subjectverb agreement

UNIT SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT The subject and verb in a sentence must agree in person an number Two or more singular subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb; if two singular nouns refer to the same person or thing, the verb must be singular Ex: - Fire and water not agree - Whiskey and soda are sold here - Whiskey and soda is in this glass 2 If the singular subjects are preceded by EACH, EVERY, the verb is usually singular Ex: - Every boy and girl in this class has to bring his own textbook - Each day and each hour brings its duty - Everybody in this cooking class has to bring her own flour The verb agrees with its real subject not its modifiers Ex: - Each one of our houses is to let - One of my friends has come for a rescue - The complaint of the students was too many required subjects - The burden of taxes has made her broken down - The fear of rape and robbery has caused many people to flee the cities - The boys in the room are studying 4 The subjects followed by: WITH, TOGETHER WITH, ALONG WITH, AS WELL AS, INCLUDED WITH, accompanied by has no effect on the verb Ex: - Marry with her sister is strolling in the park - Susan together with her classmate has just missed the train - The actress, along with her manager and some friends, is going to the party tonight Singular NOUN ANYONE | ANYBODY | ANYTHING ANY + SOMEONE | SOMEBODY | SOMETHING EVERYONE | EVERYBODY | EVERYTHING NO ONE | NOBODY | NOTHING EITHER | NEITHER Must be followed by singular verbs and singular pronouns Ex: - Anybody who has lost his ticket should report to the desk - Nobody works harder than John does 6 No/None of the + non-count noun + singular verb No/None of the + plural count noun + plural verb Ex: - None of the counterfeit money has been found - None of the students have finished the exam yet - No example is relevant to this case - No examples are relevant to this case Subjects joined by Neither … nor, Either … or, … or …, whether … or …, not only … but (also) … the verb agrees with the nearest subject Ex: - Neither the players nor thereferee was wrong - Either John or Bill is going to the beach today - Not only you but also he is wrong 8 Gerunds as subject require singular verb Ex: Dieting is very popular nowadays The number of + plural noun requires singular or plural verb according to the MEANING OF THE SENTENCE, but A number of + plural noun ALWAYS requires plural verb Ex: - The number of the students in this class is small (= the number is small) - The numeber of the students in this class are small (= students are small) - A number of the cows are grazing in the village common - A number of boys were caught due to copying 10 Some nouns which are plural in form, BUT singular in meaning, take singular verb (politics, news, mathematics, platics, means) Ex: - No news is good news - Mathematics is a branch of study in every school - Politics was with him the business of his life 11 Some nouns which are singular in form, BUT plural in meaning, take plural verb (people, police, public, cattle, poultry, clergy, ect…) Ex: - The Police are willing to research the criminals - People are happy when news is good 12 Collecting nouns (congress, family, group, committee, class, organization, team, army, club, crowd, government, jury, majority, minority, public) take singular verb when referred AS A UNIT and plural verb when referred AS THE MEMBERS OF THE UNIT Ex: - My family is poor My family are early rises - The class has nominated its monitor - The class take prompt seats - The crowd was wild with excitement 13 When subjects is a fraction, the verb agrees with the noun in of phrase Ex: - Two-thirds of the students were absent yesterday - One-third of the money belongs to her.  14 Majority + singular verb Majority of + plural noun + plural verb Ex: - The majority believes that we are in no danger - The majority of the Parliament members believe him to be innocent 15 A Couple + singular verb The Couple + plural verb Ex: - A couple is walking on the path - The couple are racing their horses through the meadow 16. Nouns of the groups of certain animals or things take the singular verb: Flock of birds, swarm of ants, school of fish, herd of cattle, pride of lions, pack of dogs, crowd of students, fleet of ship, troop of soldiers …   Ex: - The flock of birds is circling overhead        - A school of fish is being attacked by sharks 17 The plural nouns denoting A PERIOD OF TIME, A SUM OF MONEY, A DISTANCE AND MEASUREMENTS take the singular verb Ex: - Thirty dollars is too much to pay for that shirt - Fifteen minutes isn’t enough tome to finish this test - Two hundred kilometers is a long way for the refugees to run on foot - Four times six is twenty four 18 Nouns that are always plural take the plural verb, if you want to speak of them as singular, one must say “a pair of …” Scissors, shorts ,pants ,jeans ,tongs , trousers ,glasses,pliers, tweezers ,compasses  Ex: - The pants are in the drawer - A pair of pants is in the drawer - These scissors are dull.  19 The + Adjectives = collective nouns take plural verbs Ex: - The wounded were left behind - The rich aren’t always happy 20 When the subject of the verb is a plural noun denoting the name of a book, a magazine, a film …, the verb is in singular Ex: - “The Arabian Nights” is delighted many generations - Twelve Bandits is a detective novel Part 5 A B C D …cats as faithful as dogs? Be Is Am Are The people…lining up to get on the train A B C D Is Gets Are Is being 2 .  Mathematics… the study of numbers, quantities, or shapes 5.   The captain, together with his crew members,…struggling to control the  E F G H ship Be Is Are Was 3.   Each book…unique illustrations I J K L Have Has Having Haves E F G H Was Were Has Becomes 6.   Each of our products…guaranteed for sixty days I J K L Will To be Is Are 7.  A number of researchers… expected to attend the conference 11.   Could you…me a big favor? A B C D A B C D Be Is Are Become 8.  Two thirds of the land…already been sold E F G H Is Are Has Have 9.   Not only the teacher but the students…opposed to the new  uniforms I J K L Is Are Will Is being 10.   Three hours…too short a time for us to talk about this matter M N O P Is Are Takes take Offer Make Work Do 12.   He must have missed the train; otherwise, he … arrived by now E F G H Has Have Had Would have 13.  There were plenty of people who…black I J K L Was wear Was wearing Wearing Were wearing 14.   He is earning ten dollars an hour, which…not a small amount of money M N O P Be To be Is Are 15.  His daughter is married…a doctor Q R S T With By For To Part 6 A B C D Has Have Is Are He They It We I J K L Are Is Were Have M N O P Sees Seem See Says E F G H A B C D Is Are Had was E F G H Sell Sells Did sell Has to sell Part 1.How quickly must customers bring products back to Without a receipt A B C D Thirty days before 4.How much is the company currently spending on color toner the store? A B C D 3.What’s the relationship between Mr.Barlow and Mr.Mascis? Within thirty days In perfect condition They are family They’re good friends They work in different companies They work in the same company 2.What kinds of returns are not accepted? cartrdges? E F G H E F G H Products damaged by the customer Camera products Items without an accompanying receipt Unused items $15 $1.50 $25 $2.50 5.Who can supply the company with inexpensive supplies? I J K L The manufacturer An internet store A friend of Mr.Mascis A local store 6.How much experience should preferred candidates have? A B C D Less than two years More than three years Two or more years At least three years 7.Where must qualified candidates have a degree from? E F G H An American university An accredited university A technical college Any engineering school 8.What’s the maximum salary possible? I J K L $30000 $45000 $75000 $80000 9.How often is the Golden Oaks Times published? A B C D Daily Once a week Once a month Annually 10.Which of the following is not true? E F Mr Fenwood has four years experience Mr Fenwood’s employer knows he is looking for a new job G Mr Fenwood has a bad relationship with his current employer H Mr Fenwood attended a university in California