📘 Why “None of the Documents Is Missing” Sounds Wrong — But Isn’t

🧠 Overview

Let’s be honest: words like either, neither, and none feel simple — until you hit a TOEIC question and your brain freezes. You second-guess yourself. “Wait… is it singular or plural?”
TOEIC knows this happens. And it builds high-difficulty Part 5 traps around it.

You won’t see these words every day, but when they appear, they’re brutal — not because they’re rare, but because they feel familiar but fuzzy.

So let’s clear the fog. No technical terms. Just coaching that makes this stuff click.

🔍 The Real Problem

Imagine these sentences:

  • ✅ Neither the manager nor the assistant is available.

  • ✅ None of the documents is missing.

  • ✅ Either time slot is fine.

And now imagine what your gut wants to say:

  • ❌ None of the documents are missing.

  • ❌ Neither the manager nor the assistant are available.

  • ❌ Either of the options are fine.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The TOEIC test counts on this instinct — and sets traps that feel right until you actually read the whole sentence. The trick is to stop trusting your gut and start reading like a coach.

🧠 Let’s Talk Like a Coach, Not a Grammar Book

“None”

Your brain says “documents = plural,” right? But the sentence isn’t about documents — it’s about how many of them are missing.

“None is missing” means zero are missing.
It might sound weird, but it’s right. Think: “Not one is missing.”

You can say “None are…” in some contexts, but TOEIC usually goes for clean, logical structure. When in doubt? Go singular.

“Either” and “Neither”

Here’s the part that tricks almost everyone:

“Either” means one or the other. “Neither” means not one, not the other.
That’s singular thinking. And TOEIC loves to confuse this by adding a plural noun right after it.

  • ✅ Either time is fine. (One of them is okay)

  • ✅ Neither answer is correct. (Not one of the two is right)

Your brain sees two options and wants to go plural — but the word itself is focused on just one.

Even when it’s paired like:

Neither the manager nor the assistant…
You stick to the structure. Still singular.
Neither... is, not are.

🎯 How TOEIC Traps You

You’ll see questions like:

None of the equipment ___ missing.

  • (A) is

  • (B) are

  • (C) have

  • (D) were

If you rush and see “equipment,” you might jump to (B) or (C). But equipment is uncountable, and none is talking about how much of it is missing — not any = singular = (A).

Another one:

Neither the VP nor the managers ___ available.

Wait — “managers” is plural, right?

Sure. But TOEIC’s trap is in using two subjects joined by “neither/nor.”
The rule? You match the nearest subject.

In this case: managers → plural → ✅ are available

TOEIC uses both patterns to confuse you:

  • Sometimes it's singular.

  • Sometimes it's plural.

  • Always? It's logical if you slow down and actually read it.

🧩 Strategy Time: What You Should Do on the Test

This isn’t about memorizing. It’s about strategy:

  • When you see none / either / neither, slow down.

  • Ask yourself: What is the sentence really talking about? One thing? Two things? Zero?

  • Don’t just look at the nearest noun. Look at what the sentence means.

Think like this:

“None” — imagine it as “not one.”
“Either” — one or the other.
“Neither” — not one, not the other.

Don’t let the plural noun after them throw you. These words focus on amount and logic — not just what looks plural.

✅ Final Takeaway

These words don’t confuse native speakers because they don’t stop to think about them.
TOEIC wants you to stop.
Wants you to hesitate.
Wants you to pick the wrong verb because the noun looks plural.

But now you know better.

Either = one → singular
Neither = not one → singular
None = zero → often singular

When you pause, read the meaning, and stop trusting your reflex, you’ll start answering these questions with confidence — while everyone else gets tricked.

🔎 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is “None” singular or plural in English? It can be both, but TOEIC usually treats “none” as singular when it means “not one.” Can I say “None of them are missing”? Yes, in casual speech. But TOEIC prefers “None of them is missing” — it's more exact. Why does “None of the documents is missing” sound strange? Because “documents” feels plural, but “none” means “not one,” which is singular. When do I use “Either is” instead of “Either are”? Use “either is” when you’re choosing between two options — it’s singular. Is “Neither of them are” correct? In casual English, yes. But on TOEIC, use “Neither of them is.” What verb goes with “None of the students”? Usually singular: “None of the students is present.” But plural is possible if emphasis is on the group. Can I say “None were found”? Yes — especially if you’re thinking of multiple items. But TOEIC might still prefer “None was found.” Does “Neither the manager nor the staff are…” work? No. You need to match the verb to the nearest subject — here, “staff” is plural, so “are” is okay. Why is “Either of the answers are correct” wrong? Because “either” refers to only one of two. It should be “Either of the answers is correct.” Is “Neither of them is here” correct? Yes. “Neither” is singular — it means “not one.” How do I know what verb to use after “None of the…”? Ask yourself: Am I talking about zero of many or not one? For TOEIC, treat it as singular unless the sentence clearly emphasizes the group. What’s the difference between “Neither” and “None”? “Neither” is used for two things. “None” is used for more than two. Can “None” be followed by a plural verb? Yes, but TOEIC often prefers a singular verb unless context demands otherwise. Is “None was available” TOEIC-correct? Yes. It’s the preferred form when “none” means “not one.” Does “Either of the options are available” work? Not in TOEIC. It should be “Either of the options is available.” Why is subject-verb agreement tricky with “Neither” and “Either”? Because they feel plural, but function as singular — they refer to one of two (or not one). When do I use “are” after “Neither”? If the sentence ends in a plural noun and matches the second subject. Example: “Neither the VP nor the assistants are available.” Is “None of the information is correct” okay? Yes. “Information” is uncountable and takes a singular verb. Why does TOEIC test “Either / Neither / None” so often? Because they trick people into focusing on the noun instead of the sentence structure. What’s a quick trick for these questions? Slow down. Think about how many things the sentence really refers to: one, two, or none.