary, defies logic and is an exception to the rule.
Maybe 'is'sounds better after 'person'.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It is not arbitrary. It does not defy logic. And it is not an exception. It IS the rule.

 

[tedmc]

A rule which is not consistent with other rules.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Fewer than two people are involved in this matter.'
Similarly, 'are' should be used because 'people' is plural, although 'fewer than two' is at most one. Am I right?
Not a teacher.

This is arbitrary, defies logic

tedmc, it may be arbitrary and defy logic in our native language, but what we are learning is English rather than Chinese.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Ted, it would be better for you if you paid attention more and argued less.

More than one person was selected by the committee.
More than two people were selected by the committee.

More than one dog was honored at the dog show.
More than two dogs were honored at the dog show.

Do you see a pattern here?

 

[tedmc]

The verb (is/are) goes by the last word 'person', which is deemed singular. The 'more than one' before person is not counted. So where is the logic?
Anyway, I know we just have to accept certain rules in a language however illogical.

 

[MikeNewYork]

The logic is that "person" is the noun. When does an adjective control the number of a verb? That would be illogical.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think the logic is that 'more than one' is a mathematical problem rather than a grammatical one. Am I right or wrong?
Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I guess you could say that.