Is Or Are – Which Sentence is Correct?

By Umkhaloodie

A friend asked me a simple question this morning. Simple? Well, it seemed so…..at first.

Which sentence is correct:

A) One in four people are out of work.

B) One in four people is out of work.

The correct answer is B.

Ha? Surprised?

Yes, even though A sounds correct it isn’t.

Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.

Example:

The team captain, as well as his players, IS anxious.