Is Either Plural Or Singular? | Simple Usage Rules

In English grammar, either is grammatically singular, but plural agreement appears in some modern “either of” sentences.

English learners often pause over the question, “is either plural or singular?” The word looks small, yet it connects straight to subject-verb agreement, pronouns, and everyday speech. Getting it right helps your writing feel steady and clear, whether you are drafting essays, emails, or exam answers.

This guide walks through the core rule for either, the main exceptions, and plenty of sentence examples. By the end, you will know when to treat either as singular, when a plural verb is allowed, and how to handle either in longer subjects such as either A or B.

Is Either Plural Or Singular? Core Rule

As a pronoun, either means “one or the other of two.” In standard grammar, that meaning is singular. When either stands alone as the subject, it normally takes a singular verb: either is, either has, either does. Many style guides and dictionaries present this as the starting point for correct usage.

You can see this pattern in examples such as:

Either is fine for dinner tonight.
Either works for me.
Either was acceptable in the exam answer.

In each sentence, either refers to one choice out of two, and the verb stays singular. If you answer a student who asks, “is either plural or singular?” this is the first rule you would share.

Things grow more interesting when either appears inside longer phrases such as either of the students or either the teacher or the students. To handle those correctly, you need a quick overview of the main patterns.

Summary Table Of Either Uses And Verb Choice

Use Of “Either”	Example Sentence	Verb Number
Pronoun alone	Either is fine.	Singular
Pronoun + “of” + plural noun (formal)	Either of the answers is correct.	Singular preferred
Pronoun + “of” + plural noun (informal)	Either of the answers are fine.	Plural allowed
Determiner + singular noun	Either road leads to town.	Singular
“Either … or” + two singular subjects	Either John or Maria is ready.	Singular
“Either … or” + mixed subjects	Either the teacher or the students are ready.	Verb matches nearer noun
“Either … or” + two plural subjects	Either the teachers or the students are ready.	Plural

This table gives the big picture. Next, you will see how each pattern works, with more detail and extra examples that you can copy and adapt.

Either As A Pronoun Referring To Two Choices

When either stands alone and replaces a noun phrase, it works as a pronoun. In this role, it means one of the two options, not both. Because that idea is singular, the verb should be singular in careful writing.

Look at these sentences:

“Which seat do you want?” “Either is fine.”
Either was good enough to pass the test.
Either fits with the topic of your essay.

In each case, either points to one seat, one choice, or one option. A plural verb would sound odd here: either are fine is common in speech for some speakers, yet many grammar references still mark it as non-standard in formal contexts.

Dictionary entries back this up by defining either as “the one or the other of two” and showing examples with singular verbs. Standard subject-verb agreement rules tell you that a singular subject pairs with a singular verb, and either falls into that pattern when it stands alone.

Either Of + Plural Noun: Formal Singular, Informal Plural

Things change slightly when either joins with of plus a plural noun or pronoun: either of the students, either of them, either of these options, and so on. Many grammar guides treat this as grammatically singular, so they recommend a singular verb in formal writing.

Here are sentences that follow that pattern:

Either of the students is welcome to speak first.
Either of those plans works for our project.
Either of them has enough experience for the role.

In careful academic or professional writing, this singular pattern keeps your subject-verb agreement tight and predictable. Teachers, editors, and exam markers often expect it.

Modern usage also shows plenty of examples with a plural verb: either of the students are, either of those plans work. Large grammar resources that track real usage point out that this plural agreement appears often in informal speech and writing, especially when the plural noun right after of feels prominent in the writer’s mind.

So, with either of + plural noun:

Singular verb: strong choice for essays, reports, and exams.
Plural verb: common in everyday speech, more relaxed tone.

In many classrooms, you will still be taught to prefer the singular for either of + plural noun. If you keep that habit for graded work and save the plural pattern for casual conversation, you will stay on safe ground.

Using Either As Singular Or Plural In Real Sentences

To see the contrast clearly, compare pairs of sentences. In each pair, the meaning stays almost the same, yet the tone shifts slightly when the verb moves from singular to plural.

Formal style: Either of the proposals is acceptable.
Informal style: Either of the proposals are acceptable.

Formal style: Either of these routes leads to the station.
Informal style: Either of these routes lead to the station.

In exams, textbooks, and academic writing guides, the first sentence in each pair usually counts as the model. In conversation, you will hear both. For learners, the safest plan is simple: if you are unsure, treat either as singular.

Some detailed grammar references also note that a pronoun that later refers back to either can follow the same pattern: singular in formal use, plural in other settings. For instance, you might see either of the boys is bringing his ball in one context, and either of the boys are bringing their ball in another. The singular version aligns with traditional school rules, while the plural version reflects how many people actually speak.

Either As A Determiner Before A Noun

Either also works as a determiner, placed before a singular countable noun: either road, either answer, either side. In this role, it signals that any one of the two choices is fine. The noun that follows stays singular, and subject-verb agreement follows that noun.

Here are some clear patterns:

Either road leads to the same village.
Either answer counts for the quiz.
There are shops on either side of the street.

Notice that the verb looks at the noun, not the whole idea of “two choices.” Road, answer, and side are singular nouns, so they take singular verbs like leads, counts, and is. This matches the general rule found in many subject-verb agreement guides: verbs agree with the true subject of the sentence, not with extra words around it.

When either appears before a plural noun directly, as in either books, that wording usually reads as an error in standard English. Instead, writers use either with a singular noun (either book) or use either of with a plural noun (either of the books).

“Either … Or” And Subject-Verb Agreement

Another frequent question linked to “is either plural or singular?” appears when either joins with or to link two subjects: either A or B. Here the rule focuses on the nouns around or, not on either alone.

Subject-verb agreement for either … or works like this:

Two Singular Subjects

When both subjects are singular, the verb is singular.

Either the teacher or the assistant is leading the class.
Either your phone or your laptop needs an update.
Either tea or coffee is available.

Teacher, assistant, phone, laptop, tea, and coffee are all singular nouns. The verb stays singular to match them.

Two Plural Subjects

When both subjects are plural, the verb is plural.

Either the teachers or the students are presenting.
Either the phones or the laptops are ready to use.
Either the buses or the trains are delayed.

Here the plural nouns drive the choice of are instead of is.

Mixed Subjects: Verb Matches The Nearer Noun

When one subject is singular and the other is plural, most modern style guides advise you to match the verb to the subject that is closest to it. This is sometimes called the “proximity rule.”

Compare these pairs:

Either the teacher or the students are ready.
Either the students or the teacher is ready.

In the first sentence, students sits next to the verb, so the verb is plural. In the second, teacher sits next to the verb, so the verb is singular. Many handbooks state this pattern clearly when they cover either … or and neither … nor.

Because long subjects can easily confuse readers, teachers often suggest keeping either … or subjects short or rephrasing the sentence entirely. For instance, instead of Either the teacher or the students are ready, you could write The teacher is ready, and the students are ready too. Clear sentences matter more than perfectly balanced structures.

Either In Negative Sentences And As An Adverb

Either can also act as an adverb in negative sentences, meaning “also not.” In this role, it does not decide singular or plural agreement; the subject does.

Here are some examples:

They do not like tea, and they do not like coffee either.
She has not finished the task, and he has not finished either.
The students are not ready, and the teachers are not ready either.

In each sentence, either adds extra information at the end, yet the verb still follows the usual subject-verb agreement rule. This side of either often appears in grammar references that present the full range of roles for the word: determiner, pronoun, conjunction, and adverb.

Reference Points From Trusted Grammar Sources

Major grammar references treat either as grammatically singular when it stands alone or appears in standard patterns such as either of the options is. Some of them also note the growing presence of plural verbs after either of in informal use. A detailed grammar entry can help you see these patterns side by side, with extra examples drawn from real language data.

If you want an expert check on your instinct, a resource such as the Cambridge Grammar reference on “either” lays out each role in clear sections, from pronoun use to either … or constructions. A dictionary entry such as the Merriam-Webster definition of “either” reinforces the idea that either on its own points to “the one or the other of two,” which lines up with singular agreement.

Reading these sources side by side with classroom notes helps you see where formal rules and everyday usage meet. You will notice that exam-style examples nearly always keep either with a singular verb, especially in short sentences where either works as the subject.

Table Of Quick Checks For “Either”

When you edit your writing, you can run through a short mental checklist. The next table groups those checks by situation so that you can decide quickly whether to use a singular or plural verb with either.

Sentence Pattern	Safer Verb Choice	Model Sentence
Either alone as subject	Singular verb	Either is fine.
Either of + plural noun (formal writing)	Singular verb	Either of the points is valid.
Either of + plural noun (casual speech)	Plural verb possible	Either of the points are fine.
Either + singular noun	Match the noun	Either route leads to town.
Either … or + two singular subjects	Singular verb	Either Sam or Lina is calling.
Either … or + mixed subjects	Match nearest subject	Either the notes or the summary is missing.
Either … or + two plural subjects	Plural verb	Either the notes or the summaries are missing.

If you keep this table in mind, you can scan your sentences and spot patterns quickly. Once you know which pattern you are using, the right verb form almost picks itself.

Common Mistakes With “Either” And How To Fix Them

Writers often repeat the same small set of mistakes with either. Most of them appear when the sentence grows long or when the writer mixes patterns without noticing. Here are some traps to watch for, along with simple fixes.

Using Plural Nouns Directly After “Either”

A phrase such as either options are good sounds off because either sits next to a plural noun. Standard English uses either with a singular noun or either of with a plural noun.

Better options:

Either option is good.
Either of the options is good.

Both sentences keep the grammar pattern clear, and the second one also tells the reader that there is a specific set of options in view.

Losing Track Of The Nearest Noun In “Either … Or”

Long either … or subjects can hide the true subject from your eye. Writers sometimes match the verb to the first noun rather than the one next to the verb, which leads to sentences that feel uneven.

Compare these two versions:

Wrong match: Either the teachers or the principal are speaking.
Better match: Either the teachers or the principal is speaking.

In the first sentence, are matches teachers, the first noun. In the second sentence, is matches principal, the nearer noun, which fits the rule. If this still feels heavy, you can split the idea into two shorter sentences and avoid either … or entirely.

Switching Between Singular And Plural Pronouns

Another common trouble spot comes when a pronoun later in the sentence points back to either. Writers sometimes shift between singular and plural forms inside the same sentence.

Take this example:

Either of the candidates has their speech ready.

Here, has lines up with the singular pattern, while their reflects the way many speakers now use they as a singular pronoun. Some style guides accept this mix; others still prefer a fully singular pattern in formal writing.

To avoid awkwardness in graded work, you can rewrite slightly:

Either of the candidates has a speech ready.
Both candidates have their speeches ready.

Both sentences keep subject-verb agreement clear and avoid debate over pronoun choice.

Short Practice Check For “Either”

To finish, test your sense of either with a few quick sentences. Decide which verb fits each one, then check against the patterns listed earlier.

Either of the solutions (is / are) acceptable in formal writing.
Either the class or the teachers (is / are) ready to start.
Either the pens or the notebook (is / are) missing.
Either answer (counts / count) toward your grade.

Now match each sentence to the checklist:

Sentence 1 uses either of + plural noun, so a singular verb is safer: is.
Sentence 2 has mixed subjects; the nearer noun teachers is plural, so are fits.
Sentence 3 has mixed subjects; the nearer noun notebook is singular, so is fits.
Sentence 4 has either before a singular noun, so counts fits.

Once you can explain these choices aloud, you have a steady grasp on when either behaves as singular, when a plural verb appears, and how either … or affects agreement. The next time someone asks you, “is either plural or singular?” you will have a confident, grammar-based answer ready to share.