I go to self-defence trainings, which helps me

[Peter_Gabriel]

Dear all,
I am wondering if the underlined part after the comma is fine. Here I didn't mean 'trainings' but the whole idea of training that helps me. Otherwise, obviously I would have to use ' trainings which help me'.

Twice a week I go to self-defence trainings, which helps me be stronger and more self-confident.

 

[lingobingo]

I’m not used to seeing training used as a countable noun in that way. I would expect the term training sessions. But in terms of that relative pronoun (which), yes, it’s fine to use it with a singular verb, so as to represent the whole main statement.

Twice a week I go to self-defence training sessions, which helps me be stronger and more self-confident.​

= I go to self-defence training twice a week. This helps me become stronger and more self-confident.​

 

[Peter_Gabriel]

I’m not used to seeing training used as a countable noun in that way. I would expect the term training sessions. But in terms of that relative pronoun (which), yes, it’s fine to use it with a singular verb, so as to represent the whole main statement.

Twice a week I go to self-defence training sessions, which helps me be stronger and more self-confident.= I go to self-defence training twice a week. This helps me become stronger and more self-confident.

Many thanks for your feedback and input.

 

[Keith Bradford]

I agree with Lingobingo.

We have to be careful not to fall into the "proximity trap". Just because the verb comes next to the plural noun training sessions, that doesn't make it a plural verb. The subject of the verb is which, and that refers back to something singular: the fact that "I go".

But compare this with a similar sentence:
Twice a week I go to self-defence training sessions, which are held in the parish hall.

There, which does refer to the sessions, so it's right for the verb to be plural.

 

[Peter_Gabriel]

I agree with Lingobingo.

We have to be careful not to fall into the "proximity trap". Just because the verb comes next to the plural noun training sessions, that doesn't make it a plural verb. The subject of the verb is which, and that refers back to something singular: the fact that "I go".

But compare this with a similar sentence:
Twice a week I go to self-defence training sessions, which are held in the parish hall.

There, which does refer to the sessions, so it's right for the verb to be plural.

Thanks for great examples! You are totally right!