Subject Verb Agreement
Subject Verb Agreement
Subject Verb Agreement
rb Agreement. Subject Number Person Verb Subject Singular Verb Singular Subject Plural Verb Plural
Gold and silver are precious metals. Reena and Tonni are there.
Exception:
Singular
The president and Headmaster is ----(refers to same person) The president and the Headmaster are ---(refers to two different person)
Time and tide waits for none. The horse and carriage is at the door.
And Subject Each Every Verb Singular Every boy and girl has been given a price. Each boy and each girl was present.
Subject each, every, either, neither, many a verb singular Many a little makes a mickle. Each of the things is found in India Or, Nor, Either ..... or, Neither .... nor subject verb subject subject verb Either nook or corner was left unexplored. Neither he nor I was there. He or his brothers have done this. Neither the boy nor his parents were present. Either he or I am to go.
sentence.
A. Fame as well as fortune were his goals in life B. Fame as well as fortune was his goals in life C. Fame also fortune were his goals in life D. Fame and fortune were his goals in life
The verb agrees with subject in(B Unit 1998 - 1999) A. He as well as his two brothers are skillful divers.
B. He as well his two brothers were skillful divers. C. He as well as his two brothers have been skillful divers D. He as well as his two brothers is a skillful diver
Knowing the robbers has caused his death. To tell a lie is a great sin.
Clause Verb Subject Verb Singular Why he created all these problems is still unknown. Collective Noun : Singular Verb congress army group committee corporation firm class company government jury crowd council
The committee are violently debating the merits of the proposed system. The class are arguing with one another. The Jury were divided in their opinions but finally it has returned ...........
Indefinite Pronoun Singular Verb Receive Subject anyone someone no one everyone anybody somebody nobody everybody anything something nothing everything
Anyone is eligible to apply for the position. Someone is going to suffer for this.
A number of / The number of A number of The number of Noun Plural Subject A number of Verb Plural The number of Verb Singular
A number of + plural noun + plural verb The number of + plural noun + singular
A number of students are going to the class The number of days in a week is seven.
Here /There: Here There Sentence Verb Noun Pronoun Verb Here There Sentence Sentence Subject There/Here is + Singular Subject There/Here are + Plural Subject
No students are present here today. No boy is individually responsible. No news is good now a days.
None , None of Plural Noun Verb Plural Uncountable Noun Verb Singular None + of the + non count. noun + singular verb
Many are called but few are chosen. Several people are unable to attend; the others are all coming.
All, Any, More, Some, Most -- Word Uncountable Noun Verb Singular Plural Noun Verb Plural Some of the firm's capital is being earmarked for expansion Some of the employees have returned to work. Fraction Percentage Subject Verb Three-fifths of the people have arrived. Sixty percent of our quotas has been met.
Time, Distance, Weight, Money, Length- quantity singular verb receive Four months is a long time between the letters. Five hundred dollars is a reasonable amount. , , Newspaper Magazine Plural Form Verb Singular The United States has a big fleet. Business Letters is a fine book. Better Homes and Gardens offers helpful redecorating ideas.
Singular Verb Company Name Plural Form Merrill Lunch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith is one of the best known brokerage houses. Proctor & Gamble is a multinational company. dozen, pair, sheep deer Word Plural Noun Verb Plural Singular Noun Verb Singular Twelve dozen do not cost more. One of Relative Pronoun Verb Mr. Kamal is one of those people who are conscientious in following directions. word (dues, earnings, wages) plural. plural verb receive Cub Scout dues are collected every month. My earnings are inadequate to meet my expenses.
Exercise: Choose the correct option 1. The first bridge to be built with electric lights (was/were) the Brooklyn Bridge. 2. Ethics (is/are) the study of moral duties, principles, and values. 3. There (is/are) two types of calculus, differential and integral. 4. George Gershwin, together with his brother Ira, (was/were) the creator of the first musical comedy to win the Pulitzer prize. 5. In a chess game, the player with the white pieces always (moves/move) first. 6. The Earth and Pluto (is/are) the only two planets believed to have a single moon. 7. A number of special conditions (is/are) necessary for the formation of a geyser. 8. Each of the Ice Ages (was/were) more than a million years long. 9. The battery, along with the alternator and starter, (makes/make) up the electrical system of a car. 10. Teeth (is/are) covered with a hard substance called enamel. 11. The more-or-less rhythmic succession of economic booms and busts (is/are) referred to as the business cycle. 12. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom (varies/very/vary) from element to element. 13. All trees, except for the tree fern, (is/are) seedbearing plants. 14. Fifteen hundred dollars a year (was/were) the per capital income in the United States in 1950. 15. Everyone who (goes/go) into the woods should recognize common poisonous plants such as poison ivy and poison oak.
-Verb agreement:
1. Nondurable goods for immediate use and are often less expensive than durable goods. A. is intended B. are intended C. intent D. intends 2. There photographs and graphs in this book that meet the needs of instructions in introductory courses. A. is many B. are many C. many D. many more 3. Flower experts three main classes of cultivated roses. A. recognition B. they recognize C. recognize D. recognizes 4. Each of the displayed antique garments of praise and admiration. A. worthy B. worth C. are worthy D. is worthy 5. Almost all vegetarian diets contain fewer calories than diets that meat. A. it includes B. they include C. include D. including 6. When the winter palace caught on fire, all of its library A. were destroyed B. destroyed C. was destroyed D. it destroyed 7. Syndicated news than news from independent agents. A. are cheaper and faster B. is cheaper and faster C. are cheap and fast D. is cheap and fast 8. None of the departments in the university advance the students, reading skills. A. it set out to B. setting out C. set out to D. they set out to 9. Cold pressing less oil from a plant than do other processes.
A. removes B. removing C. it removes D. they remove 10. While reporters listen to a communication, the points the speaker is making. A. evaluate B. the evaluation C. he evaluates D. they evaluate Answer Keys: 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. d 5. c 6. c 7. b 8. c 9. a 10. d
When a pronoun is used in place of a noun, the noun that it replaced is called the antecedent of that pronoun.
Jack and Jackey are on their way up the hill. Rony and his wife deserve whatever awards they receive. But you should also remember the exception. The treasurer and secretary submitted his reports. The treasurer and the secretary submitted their reports.
Neither the manager nor the players gave freely of their time.
by each, either,
The class had its picture taken. The Jury brought in their split verdict.
A. they have reached a decision B. has formulated themselves some opinions C. took their decision D. its decision was reached at E. it has reached a decision
E. for their members. Any Proper nouns such as company names or language name are generally considered as singular. So they require singular pronouns as well as singular verb fir grammatical correctness.
space in the
So, too, and also have the same meaning but so is used before auxiliary verbs and too and also are used after auxiliary verbs.
follows. affirmative statement (be)+and + subject +verb (be)+too so + verb (be) + subject
When a compound verb (auxiliary + verb), for example:will go, should do, has done, have written, must examine, etc, occurs in the main clause, the auxiliary of the main verb is used in the simple statement, and the subject and verb must agree. affirmative statement + and + subject + auxiliary only + too so +auxiliary only + subject
They will work in the lab tomorrow, and you will too. They will work in the lab tomorrow, and so will you.
Jane goes to that school, and my sister does too. Jane goes to that school, and so does my sister.
hardships, and also the children. D. Pioneer men and women endured terrible hardships, and so did their children.
Either and Neither have same meaning but their placement are different .Neither is used before auxiliary and either is used after auxiliary verbs and not.
neither positive auxiliary or be subject subject negative auxiliary or be either She won't be going to the conference, and her colleagues won't either. She won't be going to the conference, and neither will her colleagues.
A. neither they do B. either they dont C. either dont they D. none of the above
In the parts of speech section, you have successfully identified different parts of speech. That concept will help you more to identify different phrases and clauses. The clues for identifying different parts of speech and phrases or clauses are all the same. So you should try to understand this, AFFIRMATIVE AGREEMENT IDENTIFICATION OF PHRASE AND CLAUSE NEGATIVE AGREEMENT although it is not very much important for your admission test. Noun phrase:- If a phrase is used as the subject or object of a verb it is noun phrase.
B. Adverbial phrase C. Adjectival phrase D. Prepositional phrase Adverb phrase:- When a phrase is used to qualify the verb, it is then adverb phrase.
The man who came here is poor. I saw the ring which was lost.
- When any clause is used to qualify a verb, it is then the adverb clause.
He could not come because he was ill. He was riding when I saw him.
The elements of a sentence that are alike in function should be alike in form.
Not parallel: Jami is rich, handsome, and many people like him.
Parallel: Jami is rich, handsome and popular.
Not parallel: Ashraf entered the room. sat down and is opening his book.
Parallel : Ashraf entered the room, sat down and opened his book. Many parallel elements are linked by a co-ordinating conjunction (and, or, but) Or by correlatives [both---and, eitheror, neither---nor, not only--- but also, etc]. In the following examples, verbals used as subjects and complements are parallel in form.
--------, gorgeous colors, and pleasant fragrance. A. attractively shaped B. attractive, shapely C. shaped attractively D. attractive shapes 2. Customs influence -------and how they prepare, serve, and eat foods. A. people eat that B. people eat it C. what people eat D. what do people eat 3. Students of economics take courses in such related fields as history, political science, and . A. statistical B. statistics C. statistic D. statistician 4. To bake fish, ------------ butter and place it in a generously greased rectangular pan. A. it brushes with B. with its brushes C. brushing it with D. brush it with 5. Free electrons are not tightly bound to their atoms and ------ from one to another. A. can move easy B. can easily move C. can move more easily D. easy move 6. If you are seated when a newcomer enters the room, stand up to be greeted or --------. A. introduces himself B. introduce C. introduction D. to be introduced 7. Good manners should always govern the way people --------. A. driving and parking B. drive and park C. to drive and to park D. driven and parked 8. Classical ballet dancers perform their movements with an bearing. A. openly and directly B. openness and direction C. open and direct D. opening and directly 9. The brain centers of ------- and hearing enable a person to understand written and spoken language. A. vision B. visual C. the vision D. a visual 10. The D Aulaires were the --------- team who wrote
and illustrated childrens books. A. husband and wife B. husband and a wife C. husband and the wife D. husbands and wife. Answer Keys: 1. d 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. b 6. d 7. b 8. c 9. a 10. a
( ) (Conditional Sentence) (Real Condition) (Unreal Condition ) (Real Condition) ( Unreal Condition ) ( ) ( ) Real Conditions In the real condition, those types of sentences come which can be possible in some extent. The verb in the If-clause is in the present tense, and the verb in the main clause is in the future simple. It doesnt matter which comes first.
If he runs he will get there in time. He will get there in time if he runs.
This type of sentence implies that the action in the if clause is quite probable.
complement +modifier, + subject + verb (present indefinite) + complement + modifier. He goes to market everyday if he does not go to the university. John usually walks to school if he has enough time.
E. go up probably
space.
If forests are destroyed, wild animals their natural habitation. A. loses B. will have lost C. will lose D. lost
If he has time, he
(D Unit 1996-1997)
us next Friday.
Unreal Conditions These types of sentences are those which cannot be true. These only express the wish of a man that is not real actually.
never be 'was'.
If I were you, I wouldn't do that.
If I had known that you were coming, I would have met you at the airport. (But I didnt know, so I didnt
come)
modifier, + subject + would have/could have/might have+ verb (past participle) + complement + modifier If I had had the time, I would have gone to market yesterday. If he had been here yesterday, I could have told you. Had I had the time, I would have gone to market yesterday. Had he been here yesterday, I would have told you.
If he hadn't
quickly. (D Unit 2002-2003) A. didn't fall B. hadn't fallen C. wouldn't fall D. wouldn't have fallen
him. (B Unit 1996-1997) A. had gone B. will have gone C. has gone D. would have gone
happy.
Present wish: I wish I were rich. Past unreal condition: If you had been here last night, we
As if / As though In case of unreal conditions, as though and as if are two commonly used conjunctions. The verb which follows these conjunctions must be in the past tense or past perfect. Subject + verb (present) + as if /as though + subject + verb (past) Pamela walks as if she were a super model He talks as though he won the first prize. He speaks as if he were a minister. She walks as though she studied modeling Subject + verb (past) + as if as though + subject + verb (past perfect) Runa looked as if she had seen a ghost. (She didn't see a ghost) Pamela walked as if she had been a super model. He talked as though he had won the first prize.
A case is the relation of a noun or a pronoun to other words in a sentence, or the form which shows such a relation. There are three principal cases in English:(1) Nominative case. (2) Objective case. (3) Possessive case. Case in apposition: When two nouns are used together to denote the same person or thing, the second is said to be in apposition with
the first.
Rabindranaths stories The stories of Rabindranath The leg of the table [Not the tables l eg]
formed by adding s to the noun.
Boys school.
end in s, the
Childrens classic
The subjunctive in English is the simple form of the verb when used after certain verbs indicating that one person wants another person to do something. advise demand insist propose prefer require suggest request ask recommend command urge order decree
That party was very exciting, it lasted until two a.m. It is raining today, I need a raincoat.
This is a comma splice error and it can be corrected by making two sentences instead of one:
That party was very exciting and lasted until two a.m
Or with proper subordination this error could be corrected. The second example above could be corrected:
Since it is raining today, I need a raincoat. It is raining today, so I need a raincoat, Since Afzal was talking during the entire class, making it impossible for anyone to concentrate.
The length of the fragment should not mislead one. Sentence must have a main clause before it can be a complete sentence. This sentence could be corrected.
Since Afzal was talking during the entire class, making it impossible for anyone to concentrate the teacher made him stay after school
Modal verbs are used as the auxiliary verbs. But there are some distinct difference between modal verbs and auxiliary verbs. The following characteristics of modals will go a long way to distinguish between modal and auxiliary verbs. 1. The modal auxiliary verbs require no-s/es in the third person singular number.
A recommendation,
It should rain tomorrow. (I expect it to rain tomorrow.) My check should arrive next week. (I expect it to arrive next week.) NOTE: The expressions had better, ought to, and be
supposed to generally mean the same as should in either of the two definitions. subject had better should ought to be supposed to +[verb in simple form] ..
John should study tonight. John had better study tonight John ought to study tonight. John is supposed to study tonight.
Used to In this usage, the expression used to means the same as would. Used to is always in this form, it can NEVER be use to. Also, there are two grammar rules for used to. Notice the difference in meaning as well as in grammar. subject + used to + [verb in simple form] ...
John is used to swimming every day. (He is accustomed to swimming every day.) John got used to swimming every day. (He became accustomed to swimming every day.)
Would rather
John would rather drink Coca-Cola than orange juice. John prefers drinking Coca-Cola to drinking orange juice. John prefers Coca-Cola to orange juice. NOTE: Would rather is followed by than when
two things are mentioned, but prefer is followed by to.
John would rather not go to class tomorrow. John would rather not have gone to class yesterday.
Complete obligation:
should. With should the person has some choice on whether or not to act, but with must the person has no choice.
One must endorse a check before one cashes it. George must call his insurance agent today.
John's lights are out. He must be asleep. (We assume that John is asleep because the lights are out.) The grass is wet. It must be raining. (We assume that it is raining because the grass is wet.)
Have to This pseudo-modal means the same as must (meaning complete obligation).
George has to call his insurance agent today. A pharmacist has to keep a record of the prescriptions that are filled.
Sujana had to call her insurance agent yesterday. Mrs. Kamal had to pass an examination before she could practice law.
Should + Perfective
John should have gone to the post office this morning. (He did not go to the post office.) Maria shouldn't have called John last night. (She did call him.)
( )