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I can not figure out what the correct usage of allow/allows is in this case.

Using plural allow(s) me to...

Would "allow(s)" refer back to the plural and thus be "allow"? or does it refer back to the action of using the plural and thus be "allows"?

An example could be something like: "Using old recordings allow(s) me to relive memories."

Nicky Mattsson
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    Using plural is a verb phrase, the remains of a gerund clause being used as the subject. Phrases and clauses used as nouns are always singular. So it's allows. – John Lawler Dec 06 '18 at 01:04
  • Thank you very much @JohnLawler, even though it is a short answer, would you please add it as one, so that I can close the question as answered? – Nicky Mattsson Dec 06 '18 at 01:35
  • Side note: using plural doesn't make sense. Depending on context, it should either be using *the* plural or using *a* plural. But nobody just uses plural. – Jason Bassford Dec 06 '18 at 05:36
  • @JasonBassford: Based on the example ("Using old recordings..."), I don't think Nicky was planning on using the literal sequence of words "using plural". The word "plural" in the title and quote block just seems to stand for a plural noun phrase. – herisson Dec 06 '18 at 06:44
  • @JasonBassford I did indeed mean what Sumelic said. I am sorry for the confusion. – Nicky Mattsson Dec 06 '18 at 12:04

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The (gerund) noun phrase 'using plural' is the subject and it is singular (because 'using' is singular and 'plural' is just the object of the gerund), so the verb would be 'allows'. Note that 'plural' has no determiner, so it is either a non-count (mass) noun or an adjective of a zero noun. Its an adjective because the mass noun would be 'plurality'.

Gerund phrases can be plural, by making the gerund (participle) plural: "Spellings of palindromes allow reversal.", but 'usings' would be better changed to 'usages'.

AmI
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