SUBJECT & VERB AGREEMENT

SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT

A plural subject needs a plural verb and a singular subject needs a singular verb.
1.Subject separated from the Verb:
S + PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE +VERB SINGULAR
Ex: The study of languages is very interesting *Expressions have no effect on the verb: together with along with accompanied with as well as Ex: Mr. Robbins, accompanied by his wife and children, is arriving tonight. 2. Words that always take singular verbs and pronouns:
any + singular noun : Anybody; Anyone; Anything

no + singular noun : Nobody; No one; Nothing

some + singular noun: Somebody; Some one; Something

every + singular noun: Everybody; Everyone; Everything
each + singular noun
either

neither
Ex: If either of you takes a vacation now, we will not be able to finish the work. 3. NONE/NO:
none + of the + non-count noun + singular verb
Ex: None of the counterfeit money has been found.
none + of the + plural count noun + plural verb
Ex: None of the students have finished the exam yet.
No + singular noun / non-count noun + singular verb
Ex: No example is relevant to this case.
No + plural noun + plural verb
Ex: No examples are relevant to this case. 4. EITHER / NEITHER:
neither / either + noun + nor / or + plural noun + plural verb
Ex: Either John or his friends are going to the beach today.
neither / either + noun + nor / or + singular noun + singular verb
Ex: Neither the boys nor Carmen has seen this movie before. 5. GERUNDS AS SUBJECTS:
When a sentence begins with a gerund, the verb must be singular.
Ex: Knowing her has made him what he is. 6. COLLECTIVE NOUNS: (singular nouns that refer to more than one thing as member of a single unit) congress family group committee class organization team army club crowd government jury minority public majority* *Majority can be singular or plural. If it is alone it is usually singular; if it is followed by a plural noun, it is usually plural Ex: The majority believes that we are in no danger The majority of the students believe him to be innocent. The crowd was wild with excitement. ***Groups of certain animals: flock of birds, sheep school of fish herd of cattle pride of lions pack of dogs 7. A NUMBER OF / THE NUMBER OF:
A NUMBER OF + plural noun + plural verb

THE NUMBER OF + plural noun + singular verb
Ex: A number of students are going to the class picnic. ( a number of = many) The number of days in a week is seven 8. NOUNS THAT ARE ALWAYS PLURAL: scissors shorts pants jeans tongs trousers eyeglasses pliers tweezers *** Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs. Ex: - The news from the front is bad. - Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women. 9. THERE IS / THERE ARE:
There is / there was / there has been + singular subject (or non-count)…

There are / there were / there have been + plural subject …
10. Use a SINGULAR VERB with SUMS OF MONEY / TIME / MEASURE / DISTANCE Ex : Twenty dollars is too much to pay for this book. Five years is the maximum sentence for that offence. 11. FRACTIONAL EXPRESSIONS: With words that indicate portions: percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, . . . Look at the NOUN in your of phrase. If the NOUN is SINGULAR, use a SINGULAR VERB. If the NOUN is PLURAL, use a PLURAL VERB. Ex: Some of the voters are still angry. A large percentage of the older population is voting against her. Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire. Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.






EXERCISES:
I. Choose the alternative in brackets to complete the sentence::
1.My parents _____ to buy a car for my brother. (WANT/WANTS) 2. The biggest house on my street _____ five bedrooms. (HAVE/HAS) 3