Subverb agreement

subject verb agreement rules

1. Take a look at these sentences; Mary's children is certainly well behaved. The students takes responsibility for their actions. Seven years are certainly a long time to study abroad. Matthew, who is only in kindergarten, knows how to read and write.

2. Mary's children is certainly well behaved.

3. 2. The students takes responsibility for their actions.

4. 3 . Seven years are certainly a long time to study abroad.

5. 4. Matthew , who is only in kindergarten, knows how to read and write.

6. SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT By: Ms. Jennifer Manalili

7. RULES ON SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT 1. The verb agrees with its subject in person and number.   Examples:        ☻She works hard in order to finish her studies. ☻The children shout while they play.

8. More examples : The pencil was stolen by his classmates. Children tend to imitate their parent’s attitude.

9. The football players (run-runs) five miles every day.

10. The football players ( run -runs) five miles every day.

11. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.

12. Benito ( doesn't , don't) know the answer.

13. 2. Words which intervene between subject and verb do not affect the verb.   Examples:  ☻My sister, together with her friends, arrives tonight.        ☻The bus, loaded with boxes of fruits and vegetables, was abandoned in a solitary road.

14.   The police chief, along with three of his assistants , visits several schools.     Dr. Orlando E. Francisco, who have been kind to many people , is retiring at the end of the term.

15. 3. Make the verb agree with the subject, not with the "of-phrase" (a phrase that begins with 'of').   Examples: ☻The bundle of bank notes attracts the driver's attention. ☻The enticing hands of the demon attract us into a labyrinth of cynical distrust.

16. 6. A compound subject involving the use of " each " or " every " requires the s-form of the verb (singular). Examples:        ☻ Each boy and girl has clothes made of T'boli tinalak .        ☻ Every man and woman helps this community become more progressive. 4. Use a singular verb when the subject is one of the following indefinite pronouns that are always singular. ( anybody, each, everyone, neither, nothing, something, anyone, either, everything, nobody, somebody, such, anything, everybody, much, no one, someone ) Ex. Any one of the three applicants you want to hire is all right with me.  

17. Each of us is applying for the job. Neither of the applicants has a job. Everybody was asked to be quiet.

18. 5. Compound subjects joined by " or ", " either...or ", " neither...nor ", or " not only...but also " agree with the nearer subject.   Examples:        ☻Neither Analyn nor her friends have seen Chocolate Hills.        ☻Either the people or the demon tells lies .

19. The records or the stereo has to go. Either the mayors or the governor is expected to give the keynote address.   Neither the mayors nor the governor wants to raise taxes.   Not only children but his mother has arrived.

20. 6 . Both, several, few and many are considered plural.   Both of the problems are hard to solve. Several are going to the convention. Many are called but few are chosen.

21. Exercises

22. 1. Every one of these men (plays, play) golf.

23. 1. Every one of these men ( plays , play) golf.

24. 2. Neither Martin nor his friends (is, are) going to be in camp next summer.

25. 2. Neither Martin nor his friends (is, are ) going to be in camp next summer.

26. 3. Neither of these envelopes (is, are) the correct size for my letter.

27. 3. Neither of these envelopes ( is , are) the correct size for my letter.

28. 4 . He is one of those active boys who (is, are) always in mischief.

29. 4 . He is one of those active boys who ( is , are) always in mischief.

30. 5. Neither the dealers nor the manufacturer (guarantee, guarantees) this new product.

31. 5. Neither the dealers nor the manufacturer (guarantee, guarantees ) this new product.

32. 6. These pictures (was, were) drawn by the instructor.

33. 6. These pictures (was, were ) drawn by the instructor.

34. 7. The teacher, as well as her colleagues, (has, have ) attended the seminar on language.

35. 7. The teacher , as well as her colleagues, ( has , have ) attended the seminar on language.

36. 8 . Everything in the buildings (was, were) destroyed.

37. 8 . Everything in the buildings ( was , were) destroyed.

38. 9 . Neither Ms Jones nor a member of her staff (is, are) going to attend the meeting.

39. 9 . Neither Ms Jones nor a member of her staff ( is , are) going to attend the meeting.

40. 10. Several on the team (hits, hit) the ball really hard.

41. 10. Several on the team (hits, hit ) the ball really hard.

42. 7. A singular verb is used for nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning.   Examples:        ☻Measles is prevalent in their place nowadays.        ☻Mathematics is a challenging subject.

43. The United States is a country of opportunity. The news is very satisfying.

44. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded by the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject). My glasses were on the bed. My pants were torn. A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.

45. 8. The expression the number of takes a singular form of the verb, while the expression a number of takes the plural form of verb. Ex. ►The number of students in the class is limited. ► A number of books are reserve in the library.

46. 9. Words or phrases that express periods of time, weights, measurements, and amounts of money or taken as a unit are usually regarded as singular. Ex. ►Five thousand dollars is the minimum bid for the foreclosed property. ► Ten days seems extremely long to survive in the desert.

47. The words listed below are mass nouns. They are always singular and cannot be preceded by a, an or a number.      information        homework                   jewelry baggage                       Scenery advice   Ex. The information is needed to complete the data.                                                 

48. 11. Some nouns are plural in form and meaning. These nouns take the plural form of the verb.           ►scissors, tongs, shears, pliers, pants, tweezers, refreshments Examples:        ☻My favorite pants were stolen by thieves last night.        ☻His scissors are used only to cut strings.  

49. 12. Such nouns as abundance, half, part, plenty, rest and variety takes a singular verb or a plural verb according to the number of the noun in the  of  phrase that modifies the noun. The same rule applies to fractions used as subjects . Plenty of apples are on the market now. Two-thirds of the business district was destroyed. Half of the members are absent today.

50. 13. The words there and here are never subjects. There are two reasons [plural subject] for this. There is no reason for this. Here are two apples.

51. 14. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject. ex. The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day. It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.

52. 15. If words or phrases come between the subject and the verb, first isolate the subject and then decide on the correct verb form . Ex. The designs on Indian pottery fascinate me.

53. E xercise

54. 1. Part of the apples in the crate (was, were) rotten.

55. 1. Part of the apples in the crate (was, were ) rotten.

56. 2. The checklist for the questionnaires (was, were) checked by the adviser before submitting it to the principal.

57. 2. The checklist for the questionnaires ( was , were) checked by the adviser before submitting it to the principal.

58. 3. The buildings on each campus (was, were) recently completed.

59. 3. The buildings on each campus (was, were ) recently completed.

60. 4 . There (was, were) several reasons for his failure to be elected.

61. 4 . There (was, were ) several reasons for his failure to be elected.

62. 5. Statistics (requires, require) complicated methods.

63. 5. Statistics ( requires, require) complicated methods.

64. 6. Three miles ( is, are )the distance from here to the railway station.

65. 6. Three miles ( is , are )the distance from here to the railway station.

66. 7.  A number of students (is, are )planning to go on a trip to Britain.

67. 7.  A number of students (is, are )planning to go on a trip to Britain.

68. 8. The number of students considering college (increase, increases) each year.

69. 8. The number of students considering college (increase, increases ) each year.

70. 9. Almost three fourths of the apples  (has, have) been picked.

71. 9. Almost three fourths of the apples  (has, have ) been picked.

72. 10. Almost three fourths of the land  (is, are)  cultivated.

73. 10. Almost three fourths of the land  ( is , are)  cultivated.

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