what is the grammar point of the sentence "none of us are free when one of us is chained"
This sentence has an incorrect subject-verb agreement.
Drives me crazy - none is no one. No one Is free!
The grammar point highlighted in the sentence "none of us are free when one of us is chained" is subject-verb agreement.
In this sentence, "none" is the subject. It is a pronoun that means "not any" or "no one." The word "us" is the object of the preposition "of." The verb "are" is the plural form of the linking verb "to be," which agrees with the plural subject "none."
To identify the correct subject-verb agreement, ask yourself these questions:
1. Is the subject singular or plural? In this case, the subject "none" is considered singular.
2. Does the subject require a singular or plural verb? Because "none" is singular, the verb should also be singular.
However, it is common for native English speakers to use the plural verb form "are" after "none" when referring to a group of people. This usage has become widely accepted in informal contexts.
So, the correct grammar point is that despite "none" being a singular pronoun, it is often followed by a plural verb form to indicate a group of people.