English Grammar By Regularjobalert.com
Subject -Verb Agreement
- Grandmother was Praying and telling her beads
- The sparrows were not chirping.
In 1 the verb is “Was praying”. But in 2 verb is “were ….chirping. why is it so?
In an English sentences Verb must agree with its subject in number and person. Its form depends on whether the subject is singular or plural in number.it also depends on whether the subject is the first, second or third person. Keeping the subject- verb agreement in view, we choose the correct verb form after the subject.
| subject | verb | Part of the predicate other than the verb |
| I
We/you/they/the students He/she/it/gopal/rani/the teacher The teacher and students The cow Cows, goats and sheep |
Am
Are
Is Are Eats eat |
In the school hall.
Grass. |
If we change the sentences into the past tense, the verb will be was( in place of am and is), were(in place of are), and ate( In place of eats and eat)
- a) Verb used after an introductory there have to agree with the noun (the real subject) coming after them
Example:
There is/was a book on the desk.
There are/were four books on the desk.
b) When its used in the normal subject position to make a statement about time, distance or Weather, the verb is always singular, i.e is or was
Example:
It is/was ten paste twelve
It is/was two miles to the beach
- When a plural number applies to distance, time weight or amounts of money, and represents a single figure or quantity. It is treated as singular and it takes a singular verb.
Example:
Fifty kilometres is a not a long distance in these days of rapid travel.
Sixty years is a long time.
Five rupees is not a big amount
- a) If two nouns joined by and are regarded as a single object or notion, the verb is singular, as ,
Example:
Breads and butter is my favourite breakfast
Truth and honesty is the best policy.
Curry and rice was his favourite food.
b) In the other cases two singular or plural subjects joined by and make the total subject plural which takes a plural verb.
Example:
Gopal and his sister have come.
Two boys and three girls have written their essays.
- a) A collective noun in the singular may take the verb in the singular if the speaker thinks of the things as a singular whole. If the individual member of the collective noun are considered, the collective noun can take a plural verb.
Example:
the jury (i.e the number of the jury) were divided in their opinion.
The jury ( i.e, as one body) has selected its chairman
b) Some nouns like police, people, poultry, cattle etc. take plural verb
Example;
The police have not made any arrests
The people of India are concerned about their spiritual welfare.
The poultry have been ged.
The cattle are grazing in the field.
- The nouns clothing,food, furniture, stationary, cutlery, crockery, jewellery, and scenery usually take singular verb:
Example:
His clothing is very attractive
Food is necessary for living
The furniture needs to be repaired
Stationary is sold In this shop
- If a clause separates the subject from the verb, it is necessary to remember the actual subject-word , and to make the verb agree with it.
Example;
All books which have been placed on that table are mine.
The radio which you gave my children works perfectly
- a) If a subject begin with either of , neither of or none of the followed by a plural noun or pronoun , the verb is usually singular :
Example:
either of the boys has got a prize.
neither of them has come.
None of the students has arrived yet.
b) Each of, one of etc usually take singular verb:
Example:
Each of the students was given a prize.
One of the girls was able to answer the question correctly.
c) If no or some is followed by a singular noun, it takes a singular verb . if it is followed by a plural noun , it takes a plural verb
Example:
No child has done his homework.
No children have done their homework.
Some water is left in the pot.
Some girls have gone on a picnic.
d) When and connects two tiles or designations of the same person, the verb is singular. If the persons referred to are different, the verb is plural.
Example:
The vice-president of India and chairman of rajya sabha has given his consent to the bill.
The vice-president of India and the chancellor of the university were invited to the convocation.
- If the subject begin with a fraction , the verb agrees with the noun that follows the fraction.
Example:
Two-third of the acid has evaporated.
Two-third of the apples are rotten.
- a) If the subject begin with a good deal of, a great deal of, a lot of, plenty of, most of , some of etc. the verb agrees with the noun that follows such phrases:
Example:
A lot of people were present at the meeting.
A lot of money was spent on buying clothes for the marriage ceremony.
Some of the students were intelligent.
Some of the music was excellent.
- b) Phrases beginning with “A congregation of , a crowd of , a flock of , a group of ,a herd of and a agreement of ,usually take a singular verb in spite of the fact that the noun after “of “ is plural.
Example:
A crowd of people was shouting slogans.
A herd of elephants was seen in the jungle.
A group of smuggler was arrested yesterday.
- c) A number of followed by a plural noun takes a plural verb. But the number of in a similar situation takes singular verb as the real subject is the number.
Example:
A number of children are suffering from cold.
A number of the sick children is increase.
- Statistics, mathematics , physics, economics, news, measles, mumps, advice, information, jewellery, , scenery etc are uncountable noun . they takes singular verb:
Example:
Physics is my favourite subjects
Measles is an infection disease.
The news was bad.
No information is available now.
- If the subject of a sentence is a clause , the verb is singular:
Example:
That she I alive is good news.
What he does these days does not concern me.
- a) If two words are linked in the subject with help of connectives like with , as well as , in addition to , together with etc. the verb agrees with the first word.
Example:
The teacher with all her students has come.
Rabi as well as his friends is responsible fot the loss.
Population growth in addition to many other problem has badly affected India growth.
This new fact together with the other pieces of evidence , proves the prisoner innocence .
- b) When the word in the subject are connected by “ not only … but also .. or neither …nor or either … or and they differ in number and person , the verb agrees with the nearest subject.
Example:
Not only the boy but also his friends are equally guilty.
The boy or his friends have to repaired the broken chair.
Neither the old man nor his sons are prepared to sell their old house.
Either you or he has created this problem.
- Some nouns are made up of two similar part in the pair like scissors , trousers, spectacles, etc. these words are treated as plural subjects and they require plural verb. Nut a pair of scissors , a a pair of trouser etc , take singular verb.
Example:
The scissors are old.
My trouser have been cleaned.
A pair of shoes was lying in the corner.
- When a adjective is used as a noun representing a class, it takes a plural verb|:
Example:
The rich have a lot of responsibility toward the poor.
The blind need escorts to cross a road.
- When a plural noun is a proper name for some single object or for some collective unit, it required a singular verbs as,
Example:
Gulliver`s travel was written by Jonathan swift.
The united states is a powerful country.
- The verb in a relative clauses is singular or plural depending on the number and person of the antecedent of the relative pronoun:
Example:
It is you who have wronged me.
It is you who has torn my book.