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

How TOEIC Tries to Trick You with None, Either, and Neither

These words look simple — until you hit a TOEIC question and suddenly doubt yourself:
“Wait… is it singular or plural?”

TOEIC knows this hesitation, and it builds high-difficulty Part 5 traps around it. The trick is to slow down, check the meaning, and choose the form TOEIC expects — not the one that just “feels” right.

1️⃣ “None” — Think “Not One”

Your brain sees documents and wants to go plural. But “None of the documents is missing” means zero are missing — “Not one is missing.”

✅ Correct in TOEIC style: None of the reports is missing.
❌ Common wrong answer: None of the reports are missing.

📌 You can hear “None are…” in casual English, but TOEIC usually goes with the clear, logical “is” form in formal writing.

2️⃣ “Either” and “Neither” — Think “One”

  • Either = one or the other.

  • Neither = not one, not the other.

Even if a plural word comes right after, the focus is still on a single choice.

✅ Either time slot is fine.
✅ Neither answer is correct.
❌ Either time slots are fine. (Feels okay, but TOEIC prefers singular here.)

3️⃣ The “Nearest Word” Twist

When “neither” or “either” connects two subjects with or/nor, the form depends on the subject closest to the action word.

Example:
Neither the VP nor the managers ___ available.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) was
(D) weren’t
✅ Answer: (B) are — The word closest to the blank is “managers” (plural), so use the plural form.

4️⃣ TOEIC-Style Practice

Q1. None of the equipment ___ missing.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) have
(D) were
✅ Answer: (A) is — Equipment is uncountable; “none” = “not one” here.

Q2. Either option ___ fine for the meeting schedule.
(A) are
(B) is
(C) were
(D) be
✅ Answer: (B) is — Only one of the two options will be chosen.

Q3. Neither the manager nor the assistants ___ in the office today.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) was
(D) be
✅ Answer: (B) are — Closest subject (“assistants”) is plural.

Q4. None of the proposals ___ approved so far.
(A) has been
(B) have been
(C) was being
(D) is being
✅ Answer: (B) have been — “Proposals” is plural, and TOEIC can choose plural if the meaning points to more than one.

📌 Strategy / Takeaway

  1. None — Think “not one.” Often singular in TOEIC style.

  2. Either — One or the other → singular form.

  3. Neither — Not one, not the other → singular form.

  4. If “or/nor” connects two subjects, match the form to the one closest to the action word.

Golden Rule:

Don’t just trust what sounds okay — check what the sentence is really counting: one, none, or more than one.

Final Word

TOEIC sets these traps to make you hesitate and pick the form that “feels” right. Slow down, check the meaning, and match the form to the logic — you’ll score while others stumble.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC singular/plural traps, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in agreement confidence today.

🔎 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.