Here is a question I get all the time: Is it correct to say “Here comes the bride”? And what do you say if you want to include the groom?
Here are the answers: “Here comes the bride” is correct. If you want to include the groom, you should say “Here come the bride and groom.”
Here is how you do it. (It’s easy!) Just flip the sentence around. This will work with any sentence that starts with “here” – and it also works with sentences that start with “there.” So you’re getting a two-for-the-price of one deal.
Let’s see how this “flip” works:
Here (comes, come) the bride.
The bride COMES here….Here comes the bride. CORRECT
Here (comes, come) the bride and groom.
The bride and groom COME here….Here come the bride and groom. CORRECT
Did you notice that I’ve sprinkled a few of these “Here…” sentences in today’s post? Let’s look at them.
Here (is, are) the answers.
The answers ARE here….Here are the answers. CORRECT
Here (is, are) how you do it.
How you do it IS here…Here is how you do it. CORRECT
(Grammar books love to make this sound hard with a lot of talk about demonstratives and singular and plural subjects and verbs. But none of that jargon is necessary. My “flip” trick will work every time.)
Let’s try a few with “there”:
There (is, are) a problem with your order.
A problem with your order IS there…There is a problem with your order. CORRECT
There (goes, go) my ex with her new boyfriend.
My ex GOES there with her new boyfriend…There goes my ex with her new boyfriend. CORRECT
One more thing: You can change here is to here’s and there is to there’s if you like.
You can download a free subject-verb agreement handout that covers this rule and others by clicking here.
(Is, Are) there any questions?
Any questions ARE there…Are there any questions? CORRECT