Subject verb agreement

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ENGLISH ENGLISH COMPREHENSION AND COMPREHENSION AND

COMPOSITONCOMPOSITON

Verb-tenseVerb-tense

Subject-verb agreementSubject-verb agreement

Articles/ determinersArticles/ determiners

Word OrderWord Order

PrepositionPreposition

Course Supervisor: Ayyaz Qadeer

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Subject-Verb Subject-Verb AgreementAgreement

Basic Principle: Basic Principle:

Singular subjects need singular Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs.verbs.

My brother My brother isis a nutritionist. a nutritionist. My sisters My sisters areare mathematicians.mathematicians.

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11 The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one,

nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.verbs.

Everyone Everyone hashas done his or her homework. done his or her homework. Somebody Somebody has lefthas left her purse. her purse. Some of the beads Some of the beads areare missing. missing.

TrickyTricky Some of the water Some of the water isis gone. gone. None of you None of you claimsclaims responsibility for this incident? responsibility for this incident? None of you None of you claimclaim responsibility for this incident? responsibility for this incident? None of the students None of the students have donehave done their homework. (In this last their homework. (In this last

example, the word example, the word theirtheir precludes the use of the singular verb. precludes the use of the singular verb.

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Everyone and everybody Each is always singular and Everyone and everybody Each is always singular and require a singular verb.require a singular verb.

Everyone has finished his or her homework.Everyone has finished his or her homework.

EachEach of the students is responsible for doing his or her of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.work in the library.

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Phrases such as together with, as well as, and Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase along with are not the same as and. The phrase

introduced by as well as or along with will introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not but it does not compoundcompound the subjects (as the the subjects (as the

word and would do).word and would do).

The The mayormayor as well as his brothers is going to as well as his brothers is going to prison. prison.

The The mayor and his brothersmayor and his brothers are going to jail. are going to jail.

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The pronouns neither and either are The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even singular and require singular verbs even

though they seem to be referring, in a though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things.sense, to two things.

Neither of the two traffic lights Neither of the two traffic lights isis working. working. Which shirt do you want for Christmas?Which shirt do you want for Christmas?

Either Either isis fine with me. fine with me.

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The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject closer to the verb when nor or or is used the subject closer to the verb

determines the number of the verb. Whether the determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or after the verb doesn't matter; subject comes before or after the verb doesn't matter;

the proximity determines the number. the proximity determines the number.

Either my father or my brothers Either my father or my brothers areare going to sell the going to sell the house. house.

Neither my brothers nor my father Neither my brothers nor my father isis going to sell the going to sell the house. house.

AreAre either my brothers or my father responsible? either my brothers or my father responsible? IsIs either my father or my brothers responsible? either my father or my brothers responsible?

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The words there and here are never The words there and here are never subjects.subjects.

There There areare two reasons [plural subject] for two reasons [plural subject] for this. this.

There There isis no reason for this. no reason for this. Here Here areare two apples. two apples.

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Verbs in the present tense for third-Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and person, singular subjects (he, she, it and

anything those words can stand for) anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add have s-endings. Other verbs do not add

s-endings.s-endings.

He loveHe lovess and she love and she lovess and they love_ and they love_ and . . . .and . . . .

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Sometimes modifiers will get between a Sometimes modifiers will get between a subject and its verb, but these modifiers subject and its verb, but these modifiers

must not confuse the agreement between must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.the subject and its verb.

The The mayormayor,, who has been convicted along who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, cat, to have several political lives, isis finally finally going to jail.going to jail.

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99 Sometimes nouns take weird forms and Sometimes nouns take weird forms and

can fool us into thinking they're plural when can fool us into thinking they're plural when they're really singular and vice-versa. Words they're really singular and vice-versa. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).which case the word pair becomes the subject).

My glasses were on the bed. My glasses were on the bed. My pants were torn. My pants were torn. A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.

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Some words end in -s and appear to be Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require plural but are really singular and require

singular verbs.singular verbs.

The news from the front is bad. The news from the front is bad. Measles is a dangerous disease for Measles is a dangerous disease for

pregnant women.pregnant women.

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On the other hand, some words ending in On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are -s refer to a single thing but are

nonetheless plural and require a plural nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.verb.

My assets were wiped out in the depression. My assets were wiped out in the depression. The average worker's earnings have gone The average worker's earnings have gone

up dramatically. up dramatically. Our thanks go to the workers who supported Our thanks go to the workers who supported

the union.the union.

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1111Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of,

a majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, a majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. depending on the meaning.

Some of the voters are still angry. Some of the voters are still angry. A large percentage of the older population is voting against her. A large percentage of the older population is voting against her. Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle. Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle. Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire. Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire. Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy. Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy. Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the

policy. policy. Two and two is four. Two and two is four. Four times four divided by two is eight. Four times four divided by two is eight.

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1212If your sentence compounds a positive and a If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other negative subject and one is plural, the other

singular, the verb should agree with the singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.positive subject.

The department members but not the chair The department members but not the chair havehave decideddecided not to teach on Valentine's Day. not to teach on Valentine's Day.

It is not the faculty members but the president who It is not the faculty members but the president who decidesdecides this issue. this issue.

It was the speaker, not his ideas, that It was the speaker, not his ideas, that hashas provokedprovoked the students to riot. the students to riot.

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Quiz Subject-Verb AgreementQuiz Subject-Verb Agreement

The price of these jeans ____ reasonable. (to be)The price of these jeans ____ reasonable. (to be)

The books borrowed from the library ____ on my desk. (to be)The books borrowed from the library ____ on my desk. (to be)

The boy who won the two medals ___ a friend of mine. (to be)The boy who won the two medals ___ a friend of mine. (to be)

Bread and butter ____ our daily food. (to be)Bread and butter ____ our daily food. (to be)

The famous singer and composer ____ arrived. (to have)The famous singer and composer ____ arrived. (to have)

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Collecting match-boxes ___ one of his favourite pastimes. (to Collecting match-boxes ___ one of his favourite pastimes. (to be)be)

The quality of the candies ___ poor. (to be)The quality of the candies ___ poor. (to be)

Neither his father nor his mother ____ mahjong. (to play)Neither his father nor his mother ____ mahjong. (to play)

Neither parent ____ fond of playing mahjong. (to be)Neither parent ____ fond of playing mahjong. (to be)

None of my friends ___ there. (to be)None of my friends ___ there. (to be)

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Many a student ____ made the same mistake. (to have)Many a student ____ made the same mistake. (to have)

Gold, as well as platinum, ____ recently risen in price. (to have)Gold, as well as platinum, ____ recently risen in price. (to have)

The boss, as well as his colleagues, ___ been robbed by the The boss, as well as his colleagues, ___ been robbed by the robber. (to have)robber. (to have)

Ten tons ___ a heavy load. (to be)Ten tons ___ a heavy load. (to be)

Fifty miles ____ a long distance. (to be)Fifty miles ____ a long distance. (to be)

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Thirty years ___ a long time. (to be)Thirty years ___ a long time. (to be)

One of the books ___ been missing. (to have)One of the books ___ been missing. (to have)

The poor ___ suffering. (to be)The poor ___ suffering. (to be) You should decide which one of the three choices You should decide which one of the three choices

A, B, or C best _____ the question. (to answer)A, B, or C best _____ the question. (to answer)

One of the most intelligent students who ____ score full marks One of the most intelligent students who ____ score full marks ____ John. (to score, to be)____ John. (to score, to be)

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One of the most intelligent students who ____ score full marks ____ John. One of the most intelligent students who ____ score full marks ____ John. (to score, to be) (to score, to be)

The only one of these most intelligent students who ___ under 18 ___ The only one of these most intelligent students who ___ under 18 ___ Peter. (to be, to be)Peter. (to be, to be)

The only one of these most intelligent students who ___ under 18 ___ The only one of these most intelligent students who ___ under 18 ___ Peter. (to be, to be)Peter. (to be, to be)

One of these most intelligent students whose example ___ followed ___ One of these most intelligent students whose example ___ followed ___ John. (to be, to be)John. (to be, to be)

One of these most intelligent students whose example ___ followed ___ One of these most intelligent students whose example ___ followed ___ John. (to be, to be)John. (to be, to be)

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GOOD LUCKGOOD LUCK

Education

Subject verb agreement