I have a student who was just asking me a question about some TOEFL material she has been studying.
She came across the phrase ‘everyone have his/her own’, and wondered if it should be ‘everyone has’. I think it should be but can’t look at the phrase in context as it’s on an incomplete online test.
Any ideas anyone?
Sounds wrong, but you really need context to be sure - I can think of it in an (awkward) question which I think is grammatically correct:
Does everyone have his/her own textbook?
I think this covers a similar area:
worktalk.com/writamins/bring_own_money.html
[quote=“daasgrrl”]Sounds wrong, but you really need context to be sure - I can think of it in an (awkward) question which I think is grammatically correct:
Does everyone have his/her own textbook?[/quote]That is correct, but “Have” there is an infinitive, as apposed to an plural conjugated verb. Notice that the main verb ‘does’ is singular.
“Everyone” is a singular pronoun (but plural in sense), which needs a singular verb.
Unless you’re Vannyel, and you can make it up as you go along
I think you’re all wrong. I believe it should read:
Does everyone halve his/her sandwich before eating it?
Now I have to say that that there fancy answer don’t make one lick o’ sense to me, ‘cus I never learned me no proper grammar. But if’n you all know what you’re talkin’ about I guess it don’t make me no nevermind, neither way 
He’s just flaunting his abilities. Ignore him.
Thanks for the answers, which impressed Lady Tiffany immensely. Especially the one about the sandwich, which cleared things up nicely.
If it is of any help, “everyone have…” is what we as German EFL students were taught, too, back in highschool. Could be some grammar thing native speakers don’t necessarily get taught… (don’t ever ask me to explain German grammar 
)
Iris
Ah! Giving an order maybe? Very German concept 
“Everybody haff a good time, or ve send ze boys round.”
BFM…thanks but I can’t take any credit for creating English grammar rules for Americans. Too bad you brits lost the empire, otherwise people would still be paying attention to you… 
Once again, BFM…http://www.bartleby.com/68/47/247.html
“Everyone has his or her reason for liking Japan.”
“See you tomorrow! Everyone have fun at the beach!”
“Does everyone have their bookbags?”
In the first case, ‘everyone’ is singular, meaning ‘each person’. In the second, it’s plural, meaning ‘all the people’. In the third case, it is also used in the plural. So, like many other phrases in English, it depends on whether you’re using the term in a singular or plural sense.
Vannyel, that is collective nouns, not pronouns. Besides, the American way there sounds more natural and logical to me.
[quote=“Naruwa”]“See you tomorrow! Everyone have fun at the beach!”[/quote]This is not a plural, it’s a command. If you turn it into a statement, you would say “Everyone has fun at the beach”
[quote]“Does everyone have their bookbags?”[/quote]As I explained above, The main verb in this sentence is “Does”, “have” here is an infinitive, not a plural. Turn it from a question into a statement: “Everyone does have their bookbags”, does it still look like a plural ?
[quote]In the first case, ‘everyone’ is singular, meaning ‘each person’. In the second, it’s plural, meaning ‘all the people’. In the third case, it is also used in the plural. So, like many other phrases in English, it depends on whether you’re using the term in a singular or plural sense.[/quote]I believe “everyone” is always in a plural sense. you would use “someone” or “anyone” in a singular sense.
Are there some cases in which the word “everyone” can be followed by the word “have” as several people have shown, yes. Can “everyone” be used with a plural verb ? I don’t think so, noone has shown me an example yet.
Sorry BFM but…
Everyone has their bookbags. Has is the main verb.
Does everyone have their bookbgag? Have is the main verb and does is the auxiliary used to make the question.
Does “can” be a main verb as is “He does the dishes everyday.” But it is not the main verb in “Does everyone have their bookbag?”
In the sentence “Everyone does have their bookbag” the main verb is still have. Does only serves to add emphasis. I guess it is a kind of wierd adverb sense of does.
Mystery solved. 
For Christ’s sake, “everyone” takes singular verbs.
“Everyone does have …” is not an exception; here the auxiliary verb is in the third person singular of the present indicative tense.
Thanks, Bababa. I’ve been watching this post and just shook my head. Wonder if all those replies came from “English teachers”.
[quote=“bob”]Sorry BFM but…
Everyone has their bookbags. Has is the main verb.
Does everyone have their bookbgag? Have is the main verb and does is the auxiliary used to make the question.
Does “can” be a main verb as is “He does the dishes everyday.” But it is not the main verb in “Does everyone have their bookbag?”
In the sentence “Everyone does have their bookbag” the main verb is still have. Does only serves to add emphasis. I guess it is a kind of wierd adverb sense of does.[/quote]When I say “main” verb, I mean the verb that agrees with the subject (singular in the case of “everyone”), and is not an infinitive or participle. Sorry to be confusing if I’m using the wrong terminology, I must have picked that up from learning other languages. I’m not an English teacher, but looking at some of the replies in here, maybe I should be.
I think I better stay out of these discussions. 
autumn 489 - As usual we are hearing the old “I can’t believe you are an English teacher” refrain. I said that in those sentences “has” was the main verb and the auxiliary agreed with the subject. If there was some mistake there please point it out. :loco:
Well BFM, if I recall correct this is the only area (collective nouns) that you and I have ever exchanged ideas about grammar - which is why I gave you the link again. 
Bob. I wasn’t referring to you. You were absolutely right about the main verb. Naruwa, you made good comments, too. Sorry for being so general in my comments.
FYI, to anyone who wants the conjugation:
I have, you have, he she, everyone, it has.