Are or Is ?

[Thelearner]

I need help with few of these sentences.

First one is -

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All i've got left now "are / is" memories.

When i googled, i noticed many of them have used the word 'is' before memories. But memories is plural right. So shouldn't we be using the word 'are' before memories?

Second one -

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All i've got left now "are / is" those bittersweet memories.

This time it's 'those bitter memories.'
So i assume we are going to add 'are' before it. Am i right?

Third one -

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Memories... they're all i've got left.

Here can i end the sentence with 'now' (for example - Memories... they're all i've got left now.)

Thanks.

[Alan]

A very good question, indeed!

The traditional rule relating to this kind of case is that a verb is governed as to number by its subject, not its complement. Thus, by the lights of traditional grammar, we say e.g.

The main cause of air pollution is trucks.

and not

*The main cause of air pollution ARE trucks.

because 'cause', the subject, is singular.

However, modern AmE usage in particular tends to allow agreement with of the verb with the complement, especially where the subject is an indefinite pronoun such as 'all' (in the sense of 'everything') or 'what', so that most AmE speakers would probably happily accept e.g.

?All that remains are memories.

as compared with "classically" correct

All that remains is memories.