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Self
Study
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Rules
for Subject-verb Agreement
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When the following
words are used as subjects, they are always singular.
Some of these words are plural in meaning,
but they are always require singular verbs.
everyone
someone
anyone no
one each
everybody somebody
anybody nobody
either
everything something
anything nothing
neither
Everyone is here
S V
Neither of these books is very new.
S
V |
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When
each or every comes before
singular subjects joined by and, a singular verb
is required.
Every man and woman
is eligible to vote.
S
S V
Each student and teacher
has a locker.
S
S V
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Introductory
it is singular and always followed by a singular
verb.
It was
the dogs which awakened me.
S V
It is
his grades that worry him.
S V
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Click
here for Quiz 1
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Words
that come between a subject and its verb do not change
the number of the subject. Prepositional phrases often
have this position.
The man together with
his ten children is leaving soon.
S
V
in addition
to
along with
as well as
Everyone except him has a
book.
S
V
One of the most enjoyable parties was
given by Tien.
S
V
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There,
here, and where as are never subjects. When a sentence
begins with one of these words, the subject comes
after the verbs.
There are no dogs in the
neighborhood.
V
S
Here are the results of the
experiments.
V
S
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Click
here for Quiz 2
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Subjects
joined by and or both
... and ... take a plural verb.
A
red Honda and a blue Ford are
parked outside.
S
S
V
Both
tigers and lions are becoming extinct.
S
S
V
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Several,
many, both, few are plural words and always
take plural verb.
Both
are going to attend the University
of Texas.
S V
Only
a few have passed
the exam.
S
V
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Some
nouns are always plural in form and always take plural
verbs.
clothes : trousers, pants, jeans, sunglasses
tools : scissors, pliers,
tweezers
abstract: riches, thanks, means
However, some of them are followed by a singular verb
when used in expressions such as a pair of
....., a word of......
His pants
are still at the cleaners. but;
That pair of pants is dirty.
S
V
S
V
Your thanks
are enough for me. but; A word
of thanks is enough.
S
V
S
V
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Click
here for Quiz 3
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When subjects are joined by the following structures,
the verbs must agree with the closer subject.
Neither the students nor
the teacher is allowed
to smoke.
S
S
V
Either the teacher or
the students have
your books.
S
S
V
Not only the nurses but
also the doctor is
coming soon.
S
S
V
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Many words may be singular or plural depending on what
they refer to: None, all, some, any, majority, most,
half. etc. When these words are fallowed by a
prepositional phrase, the number of the object of the
preposition will determine whether the words are
singular or plural.
All of the book has
been destroyed.
S
V
All of the books have
been thrown away.
S
V
All of the money is in
the bank.
S
V
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The expression a number of is plural,
and the number of is singular.
A number of students were
missing from class.
S
V
The number of conversation students is
small.
S
V
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Click
here for Quiz 4
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Expression stating one amount of time, money,
weight, volume etc. are plural in form but take singular
verb.
Two weeks is enough
time for a nice vacation.
S
V
Five hundred dollars is
required as a down payment.
S
V
Twenty gallons of gasoline costs
a lot of money.
S
V
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Some words are always plural in form but singular in
meaning. These words require singular verbs.
academic subjects: mathematics, physics,
economics, statistics, civics ....
disease: measles, mumps, herpes .....
abstract nouns: news, ethics, politics
.....
Mathematics is a
difficult subject.
S
V
The news was very
good.
S V
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Titles of books and movies, even if plural in form,
take singular verbs.
The New York Times is
a good newspaper.
S
V
Star Wars was
a good movie
S
V
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Click
here for Quiz 5
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Collective nouns are usually singular, but may be
plural if the members are functioning independently.
Watch the pronouns for clues to the singular or plural
nature of the subject. Some of these words are class,
team, police, committee, audience, family, faculty,
etc
That class has
its final test on Friday.
S V
The class are working
on their individual projects today.
S
V
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Some nouns use the same form for both singular and
plural meanings. The pronouns and modifiers with these
words will indicate whether they are singular or
plural in meaning.
That species is
rare.
Those species are common.
S
V
S
V
That dear is
young.
Those dear are old.
S
V
S V
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Click
here for Quiz 6
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Nouns for nationality that end with -ese, -ch,
or -sh may be singular or plural depending on
their meaning. Some of these words are, Chinese,
French, English, etc. When the word refers to a
language, it takes a singular verb. When the word
refers to the people of the country, it takes
plural verb and is preceded by the article the.
French is a
Romance
language.
The French are
romantic.
S
V
S
V
English is spoken
in
Australia.
The English love
tea.
S
V
S
V
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English has borrowed words from other languages. Some
of these words have unusual singular and plural forms.
origin
singular
plural singular (plural)
examples
Greek
-is
-es
basis (bases), crisis (crises)
-on
-a
criterion (criteria), phenomenon (phenomena)
Latin
(m)
-us
-i
radius (radii), alumnus (alumni)
(f)
-a
-ae
alga (algae), vita (vitae)
(n)
-um
-a
datum (data), medium (media)
-ix/-ex
-ices index (indicies),
appendix (appendicies)
The algae in the pool are
hard to remove.
S
V
The radius of the circle is
two inches.
S
V
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Click
here for Quiz 7
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Test
your understanding of S-V agreement 1
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Test
your understanding of S-V agreement 2
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Test
your understanding of S-V agreement 3
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