Subject verb agreement.pdf

Grammar

2. Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-Verb Agreement means that the subjectand
the verbin a sentence must always agree with each
other.

3. RULES
1.)•If the subject is singularthe verb must also be singular.
•If the subject is pluralthen the verb must also be plural.
Example1. Mohan is playing cricket.
2. Girls are taking test.
3. The list of items is on the desk.
4. Both are qualified for the job.

4. 2.)•If two singular subjects are joined by ‘and’and refer
to two separate persons or things, use a plural verb.
Example1. Mr and Mrs Sen are having lunch.
2. Delhi and Mumbai are big cities.

5. 3.)•If two singular nouns are joined by ‘and’ and refer to
same person or things, the verb must be singular.
Example1. The poet and singer is dead.
2. The horse and carriage is at the door.

6. 4.)•When two subjects together express one idea, the
verb may be in the singular.
Example1. Two and two makes four.
2. Bread and Butter is my favorite breakfast

7. 5.)•When two or more singular subjects are connected
by ‘with’, ‘together with’ ’and not’, ‘besides’, ‘no less
than’, the verb is in singular.
Example1. She and not you is at fault.
2. The servant together with the master has left.

8. 6.)•When two subjectsare joined by ‘as well as’the
verb aggress with first subject.
Example1. He as well as his classmates are hardworking.
2. His classmates as well as he are hardworking.

9. 7.)•Either, Neither, each, every, everyone are followed
by a singular verb
Example1. Each of these is very lovely.
2. Neither of them reaches the standard required.

10. 8.)•In sentence beginning with ‘there’, the verb agrees
with the number of the noun that follows it.
Example1. There is a huge rush in the market.
2. There are forty girls in our class.

11. 9.)•If Relative pronoun begins a clause, the verb follows its
antecedent in number, gender and person.
Example1. I met Rohit who is a fine fellow.

12. 10.)•Nounswhich indicate the name of a country,
province or title of a book take a singular subject
Example1. ‘ The Arabian Nights ’ is a collection of stories.
2. West Indies is a group of islands.

13. 11)•When a Plural Noun expresses some specific quantity
or amount considered as a whole, the verb is in
singular.
Example1. Twenty kilometers is not a long distance
...........................these days.

14. 12.)•Some nouns which are pluralin form but singular
in meaning, take a singular verb.
Example1. Physics is my favourite subject.
2. English is spoken all over the world.

15. 13.)•A collective noun generally takes a singular verb when
the subject stands for the collection as a whole.
Example1. The jury was unanimous in its verdict.
14.)•But a collective noun takes a plural verb when the
subject stands for the individuals of which it is composed.
Example1. The jury were divided in their opinions.

16. Once there was a merchant in Adilpur. The inhabitants of Adilpur (a)................
very proud of him. He (b) ............... a prosperous merchant. The branches of his
business house (c) .............................. all over the country. Our country was then
famous for its fine fabrics. These fabrics (d)................................. for wares
produced beyond the seas. The merchant (e)................ a priceless Arab steed. It
was as white as snow and the merchant (f).................. him like his own son.
(a) (i) is (ii) are being (iii) were (iv) have been
(b) (i) is being (ii) was (iii) were (iv) was been
(c) (i) is locating (ii) was located (iii) were located (iv) were locating
(d) (i) has exchanged (ii) have exchanged (iii) was exchanged (iv) were exchanged
(e) (i) was (ii) were (iii) have (iv) had
(f) (i) love (ii) is loving (iii) has loved (iv) loved

17. Chapter Finished !!
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