"Everybody else in our party {has/have} missions of their own."

Question

Here is my passage:

Everybody else in our party [has/have] missions of their own.

Now, Everybody else in our party has a mission of their own sounds pretty straightforward. But as soon as I make mission plural, it doesn't sound right. Yet plurality should reflect Everybody else, shouldn't it?

"plurality should reflect Everybody else, shouldn't it?' Yes. — Kevin, Mar 25 '16 at 22:00

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 26 '16 at 00:15

4

"has" is correct in both sentences, whether you use "mission" or "missions." The word that defines whether the verb should be single or plural is "everyone," and although "everyone" refers to multiple people, it is a collective noun, meaning it refers to the group as a single unit.

answered Mar 26 '16 at 00:15

Chatoyancy

109

Nice way to get on the board! I don't know why it looks/sounds funny to me. – Stu W Mar 26 '16 at 01:34

"Everybody else in our party {has/have} missions of their own."

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