Clarifying the Correct Sentence Structure
When it comes to deciding whether to use “What I bought were some pairs of shoes” or “What I bought was some pairs of shoes”, the correct answer depends on whether you are referring to one individual footwear item or several.
Understanding Grammatical Subjects and Verbs
One Individual Footwear Item - Use: “What I bought was some pairs of shoes.” Multiple Footwear Items - Use: “What I bought were some pairs of shoes.”Choosing the Appropriate Sentence Structure
When you are referring specifically to a single pair of shoes, the subject and verb agreement should follow the rule of singularity. However, when you mention more than one pair, the subject “What I bought” acts as a plural subject, requiring a plural verb.
Example of Using Singular:
“If you’re looking for a pair of shoes, I was looking for a pair of shoes.”
Example of Using Plural:
“What I bought were some pairs of shoes” – The plural verb ‘were’ agrees with the plural subject ‘pairs of shoes’.
Rephrasing for Clarity
While both sentences are grammatically correct, they can be made clearer by rephrasing. Here are some better alternatives:
“Some pairs of shoes were what I bought.” “I bought some pairs of shoes.” “I bought several pairs of shoes.” “I bought multiple pairs of shoes.”By rephrasing, we eliminate the grammatical ambiguity and make the sentence more natural and concise.
What to Consider as Natural Speech
As a native British English speaker, the phrase often sounds more natural when using the singular form:
“What I bought was some pairs of shoes.”
For example, consider other similar phrases:
“All I have left is six matches.” “What I lost was my life savings and my house.”Here, the subject ‘All I have left’ or ‘What I lost’ is singular, and so is the verb 'is' or 'was'. Similar constructions often reflect a collective noun, even when referring to plural objects.
Final Thoughts
The grammatically correct but poorly worded version is “What I bought were some pairs of shoes.” However, for clarity and natural speech, consider the rephrased alternatives. By doing so, you ensure both grammatical accuracy and smooth readability.