Common Errors- Subject and Verb Agreement-2

Subject- Verb Agreement

​Rules:

​1.A singular subject takes a Singular verb whereas a Plural Subject takes a plural verb

Ex:​ Peter likes vegetables.

Basketballs roll across the floor.​

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2. ​Subject and verb must agree in number.​

Ex: The dog growls when he is angry.

The dogs growl when ​thay are angry.

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​Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

Standing in the water ___ a bad idea.

• is

• are

​Rule 3

​When there are two or more subjects in a sentence, joined by 'And' use a plural verb.

Ex:​

• Billy and Jake are going to the movies.

• ​Doraemon and Nobita were good friends.

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​Rule 4

When two or more subjects are separated by 'And', but refer to the same person or thing as a whole, use a singular verb.

Ex:

• Red beans and Rice is my mom's favourite dish.

• The creator and Producer is arriving soon.

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Fill in the Blank

Ramesh and Abhishek----------------- absent in the class yesterday.

Fill in the Blank

Sugar and flour------------- needed for the recipe.

Fish and Chips------- my favourite meal.

Multiple Choice

The flock ____flying south.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

The majority -------- most of the time

• rule

• rules

​Rule 5

The verb in an either-or/neither-nor sentence should agree with the noun/pronoun closest to it. ​

Ex:

• Neither the bears nor the lion has escaped the zoo.​

• Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped the zoo.

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​Rule 6

​A collective noun, such as "team" or "staff," can be either singular or plural depending upon the rest of the sentence. Typically, they take the singular form, as the collective noun is treated as a cohesive single unit.

​Ex:

• The herd is stampeding.

• The flock is flying south.

​Rule:6

Indefinite pronouns stand in for nouns that are unknown, unclear or uncountable.​

​

Singular Indefinite Pronoun:​ each,anybody,nothing,everyone,anybody

a)When indefinite pronouns replace singular nouns, they require singular verbs.​

• Something feels very wrong here.

• Everybody enjoys a good book.

​

Plural Indefinite Pronoun:​ few,several,some,most​

​b)When indefinite pronouns replace plural nouns, they require plural verbs.​

• Many went to the beach and got sunburned.

• Both are qualified for the job

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Multiple Choice

Either my mother or my father _____ coming to the meeting.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

One of my sisters _____ going on a trip to France.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Aron, together with his wife ____ the guests of the party.

• greet

• greets

Multiple Choice

Several of us____to stay in town for a few days after the conference to do some sightseeing

• plan

• plans

Multiple Choice

Everyone____to attend the class.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

Few ____ left alive after the flood.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

Ten minutes ____ enough time to get there.

• is

• are

Rule:7

Some nouns such as gloves,spectacles,trousers,scissors exist only in plural form and hence they take a plural verb.​

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Rule:8​

Some nouns such as news, physics, gymnastics, aerobics, measles, and headquarters that end in ‘s’ seem to be plural but are actually singular, and hence they take singular verbs.​

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Rule:9

Uncountable nouns usually take singular noun. Ex: hair, milk, butter, honey.

Distances, periods of time, sums of money etc. take singular verbs when considered as a unit.​

Two liters of milk easily fills this container.​

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