If you're one of the people who grow/grows up speaking Chinese . .

Is it grow or grows?

On one hand, I think it should be grows because it's pertaining to "one," but on the other hand, it might be grow because "people" is closer.

I've seen somewhat similar issues on this site, but none that follow the same structure, so I want to be sure.

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

1

I'm sure we have a few questions about the same subject.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:57

1

There are a number of questions on EL&U dealing with close proximity singular/plural issues. The consensus is that there is a real ambiguity and usage expresses this by being split. The remedy (again, a consensus) is to to avoid the ambiguity by re-phrasing. Here, 'one of the people who grew up' resolves the singular/plural problem.

– Nigel J
Mar 19 at 1:19

add a comment |

Is it grow or grows?

On one hand, I think it should be grows because it's pertaining to "one," but on the other hand, it might be grow because "people" is closer.

I've seen somewhat similar issues on this site, but none that follow the same structure, so I want to be sure.

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

1

I'm sure we have a few questions about the same subject.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:57

1

There are a number of questions on EL&U dealing with close proximity singular/plural issues. The consensus is that there is a real ambiguity and usage expresses this by being split. The remedy (again, a consensus) is to to avoid the ambiguity by re-phrasing. Here, 'one of the people who grew up' resolves the singular/plural problem.

– Nigel J
Mar 19 at 1:19

add a comment |

Is it grow or grows?

On one hand, I think it should be grows because it's pertaining to "one," but on the other hand, it might be grow because "people" is closer.

I've seen somewhat similar issues on this site, but none that follow the same structure, so I want to be sure.

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

Is it grow or grows?

On one hand, I think it should be grows because it's pertaining to "one," but on the other hand, it might be grow because "people" is closer.

I've seen somewhat similar issues on this site, but none that follow the same structure, so I want to be sure.

verb-agreement

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

asked Mar 19 at 0:06

SIRA

New contributor

SIRA is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

1

I'm sure we have a few questions about the same subject.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:57

1

There are a number of questions on EL&U dealing with close proximity singular/plural issues. The consensus is that there is a real ambiguity and usage expresses this by being split. The remedy (again, a consensus) is to to avoid the ambiguity by re-phrasing. Here, 'one of the people who grew up' resolves the singular/plural problem.

– Nigel J
Mar 19 at 1:19

add a comment |

1

I'm sure we have a few questions about the same subject.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:57

1

There are a number of questions on EL&U dealing with close proximity singular/plural issues. The consensus is that there is a real ambiguity and usage expresses this by being split. The remedy (again, a consensus) is to to avoid the ambiguity by re-phrasing. Here, 'one of the people who grew up' resolves the singular/plural problem.

– Nigel J
Mar 19 at 1:19

I'm sure we have a few questions about the same subject.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:57

There are a number of questions on EL&U dealing with close proximity singular/plural issues. The consensus is that there is a real ambiguity and usage expresses this by being split. The remedy (again, a consensus) is to to avoid the ambiguity by re-phrasing. Here, 'one of the people who grew up' resolves the singular/plural problem.

– Nigel J
Mar 19 at 1:19

add a comment |

2 Answers
2

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votes

Nither one as 'grows' is possessive but present tense and 'grow' is also present tense. I believe you are looking for "grew" as in "If you're one of the people who grew up speaking Chinese..." which is past tense of grow.

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

add a comment |

It depends on how you parse the sentence, but verbs should (naturally) agree with whatever they are agreeing with, not simply the closest bit.

If you parse the quote to say that the grower is the “one”, use singular agreement:

If you’re (one of the people) who grows up ...

But if you parse the quote to say that the growers were the people, use plural agreement:

If you’re one of (the people who grow up ...) ...

The difference becomes clearer if we simplify by breaking the quote into two parts:

There are people who grow up speaking Chinese. If you are one of them, ...

If you consider the word “grow” to bind more tightly to the first part, use plural agreement. If the second, use singular agreement.

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

add a comment |

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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

add a comment |

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

add a comment |

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

answered Mar 19 at 0:26

Jessica Warner

213

New contributor

Jessica Warner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

add a comment |

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

No, I mean to keep it in present tense because the sense of the sentence is to state something that is true in general, be it the past, present, or future. That's why I use simple present tense. So my question assumes I want to keep it in present tense.

– SIRA
Mar 19 at 0:36

In that case, due to 'are' being a plural verb, you'd stick with 'grow' in the plural form. What is to grow in plural form

– Jessica Warner
Mar 19 at 0:50

Not because of "you are" but because of "people". People who grow up learning and speaking Chinese. People is plural and is the subject of grow.

– Centaurus
Mar 19 at 0:54

@SIRA If you want to keep it in the present tense, you should rephrase more than just the verb: If you are somebody who grows up speaking Chinese. Or, alternately, If you are one of the people growing up to speak Chinese. Note, however, that the simple present cannot refer to the past—and what follows the sentence fragment in question will also likely mark it as explicitly referring to the present or the future, rather than letting it be ambiguous.

– Jason Bassford
Mar 19 at 3:44

add a comment |

It depends on how you parse the sentence, but verbs should (naturally) agree with whatever they are agreeing with, not simply the closest bit.

If you parse the quote to say that the grower is the “one”, use singular agreement:

If you’re (one of the people) who grows up ...

But if you parse the quote to say that the growers were the people, use plural agreement:

If you’re one of (the people who grow up ...) ...

The difference becomes clearer if we simplify by breaking the quote into two parts:

There are people who grow up speaking Chinese. If you are one of them, ...

If you consider the word “grow” to bind more tightly to the first part, use plural agreement. If the second, use singular agreement.

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

add a comment |

It depends on how you parse the sentence, but verbs should (naturally) agree with whatever they are agreeing with, not simply the closest bit.

If you parse the quote to say that the grower is the “one”, use singular agreement:

If you’re (one of the people) who grows up ...

But if you parse the quote to say that the growers were the people, use plural agreement:

If you’re one of (the people who grow up ...) ...

The difference becomes clearer if we simplify by breaking the quote into two parts:

There are people who grow up speaking Chinese. If you are one of them, ...

If you consider the word “grow” to bind more tightly to the first part, use plural agreement. If the second, use singular agreement.

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

add a comment |

It depends on how you parse the sentence, but verbs should (naturally) agree with whatever they are agreeing with, not simply the closest bit.

If you parse the quote to say that the grower is the “one”, use singular agreement:

If you’re (one of the people) who grows up ...

But if you parse the quote to say that the growers were the people, use plural agreement:

If you’re one of (the people who grow up ...) ...

The difference becomes clearer if we simplify by breaking the quote into two parts:

There are people who grow up speaking Chinese. If you are one of them, ...

If you consider the word “grow” to bind more tightly to the first part, use plural agreement. If the second, use singular agreement.

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

It depends on how you parse the sentence, but verbs should (naturally) agree with whatever they are agreeing with, not simply the closest bit.

If you parse the quote to say that the grower is the “one”, use singular agreement:

If you’re (one of the people) who grows up ...

But if you parse the quote to say that the growers were the people, use plural agreement:

If you’re one of (the people who grow up ...) ...

The difference becomes clearer if we simplify by breaking the quote into two parts:

There are people who grow up speaking Chinese. If you are one of them, ...

If you consider the word “grow” to bind more tightly to the first part, use plural agreement. If the second, use singular agreement.

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

edited Mar 19 at 5:06

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

answered Mar 19 at 3:33

Lawrence

31.5k563112

add a comment |

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