11078 subjectverb agreement

1 Agreement with verbs and subjects Name: ( ) Class: Date: _ Exercise Use the singular or the plural form of the verbs given in brackets to fill in the blanks in the following sentences Twenty miles (be) a long distance The police (pay) a lot of attention to juvenile delinquency Fifth pounds of potatoes (be) too heavy for one servant to carry Ten minutes _ (seem) to be a long time to wait Two thousand dollars (be) an unreasonable price for that secondhand lorry None of this meat (be) fresh I’m not going to buy any from this shop It (be) these boys who _ (have) made so many mistakes The rich and the poor (be) equal in the eyes of the law It (be) I who should be blamed 10 None of your models _ (be) carefully labeled 11 Gold, as well as iron, _ (be) found in Mexico 12 None of the boys here _ (be) known to me 13 The jewel, together with my passport, (have) been stolen 14 She who _ (be) beautiful will have a head-start in life 15 The principal, with all the teachers, _ (be) present at the meeting 16 The building, with its contents, (be) insured 17 Mr Wong, accompanied by his wife, _ (attend) the social gathering 18 Tom, together with David, _ (be) going to visit us on Sunday morning 19 It _ (be) my mother who (cook) food for us 20 He who _ (work) hard will succeed in life Exercise In each of the following questions, decide which one of the four choices would most suitably complete the sentence if inserted at the place marked One thousand dollars…too much for that bicycle A is B are C bas been D have been Neither Mr Wong nor his brothers…to Ocean Park yet A has been B are C is D have been We bought four detective novels but none of them…cheap A is B being C was D were Many a man … see the importance of home education for children A have not B has not C does not……D not Only one or two athletes … chosen for the Joint School Sports Day last month A was B were C is D are One of the excuses given by the lazy student … ridiculous A sounds B sound…… C has sounded D have sounded It is Paul who … the expedition A are leading B lead C is leading D have led Mary, it … wrong of you to interfere in this matter A is B are C am D were When I was young, reading comedies … my favourite pastime A is B are……C was…….D were 10 The luggage … just been checked A are……B have C has D is 11 The police …looking for a young coolie who is believed to have murdered Mrs White A am B was C is D are 12 A group of ten members … chosen to investigate the theft last month A is B are C was D were 13 Too much moisture in the air … metal things to rust A cause B causes C causing D are causing 14 A pair of scissors … a useful tool for a tailor A is B are C are being D were 15 The prisoner who … sick has been sent to hospital A was B were C are being D are 16 In Elizabethan times a lot of people …jobless A is B was C are D were 17 The rich … often look down on the poor A has not B have not C does not D not 18 The theme of the story … been clearly expressed by the author A has B have C is D are 19 Their results … not satisfactory and more effort … needed A is/is B is/are C are/are D are/is 20 To take pay and then not to put any effort into one’s work …dishonest A is B am C are D were 21 Homer was one of the greatest poets that … ever lived A have B has C is D are 22 Neither of them … chosen for the coming competition 3 A am B were C will be D have been 23 Sheep … reared for wool in Australia A is B are C was D am 24 Two six… twelve A times/equals B time/equal C times/equal D time/equals 25 At the present moment, our favourite subject … Geography A is B are C was D were 26 I won’t choose one because neither of them … me A suit B suits C suited D have suited 27 Although there … an explanation for these exercises, I still don’t know how to them A is B are C am D were 28 News of the strike of the Government workers …rapidly through Hong Kong A were spreading B is spreading C are spreading D have spread 29 A strong spirit of nationalism … among these youths A exist B exists C were existing D have existed 30 To err … human, to forgive divine A is B are C were being D were 31 A little knowledge … a dangerous thing A is B are C am D were 32 Rousseau’s teachings … us to build a new democratic society A inspire B inspires C was inspiring D has inspired 33 More freedom … been given to students in our school A has B have C are D is 33 Steak and chips … my favourite dish when I was in England A is B are C was D were 34 A flock of sheep … grazing in the field A is B are C were D were being