Lecture 8 Subject Verb Agreement.ppt

Grammar

1. By Dr. Md. Momin Uddin
Associate Professor
Department of English
Jagannath University
Dhaka -1100

2. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –1: A singular subject takes a singular
verb whereas a plural subject takes a plural
verb.
Singular Verbs Plural Verbs
Does Do
Is Are
Has Have
Was Were
Had Had

3. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –1: A singular subject takes a singular verb
whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Examples:
1. This line (is/are) taken from Shakespeare’s sonnet 18.
2. These lines (is/are) taken from Shakespeare’s sonnet
18.
3. Each of the lines (develop/ develops) the idea.
4. Both the boys (was/were) present there.
5. They each (was/were) invited.
6. Five books (has/have) been suggested.

4. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –2: Subjects come before the phrases beginning withof.
This is a key rule for understanding subjects. The
word“of”is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb
mistakes.
Examples:
Incorrect:A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and
fragrance to the room.
Correct:Abouquetof yellow roseslends. . ..
Incorrect: The beauty of the flowers enchant everybody.
Correct: The beauty of the roses enchants every body.
Incorrect: One of the boys were called there.
Correct: One of the boys was called there.

5. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –3: When two subject are connected by
or, either/or,orneither/nor, the verb agrees
with the noun or pronoun closest to it.
Examples:
1.Neither he nor his brother is responsible.
2.Neither he nor his brothers are
responsible.
3.Either this boy or his father has done it.
4.Either this boy or his parents have done it.

6. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –4: When two or more subjects are
connected byand, use a plural ver.
Example:Acarand abikearemy means of
transportation.
But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:
Thebed and breakfastwascharming.
In this sentence,bed and breakfastis a
compound nouns

7. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –5: Sometimes the subject is separated
from the verb by such words asalong with,
accompanied by, as well as, besides, not,etc.
These words and phrases are not part of the
subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb
when the subject is singular.
Examples:
Thepolitician, along with the newsmen,is
expectedshortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness,isthe cause
of her shaking.

8. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –5: Parentheses are not part of the
subject.
Example:
1. Raihan (and his trusty dog)wasalways
welcome.
2. The whole family (parents and children) has
gone to visit the new site.

9. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –6: In sentences beginning
withhereorthere,the true subject
follows the verb.
Examples:
Therearefourhurdlesto jump.
Thereisa highhurdleto jump.
Herearethekeys.

10. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –7: Use a singular verb with
distances, periods of time, sums of
money, etc., when considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three milesistoo far to walk.
Five yearsisthe maximum sentence for
that offense.
Ten dollarsisa high price to pay.

11. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –8: In the case of subjects with words that indicate
portions (i.e.a lot, a majority, some, all), we are guided by
the noun afterof. If the noun afterofis singular, use a
singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
A lotof thepiehas disappeared.
A lotof thepieshave disappeared.
Athirdof thecityisunemployed.
Athirdof thepeopleareunemployed.
Allof thepieisgone.
Allof thepiesaregone.
Someof thepieismissing.
Someof thepiesaremissing.

12. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –9: Withcollective nounssuch
asgroup,jury,family,audience,population, the verb might be
singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.
Examples:
Allof myfamilyhas arrivedORhave arrived.
Mostof thejuryishereORarehere.
Athirdof thepopulationwasnot in favorORwerenot in favor
of the bill.

13. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –9:
Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun must take care
to be accurate—and also consistent. It must not be done carelessly.
The following is the sort of flawed sentence one sees and hears a lot
these days:
The staff is deciding how they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the
singularisand the pluraltheytostaffin the same sentence.
Consistent:The staffaredeciding howtheywant to vote.
Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever possible. The
preceding sentence would read even better as:
The staff members are deciding how they want to vote.

14. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –10: When expressing a wish, use
‘were’ after all types of subjects; don’t
use ‘was’ there.
Examples:
1. If he were a teacher
2. If Joe were present there, it would not
happen.

15. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –11: If two infinitives are separated
byandthey take the plural form of the
verb.
Example:
1.To walk and to chew gum requiregreat
skill.
2.To experience pain and to feel pain are
the same thing.

16. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule–12:Thewordseach,eachone,either,
neither,everyone,everybody,anybody,
anyone,nobody,somebody,someone,andno
onearesingularandrequireasingularverb.
Eachofthesehotdogsisjuicy.
EverybodyknowsMr.Jones.
Eitheriscorrect.
Neitherservesthepurpose.

17. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule–13:Nounssuchascivics,
mathematics,dollars,measles,andnews
requiresingularverbs.
The newsison at six.
Mathematics is a difficult subject.

18. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule–14:Nounssuchasscissors,tweezers,
trousers,andshearsrequirepluralverbs.
(Therearetwopartstothesethings.)
Examples:
1. These scissorsaredull.
2. Those trousersaremade of wool.
3. The tweezers are new.

19. Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule –15: Expressions such as with, together
with, including, accompanied by do not
change the number of the subject. If the
subject is singular, the verb is too.
The President, accompanied by his
wife,istraveling to India.
All of the books, including yours,arein that
box.