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R.S.N. Tutorial and Review Center
18 J. Cabarus St. BF Homes, Parañaque
Lesson One
Subject- Verb Agreement
I. Introduction
A fundamental principle of knowing grammar is largely a matter of understanding how the verb in its full form suits subject. Once misunderstanding is achieved, words can be used with greater ease and confidence. Your communications, both written and spoken, would be clearer and more effective.
The subject and verb in the sentence must fit together grammatically. That is, if you have a plural subject, you must use the plural form of the verb, if you have a singular subject, you must use the singular form of the verb.
As professional teachers, it is necessary for us to master this fundamental skill. Mastery in subject-verb agreement is skill which grammarians and teachers should acquire.
I hope this lesson will help of to review the basics.
II. Reasons Why Errors in Agreement Occurs
1. The writer or speaker is confused about the number of the subject because of the presence of the words.
2. He uses a verb to agree not with the grammatical form of the subject but with its meaning.
III. Definition of Subject-Verb Agreement
A. Subject
-The person or thing (noun, pronoun, noun phrase noun clause) about which a statement or assertion is made in a sentence or clause.
B. Verb
-Is a word specifies action or events that take place in time. It expresses action, state or a relation between two objects or ideas. It functions as the main element of the predicate.
C. Agreement
-Means “the state of being in accord, “conformity”. As applied to grammar, the term means’ correspondence in a person number, gender, or a case”. Thus, when a subject agrees with its predicate, both subject and the predicate verb have the same person (first, second, third) and number (singular or plural)
D. Subject-Verb Agreement
(National Council of Teachers of English, 2003)
-Is the matching of the number and person of the subject to the form of the verb.
IV. Rules
1. A verb must agree with its subject, not with any additive phrase in the sentence such as a prepositional or verbal phrase. Ignore such phrases.
• Example: Your copy (of these rules) is on the desk.
• Example: The video Platoon will not be available until the dispute (over video rights) is settled.
2. In an inverted sentence beginning with a prepositional phrase, the verb still agrees with its subject.
• Example: At the end of the Christmas holidays come the best sales.
3. Prepositional phrases beginning with the compound prepositions such as along with, together with, in addition to, and as well as should be ignored, for they do not affect subject-verb agreement.
• Example: Gladys Knight, as well as the Pips, is riding the midnight train to Georgia.
4. A verb must agree with its subject, not its subject complement.
• Example: He's a hedonist; his main source of pleasure is food and women.
• Example: For some people, a few pounds are no problem.
5. When a sentence begins with an expletive such as there, here, or it, the verb agrees with the subject, not with the expletive.
• Example: Surely, there are several loyal alumni in this area who would be interested in meeting regularly as a group.
• Example: There are fifty students in my English composition class.
6. Indefinite pronouns such as each, either, one, everyone, everybody, and everything are singular.
• Example: Somebody in Detroit loves me.
• Example: Does either of you have a pencil?
7. Indefinite pronouns such as several, few, both, and many are plural.
• Example: Both of my sorority sisters have decided to live off campus.
8. Indefinite pronouns such as all, some, most, and none may be singular or plural depending on their referents.
• Example: Some of the food is cold.
• Example: Some of the vegetables are cold.
Note: None is singular when it means "no one of" or "not a single one."
• None of the girls is married.
• None of the children is as sweet as Mary Ann.
9. Fractions such as one-half and one-third may be singular or plural depending on the referent.
• Example: Half of the mail has been opened.
• Example: Half of the letters have been read.
10. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb unless the subjects are thought to be one item or unit.
• Example: Chicken and dumplings is my favorite holiday dish.
• Example: A psychiatric analysis and examination has been done.
11. In cases where the subjects are joined by or, nor, either. . .or, or neither. . .nor, the verb must agree with the subject closer to it.
• Example: Either the teacher or the students are responsible.
12. Relative pronouns, such as who, which, or that, which refer to plural antecedents require plural verbs. However, when the relative pronoun refers to a single subject, the pronoun takes a singular verb.
• Example: She is one of the girls who cheer on Friday nights.
BUT She is the only one of the cheerleaders who has a broken leg.
13. Subjects preceded by every, each, and many a are singular.
• Example: Each graduate and undergraduate is required to pass a proficiency exam.
• Example: Many a tear has to fall, but it's all in the game.
14. A collective noun, such as audience, faculty, or jury, requires a singular verb when the group is regarded as a whole and a plural verb when the members of the group are regarded as individuals.
• Example: The jury has made its decision.
• Example: The faculty are preparing their presentations.
15. Subjects preceded by the number of or the percentage of are singular, while subjects preceded by a number of or a percentage of are plural.
• Example: A number of vacationers are young people. However, a large percentage of the vacationers are senior citizens.
16. Title of books, companies, name brands, and groups are singular or plural depending on their meaning.
• Example: The Rolling Stones are performing in the Super Dome.
17. Certain nouns of Latin and Greek origin have unusual singular and plural forms.
SINGULAR PLURAL
criterion criteria
alumnus alumni
datum data
medium media
• Example: The data are available for inspection.
• Example: The only criterion for membership is a high GPA.
18. Some nouns such as deer, shrimp, and sheep have the same spelling for both their singular and plural forms. In these cases, the meaning of the sentence will determine whether they are singular or plural.
• Example: Deer are beautiful animals.
• Example: The spotted deer is licking the sugar cube.
19. Some nouns like scissors, jeans, and wages have plural forms but no singular counterparts. These nouns almost always take plural verbs.
• Example: The scissors are on the table.
• Example: My Lee jeans fit me like a glove.
20. Words used as words, not as grammatical parts of the sentence, require singular verbs.
• Example: Can't is the contraction for cannot.
• Example: Cats is the plural form of cat.
21. Mathematical expressions of subtraction and division require singular verbs, while expressions of addition or multiplication take either singular or plural verbs.
• Example: Ten divided by two equals five.
• Example: Five times seven equals (OR equal) thirty-five.
22. Nouns expressing time, distance, weight, and measurement are singular when they refer to a unit and plural when they refer to separate items.
• Example: Fifty yards is a short distance.
• Example: Ten years have passed since I finished college.
23. Expressions of quantity are usually plural.
• Example: Nine out of ten dentists recommend Crest.
24. Some nouns ending in -ics, such as economics and ethics, take singular verbs when they refer to principles, a system or a field of study; however, when they refer to individual practices or applications, they usually take plural verbs.
• Example: Ethics is being taught in the spring.
• Example: His unusual business ethics get him into trouble.
25. Some nouns like measles, news, and calculus, which appear plural in form, are actually singular in number. These words take singular verbs.
• Example: Measles is a dreadful disease.
• Example: Calculus requires great skill in algebra.
26. A verbal noun (infinitive or gerund) serving as a subject is treated as singular, even if the object of the verbal phrase is plural.
• Example: Hiding your mistakes does not make them go away.
• Example: To run five miles is my goal.
27. A noun phrase or clause acting as the subject of a sentence requires a singular verb.
• Example: What I need is to be loved.
• Example: Whether there is any connection between the two events is unknown.
28. A plural subjects followed by a singular appositive requires a plural verb; similarly, a singular subject followed by a plural appositive requires a singular verb.
• Example: When the girls throw a party, they each bring a gift.
• Example: The board, all ten members, is meeting today.
V. Exercises
1: The rhythm of the pounding waves _____ calming.
Is are
2: All of the dogs in the neighborhood _____ barking.
Were was
3: A high tax, not to mention unemployment, _____ votes.
Influence influences
4: My friends and my mother _____ each other.
Like ikes
5: The team and the band _____ on the field.
Was ere
6: Building a good marriage and building a good log fire _____ similar in many ways.
Is re
7: John or Doris _____ to us regularly.
Write rites
8: Either Patty or Tom _____ asked to lead the meeting.
Was ere
9: Neither Carol nor Ted _____ excluded from the meeting.
Is re
10: Neither the basket nor the apples _____ expensive.
Was ere
11: Neither the apples nor the basket _____ expensive.
Was ere
12: Either Maria or you _____ late for class.
Was ere
13: Either you or Maria _____ late for class.
Was ere
14: Hardest hit by the high temperatures and drought _____ the farmers.
Was ere
15: Neither of them _____ going to the show.
Like ikes
16: Each of them _____ a good seat.
Has ave
17: Everybody in the class _____ tickets.
Has ave
18: Every silver knife, fork, and spoon _____ to be counted.
Has ave
19: Each cat and each dog _____ its own toy.
Has ave
20: The committee _____ meeting today.
Is re
21: Ten million gallons of oil _____ a lot of oil.
Is re
22: The jury _____ today.
Vote otes
23: The number _____ very small.
Is re
24: A number of students _____ absent.
Was ere
25: Ten million gallons of oil _____ spilled.
Was ere
26: The majority of us _____ in favor.
Is re
27: Statistics _____ an interesting subject.
Is re
28: Statistics _____ often misleading.
Is re
29: The sheep _____ when the gate is left open.
Stray trays
30: Sheep _____ when the gate is left open.
Stray trays
VI. References
A Complete Course in Freshman English by Harry Shaw (Seventh Edition)
Communication Arts in the Information Age By Avila etl. (2001)
Language for Daily Use- New Harbrace Edition
The University of West Florida (Writing Lab)
 azurewealtheow · Fri Nov 03, 2006 @ 02:26pm · 0 Comments |
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