The question ‘Which is their classroom?’ might be confusing when considering the word ‘their’ is plural. Normally, you would expect ‘are’ instead of ‘is’ when dealing with a plural subject. However, the reason why ‘is’ is used in this case has to do with how we interpret the sentence grammatically. In this article, we will explore why ‘is’ is correct in this sentence and clarify the concept behind subject-verb agreement in English.
1. Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement
In English, subject-verb agreement requires that a verb matches the number (singular or plural) of its subject. For example, ‘He is’ vs. ‘They are’. This rule is fairly straightforward when the subject is clear, but sometimes the structure of a sentence causes confusion. In this case, the confusion arises because ‘their’ refers to a plural possessive, while the verb ‘is’ is singular.
So, why does this happen? The subject of the sentence is actually ‘classroom’, not ‘their’. Let’s dive deeper into this structure.
2. The Structure of ‘Which is their classroom?’
In the sentence ‘Which is their classroom?’, the word ‘classroom’ is the true subject, and ‘which’ is used to ask about the specific classroom. The possessive pronoun ‘their’ shows ownership of the classroom. The verb ‘is’ follows the singular subject ‘classroom’. Even though ‘their’ refers to a plural group, the subject of the sentence is still singular because it’s referring to one specific classroom.
Therefore, the verb ‘is’ correctly matches ‘classroom’, which is singular, and not ‘their’, which is plural.
3. Commonly Confused Sentences
This kind of structure is common in English and can cause confusion for learners. For example, sentences like ‘Where is their house?’ or ‘What is their favorite color?’ also use ‘is’ because ‘house’ and ‘color’ are singular, even though ‘their’ refers to a group of people. The key is to focus on the noun that is the subject of the sentence, not the possessive pronoun.
Let’s contrast this with a sentence like ‘Which classrooms are theirs?’ In this case, the subject is ‘classrooms’, which is plural, so the verb ‘are’ is used.
4. How to Avoid Confusion with Possessive Pronouns
To avoid confusion, it’s important to identify the real subject of the sentence. If you’re asking about something specific that is singular, use ‘is’, even if the possessive pronoun is plural. If you’re referring to something plural, use ‘are’.
For example, in ‘Which is their classroom?’, ‘classroom’ is singular, so ‘is’ is appropriate. In contrast, ‘Which classrooms are theirs?’ refers to more than one classroom, so ‘are’ is used.
5. Conclusion
The reason ‘Which is their classroom?’ uses ‘is’ instead of ‘are’ is that ‘classroom’ is singular, even though ‘their’ refers to a plural group. This can be confusing, but understanding subject-verb agreement and identifying the true subject of the sentence will help clarify when to use ‘is’ or ‘are’. Keep practicing, and with time, these nuances will become easier to grasp.
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