Access to books, audiobooks, and more - for less than a price of a paperback.
Join 38,062 members

User Tag List

Results 1 to 4 of 4

Subject and verb agreement

  1. #1

    Default Subject and verb agreement

    Agreement: Matching Sentence Parts
    Like Peas in a Pod
    Romeo and Juliet
    Spaghetti and meatballs
    Peanut butter and jelly
    The birds and the bees
    Some things just seem to go together well. We carry this concept over into grammar by
    matching all sentence parts. This matching of sentence elements is called agreement. It helps
    you create smooth and logical sentences.
    The basic rule of sentence agreement is simple: A subject must agree with its verb in number.
    Number means singular or plural.
    _ A singular subject names one person, place, thing, or idea.
    _ A plural subject names more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
    Here are some examples:
    Singular Plural
    Subjects Subjects
    Person: I they
    Place: beach beaches
    Thing: desk desks
    Idea: freedom freedoms
    Singular Plural Singular or
    Plural
    I we, they you
    she, he
    it

    1. Singular and plural nouns
    In English, the plurals of most nouns are formed by adding -s or -es to the singular form.
    For example: bike → bikes; race → races; inch → inches. Some nouns have irregular plurals,
    such as mouse → mice; woman → women, goose → geese. You can find the plural
    forms of irregular nouns in a dictionary.
    2. Singular and plural pronouns
    Pronouns have singular and plural forms, too. Study the following chart.
    As you can see from this chart, subject-verb agreement is most difficult to determine in the
    present tense.
    4. Singular and plural forms of be
    The form of the helping verb be may also help you determine whether a verb is singular or
    plural. The following chart shows the forms of be that are different from singular to plural.
    Be Used as a Helping Verb
    3. Singular and plural verbs
    As with nouns and pronouns, verbs show singular and plural forms. There are two areas
    in which you may have difficulty identifying singular and plural forms of nouns: the basic
    present tense and tenses using the helping verb to be.
    As you study the following chart, notice that the form of the verb changes only in the
    third-person singular column, the middle column. Find the -s or -es added to the verb.
    That’s the tricky part:
    _ Singular verbs end in -s or -es.
    _ Plural nouns end in -s or -es.
    Here are some examples:
    First and Second Singular Third Plural First,
    Person Person Second, Third
    Person
    (I, you) begin (he, she, it) begins (we, you, they) begin
    (I, you) do (he, she, it) does (we, you, they) do
    Singular Plural
    am (we) are
    (he, she, it) is (they) are
    (I, he, she, it) was (we, they) were
    (he, she, it) has been (they) have been
    A Singular Subject Must Have a Singular Verb
    Now that you can recognize singular and plural nouns, pronouns, and verbs, you will be able
    to make all sentence parts agree in number. Remember the rule introduced in the beginning
    of this chapter: A subject must agree with its verb in number.
    All the other rules follow from this one. The easiest rules are these two:
    _ A singular subject must have a singular verb.
    _ A plural subject must have a plural verb.
    Let’s examine the first rule.
    5. A singular subject must have a singular verb.
    She hesitates at all intersections, making the other drivers angry.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject she agrees with the singular verb hesitates.
    Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject procrastination agrees with the singular verb is.
    I am ready for dinner now.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject I requires the singular verb am.
    6. Two or more singular subjects joined by or or nor must have a singular verb.
    This makes perfect sense: You are making a choice between two singular subjects. The or
    shows that you are only choosing one.
    Either the dog or the cat has to go.
    sing. subject. or sing. subject sing. verb
    Only one pet will go—the dog or the cat. Therefore, you will only have one pet left. Two
    singular subjects—dog and cat—joined by or take the singular verb has.
    Neither Elvis Costello nor Elvis Presley is in the room.
    sing. subject nor sing. subject sing. verb
    Each subject is being treated individually. Therefore, two singular subjects—Elvis
    Costello and Elvis Presley—joined by nor take the singular verb is.
    7. Subjects that are singular in meaning but plural in form require a singular verb.
    These subjects include words such as measles, civics, social studies, mumps, molasses,
    news, economics, and mathematics.
    The news is on very night at 11:00 P.M.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject news takes the singular verb is.
    8. Plural subjects that function as a single unit take a singular verb.
    Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite dish.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject spaghetti and meatballs requires the singular verb is.
    Bacon and eggs makes a great late night snack.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular subject bacon and eggs agrees with the singular verb makes.
    9. Titles are always singular.
    It doesn’t matter how long the title is, what it names, or whether or not it sounds plural—
    a title always takes a singular verb.
    For Whom the Bell Tolls is a story about the Spanish Civil War.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular title For Whom the Bell Tolls requires the singular verb is.
    Stranger in a Strange Land was written by Robert Heinlein.
    sing. subject sing. verb
    The singular title Stranger in a Strange Land requires the singular verb was.
    Most measurements are singular—even though they look plural. For example: “Half a dollar
    is more than enough” (not “are more than enough”).
    A Plural Subject Must Have a Plural Verb
    Just as a singular subject requires a singular verb, so a plural subject requires a plural verb.
    Here are some examples:
    1. A plural subject must have a plural verb.
    Men are from Earth. Women are from Earth. Deal with it.
    plural plural plural plural
    subject verb subject verb
    The plural subject men requires the plural verb are. The plural subject women requires the
    plural verb are.
    On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
    plural plural plural plural
    subject verb subject verb
    The plural subject people requires the plural verb fear (not the singular verb fears). The
    plural subject they requires the plural verb do (not the singular verb does).
    Students at U.S. colleges read about 60,000 pages in four years.
    plural plural
    subject verb
    The plural subject students requires the plural verb read (not the singular verb reads).
    Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in the correct order, as does arsenious,
    plural plural
    subject verb
    meaning “containing arsenic.”
    The plural subject facetious and abstemious requires the plural verb contain (not the singular
    verb contains.) Think of the conjunction and as a plus sign. Whether the parts of the
    subject joined by and are singular or plural (or both), they all add up to a plural subject
    and so require a plural verb.
    2. Two or more plural subjects joined by or or nor must have a plural verb.
    This is the logical extension of the rule you learned earlier about two or more singular subjects
    joined by or or nor taking a singular verb. Here, since both subjects are plural, the
    verb must be plural as well.
    Either the children or the adults are clearing the table.
    plural plural plural
    subject subject verb
    Since both subjects are plural, one of them alone is still plural. Therefore, two plural
    subjects—children and adults—joined by or take the plural verb are.
    Neither my relatives nor my friends are leaving any time soon.
    plural plural plural
    subject subject verb
    Since both subjects are plural, one of them alone is still plural. Therefore, two plural
    subjects—relatives and friends—joined by nor take the plural verb are.
    3. A compound subject joined by and is plural and must have a plural verb.
    The conjunction and acts like a plus (+) sign, showing that 1 + 1 = 2 (or 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, etc.).
    Brownies and ice cream are a spectacular dessert.
    sing. sing. plural
    subject subject verb
    Brownies and ice cream = two desserts. 1 + 1 = 2. Therefore, the verb must be plural: are.
    Nina and Christopher have donated money to charity.
    sing. sing. plural
    subject subject verb
    Nina and Christopher = two people. 1 + 1 = 2. Therefore, the verb must be plural: have.
    4. If two or more singular and plural subjects are joined by or or nor, the subject closest to
    the verb determines agreement.
    This is basically an exception made for the sake of sound: It sounds better to match the
    verb to the closer subject.
    Margery or the twins are coming on the trip to Seattle.
    sing. plural plural
    subject subject verb
    Since the plural subject twins is closest to the verb, the verb is plural: are.
    The twins or Margery is coming on the trip to Seattle.
    plural sing. sing.
    subject subject verb
    Since the singular subject Margery is closest to the verb, the verb is singular: is.
    Collective Nouns and Indefinite Pronouns
    A collective noun names a group of people or things. Collective nouns include the words class,
    committee, flock, herd, team, audience, assembly, team, and club. Collective nouns can be singular
    or plural, depending on how they are used in a sentence. Here are the basic guidelines:
    Agreement: Matching Sentence Parts 67
    _ A collective noun is considered singular when it functions as a single unit. Collective nouns
    used as one unit take a singular verb.
    _ A collective noun is considered plural when the group it identifies is considered to be individuals.
    Collective nouns that indicate many units take a plural verb.
    Here are some examples:
    The team has practiced for tonight’s big game for months.
    sing. sing.
    subject verb
    The singular subject team agrees with the singular verb has practiced because in this
    instance, the team functions as one (singular) group.
    The team have practiced for tonight’s big game for months.
    plural plural
    subject verb
    The subject team becomes plural because each member of the group is now being considered
    as an individual.
    Indefinite pronouns, like collective nouns, can be singular or plural, depending on how
    they are used in a sentence. Indefinite pronouns refer to people, places, objects, or things
    without pointing to a specific one. Indefinite pronouns include words such as everyone, someone,
    all, and more.
    _ Singular indefinite pronouns take a singular verb.
    _ Plural indefinite pronouns take a plural verb.
    The following chart shows singular and plural indefinite pronouns. The chart also shows
    pronouns that can be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used in a sentence.
    Singular Plural Singular or
    Plural
    another both all
    anybody few any
    anyone many more
    anything others most
    each several none
    either some
    everyone
    everybody
    everything
    little
    many a
    Continues

    Look back at the chart. You will see that the following patterns emerge:

    1. Indefinite pronouns that end in -body are always singular. These words include anybody,
    somebody, nobody.
    2. Indefinite pronouns that end in -one are always singular. These words include anyone,
    everyone, someone, and one.
    3. The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, others, and several are always plural.
    4. The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some can be singular or plural,
    depending on how they are used.
    Here are some examples:
    One of the gerbils is missing.
    sing. sing.
    subject verb
    The singular subject one requires the singular verb is.
    Both of the gerbils are missing.
    plural plural
    subject verb
    The plural subject both requires the plural verb are.
    All of the beef stew was devoured.
    sing. sing.
    subject verb
    Singular Plural Singular or
    Plural
    much
    neither
    nobody
    no one
    nothing
    one
    other
    somebody
    someone
    something

    In this instance, all is being used to indicate one unit. As a result, it requires the singular
    verb was.
    Many of the guests are sick of Tedious Ted’s endless chatter.
    plural plural
    subject verb
    The plural subject many requires the plural verb are.
    Special Problems in Agreement
    The rules for agreement are straightforward, but some thorny problems do arise. Here are
    the two most challenging issues: hard-to-find subjects and intervening phrases.
    1. Identify hard-to-find subjects.
    Some subjects can be harder to find than others. Subjects that come before the verb are
    especially tricky. However, a subject must still agree in
    number with its verb, as the following examples show:
    In the bottom of the lake are two old cars.
    plural plural
    verb subject
    The plural subject cars agrees with the plural verb are.
    There were still half a dozen tires in the lake, too.
    plural plural
    verb subject
    The plural subject tires requires the plural verb were.
    2. Ignore intervening phrases.
    Disregard words or phrases that come between the subject
    and the verb. A phrase or clause that comes between a subject and its verb does not
    affect subject-verb agreement.
    The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
    sing. prep. sing.
    subject phrase verb
    The singular subject muscle agrees with the singular verb is. Ignore the intervening
    prepositional phrase “in the body.”
    The captain of the guards stands at the door of Buckingham Palace.
    sing. prep. sing.
    subject phrase verb
    The singular subject captain agrees with the singular verb stands. Ignore the intervening
    prepositional phrase “of the guards.”
    Quick Tip
    The words there or
    here at the beginning of
    a sentence often signal
    inverted word order.

    Agreement of Pronouns and Antecedents
    Like subjects and verbs, pronouns and antecedents (the words to which they refer) must
    agree. Follow these rules to make sure that your pronouns and antecedents match.
    1. A pronoun agrees (or matches) with its antecedent in number, person, and gender.
    Hortense gave half her cupcake to Shirley.
    Both the antecedent Hortense and the pronoun her are singular in number, in the third
    person, and feminine in gender.
    Errors often occur when there are incorrect shifts in person and gender.
    Error: Hortense will eat her bran flakes and tofu, which you need to stay healthy.
    Correct: Hortense will eat her bran flakes and tofu, which she needs to stay healthy.
    2. Use a singular personal pronoun with a singular indefinite pronoun.
    If anyone questions the edict, refer him or her to the boss.
    The singular pronouns him or her refer to the singular pronoun anyone.
    3. Use a plural pronoun when the antecedents are joined by and. This is true even if the
    antecedents are singular.
    The dog and cat maintain their friendship by staying out of each other’s way.
    sing. sing. plural
    subject subject pronoun
    Since the two singular antecedents dog and cat are joined by and, use the plural pronoun
    their. This is a case of 1 + 1 = 2 (one dog + one cat = two pets).
    4. Antecedents joined by or, nor, or correlative conjunctions such as either . . . or,
    neither . . . nor agree with the antecedent closer to the pronoun.
    Neither my baby sister or the twins sleep in their bed.
    sing. plural plural
    subject subject pronoun
    Use the plural pronoun their to agree with the plural antecedent cats.
    Neither the twins nor my baby sister sleeps in her bed.
    plural sing. sing.
    subject subject pronoun
    Use the singular pronoun her to agree with the singular antecedent sister.
    5. Be sure that the pronoun refers directly to the noun.
    Confusion occurs when the pronoun can refer to more than one antecedent. If you end up
    with a confusing sentence, rewrite the sentence.
    Confusing: Norman saw a coupon in last year’s newspaper, but he can’t find it.
    What is it that Norman can’t find: the coupon or the newspaper?
    Correct: Norman can’t find the coupon he saw in last year’s newspaper.
    ✔Agreement means that sentence parts match.
    ✔Subjects must agree with verbs, and pronouns must agree with antecedents.
    ✔Find the sentence’s subject. Figure out if the subject is singular or plural.
    Select the appropriate verb form to match the form of the subject.




  2. Please read this message!!!
    Join Date
    Always
    Posts
    Many
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    ÌÒÇß Çááå ÎíÑ


  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    16
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default

    thank you
    God bluss you ..


  5. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    13
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default ÑÏ: Subject and verb agreement

    good lesson thank you . i hope you do more


About us
Download language learning and teaching resources such as flashcards, grammar and course books, self study and exam materials, CDs and DVDs for just about any foreign language you want to learn.
Note
None of the files shown here are hosted on this server. The links are for URL which are publicity available on the internet for free, If you notice any page which you think violate your rights, let us know.