Agreement of Subject and Verb
One common error made in both speaking and writing is the lack of agreement between the subject noun or pronoun and the predicate verb.
1. The verb must
agree with its subject in person or number.
Incorrect: Jelly do not want to go to the office today. You was not in the hall last night.
Exercise:
Subject-Verb Agreement
1.
Everybody in the theater disappointed when the guest star did not arrive.
A. was b. were
2.
At the end of the hallway an old painting and several antique jars.
A. was b. were
3. He is one of
those basketball players who always into trouble.
A. get b. gets
4.
You should have your glasses in a safer place.
A. lain b. laid
5.
The number of students in the university from year to year.
A. vary b. varies
6. there any one of
the books I lend which you particularly like?
a. Is b. Are
7. Almost everything in the film, including its cinematography and art direction
to its cinematic quality.
A. add b. adds
8.
The
President, as well
as his Ministers, present in the meeting at the Manila Hotel
A. was b. were
9.
Two-thirds of the place
under water.
A. was b. were
10.
Wood curving been an important industry among the people
of Peete.
A. has b. have
Agreement of Verb with Compound Subject
Compound subject are usually
connected by and, or, nor, either-or, and
neither-nor.
Components of Compound Subject
A. If two parts of a compound subject separated by the words "and" and if both parts refer to different individuals, the compound subject is considered plural and the verb must be plural.
*
The manager and the owner were present in the meeting.
B.
If two parts of a compound subject
is separated by the word "and" and if both parts refer to single
person or thing, or form a single unit, the compound subject is considered
singular and the verb must be singular.
*
The manager and the owner of the company was
present in our meeting.
Agreement with Collective Nouns
Collective noun represents a group of person or object.
If the collective noun is particular sentence represents the individual acting as a unit, the noun is singular. If the sentence indicates clearly that the individuals are acting separately, the noun is plural.
Acting as a
unit: The community is opposing the cementing of this road.
As a unit: The troop is marching.
Acting as individuals: The teacher organized their schedules.
Agreement of Verbs with Indefinite Pronouns
A.
The indefinite pronouns one, no one, anyone, everyone, someone,
anybody, nobody, everybody, somebody, each, either,
and neither are always singular and take a singular verb.
B.
When many a, each, and every, are
used to introduce a sentence and function as adjectives, the subject is singular.
C. The indefinite
pronouns several, few, both and many are
always plural.
D.
The indefinite pronouns some, none, any, and all are
singular or plural depending on the meaning of the sentence. When these words
refer to a quantity or mass taken as a whole, they are generally considered as
singular. When they refer to a number, they are regarded as plural in meaning.
E. Some
nouns are plural in form, but singular in meaning. Examples of nouns that take
a singular verb are mumps, measles, news,
physics, and mathematics.
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