SASMEC Week 2- Subject-Verb Agreement

SASMEC Week 2- Subject-Verb Agreement

By N MOHD DZAQUAN IMRAN BIN MOHD ALIAS

Recap: Singular verbs

Verb + 's'

Is

Was

Has

Does​

Recap: Plural verbs

Verb (no 's')

Are​

Were

Have

Do

'A number of'

Use plural verbs (no 's', are, were, have, do)

A number of ​students from our university exercise daily.

​There are a number of suggestions on the whiteboard.

A number of students were trapped in their hostel yesterday.

​A number of students have registered for this course.

A number of them do not exercise at all.

​

​

'The number of'

Use singular verbs ('s', is, was, has, does)

The number of road accidents rises during holiday.

​The number of road accidents is rising.

The number of road accidents was high yesterday.

​The number of road accidents has risen.

The number of road accidents does worry me a bit.

​

Multiple Choice

A number of people ________ written about this subject.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

The number of living pandas _______ 1000.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

The number of students ______ bigger every year.

• get

• gets

Multiple Choice

A number of complaints _____ been made about the dirty toilet.

• has

• have

​a lot of, all, all of, most of, some and some of

If used with uncountable nouns- singular verbs

​A lot of water is on the road today, so please be careful.

​Most of money has been stolen yesterday.

Some of your hair blocks the drain. Clean it!​

​

​a lot of, all, all of, most of, some and some of

If used with countable nouns- plural verbs

​A lot of books are published this year.

​Most of the glasses have been moved into the kitchen.

Your boxes block both of my doors. Please move it.

​

Multiple Choice

Most of the water ______ been removed from that house, so don't worry.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

All students ______ going back for the weekend.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Some of the milk ____ spilled on the table. Wipe it up.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

Most of the cars on the road ____ now equipped with the latest safety features.

• is

• are

Indefinite pronouns

​

Use singular verbs for

indefinite pronouns​

​

Indefinite pronouns uses singular verbs

Everybody is waiting for you to be here!

​Each student ​needs to buy a textbook for their next semester.

Somebody has to do something about the leak!​

​

Multiple Choice

Everybody _____ their own problems/

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

Nobody ______ to be lonely.

• want

• wants

Exercise- Action 1

Abstract noun​

Abstract noun

Use singular verbs

His wealth does not affect his spending habit.

Your love has made your children happy​.

​Your idea is great!

Multiple Choice

World peace ____ the dream of many people.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

The truth _____ often unpleasant, but necessary

• is

• are

There + be-verb

Be-verb

Singular: is, was, am

​There is a cat on my bed. I don't have a cat!

There was flood in many parts of Malaysia last year.​​

Plural: are, were​

There are three cats on my bed now. Help!​

Multiple Choice

There ________ love between all family members.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Yesterday, there ______ three cows outside of my gate! I don't know how they got there.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

There _____ no book on that table.

• is

• are

Exercise- Action 2

Adjectives that is also noun

The blind man needs some help to cross the road.

​The sick people need a good rest.​

OR​

​

The blind need help to do many things.

The sick need a good rest.​

The rich and famous often stay at this hotel.​

Adjectives that is also noun

​The blind need help to do many things.

The sick need a good rest.​

The rich and famous often stay at this hotel.​

​

THEY USE PLURAL VERB ​

Multiple Choice

The homeless _____ given donations to help them.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

The unemployed ______ this course to help them securing jobs.

• attend

• attends

Verb + ing as a noun

Running everyday is good for you.

​

Smoking two packs of smoke is dangerous!​

Multiple Choice

Changing your own tyre _____ an important skill to learn.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Changing your own tyre and driving your cars _____ two important skills to learn.

• is

• are

Total of something = singular verbs

Fifteen dollars is the cost of that cake.

Ten hours ​is how much time I need to complete the project.

500 meters is a short distance to jog.​

Multiple Choice

Twenty ____ the total number of students you have in your class.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

RM1000 _____ the cost of that shoes.

• is

• are

Exercise- Action 3 & 4

​Some text here about the topic of discussion.