Only half of the people have a sense of humor. vs Only half of the people has a sense of humor.

The correct phrase is: 'only half of the people have a sense of humor.' 'Have' is the correct verb to use with 'half' because 'half' is considered plural in this context. 'Has' would be incorrect as it is singular.

Last updated: March 20, 2024 • 650 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"Only half of the people have a sense of humor."

Use 'have' when referring to 'half of the people' because 'half' is considered plural in this context.

Examples:

Only half of the people have a sense of humor.
Only half of the people have arrived.
Only half of the people have completed the task.
Only half of the people have left the building.
Only half of the people have paid for their tickets.

Show examples from the web [+]

According to the recent epidemiological data available, only half of the people suffering from this disease have been identified at the moment.
Half of the people here moonshine.
30 percent of schizophrenic people are left-handed, and schizophrenia has a very funny genetics, which means 60 percent of the people are genetically left-handed, but only half of it showed. I don't have the time to say.
The living conditions of the people have been disregarded.
Only about half of the people who need treatment are currently receiving it.
What about the remaining half of the people?
According to current estimates, almost half of the people who are out of work in Lombardy are over 40 years of age.
Today, nearly half of the people working in the world earn less than USD 2 a day.
When we traveled to Parliament, - close to half of the people we randomly spoke to were informed.
I believe it is very important that ministers should hear with their own ears what the elected representatives of the people have to say.
And when the votes had been counted, three-fourths of the people have voted with a blank ballot.
However, provisions to safeguard the most vulnerable sections of the people have been gravely neglected in the present proposals.
This is a film of that experience... and what some of the people have to say.
Some of the people haven't taken too kindly to the deal I made with that coal lady.
The mass of the people have no freedom.
Some of the people haven't taken too kindly to the deal I made with that coal lady.
I urge them not to get so far in front of the people that the people have no idea where they are heading or what their destiny may ultimately be.
There is the fact that around half of the people who now have AIDS and are dying of the disease are women.
When more than half of the people in the Union's Member States went on holiday last year - and that number is growing - specific attention to tourists' consumer rights is obviously essential.
That's where I met half of the people that I became acquainted with.

This phrase is incorrect. 'Has' is singular and does not agree with the plural subject 'half of the people.'

"Only half of the people has a sense of humor. "

Show examples from the web [+]

According to the recent epidemiological data available, only half of the people suffering from this disease have been identified at the moment.
Half of the people here moonshine.
30 percent of schizophrenic people are left-handed, and schizophrenia has a very funny genetics, which means 60 percent of the people are genetically left-handed, but only half of it showed. I don't have the time to say.
The hero of the people has arrived.
Influence on the part of the people has, in spite of everything, been significantly strengthened.
The initial reaction of the people has been shock and disillusionment, but in time China will be stronger for its openness.
It is important to say today that the will of the people has been done in Northern Ireland.
Only about half of the people who need treatment are currently receiving it.
What about the remaining half of the people?
According to current estimates, almost half of the people who are out of work in Lombardy are over 40 years of age.
Today, nearly half of the people working in the world earn less than USD 2 a day.
When we traveled to Parliament, - close to half of the people we randomly spoke to were informed.
There is the fact that around half of the people who now have AIDS and are dying of the disease are women.
When more than half of the people in the Union's Member States went on holiday last year - and that number is growing - specific attention to tourists' consumer rights is obviously essential.
That's where I met half of the people that I became acquainted with.
In any case, the European Parliament would be honoured to take up the call of the people to control the world in order to achieve a sense of well-being for everyone.
Around half of the people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
Half of the people working part time would be men and in the late afternoon there would be children running around who had been collected from a crèche for which there was no waiting list, and which had been provided by Parliament.
But that's only half of the story.
Without an offer from the US and China, only half of this is covered.

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Only half of the people have a sense of humor. vs Only half of the people has a sense of humor.