Subject-Verb Agreement (1)

​SUBJECT- VERB AGREEMENT (1)

​SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

​(1) A SINGULAR SUBJECT is followed by a SINGULAR VERB

e.g. The boy was excited.

The Internet allows us to stay in touch our loved one.

​(1) A SINGULAR SUBJECT is followed by a SINGULAR VERB

e.g. The boy was excited.

       The Internet allows us to stay in touch with our loved ones.

​(2) A PLURAL SUBJECT is followed by a PLURAL VERB

e.g. The boys were excited.

       Computers allow us to perform complex calculations with ease.

• ​SINGULAR VERBS: is / was / has / VERB + s / es / ies

• PLURAL VERBS: are / were / have / VERB

Multiple Choice

One of the most talented players ___________ chosen to play in the champion game.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

Tom is one of the players who always _________ early for practice.

• arrive

• arrives

​One of the plural noun SINGULAR VERB

e.g. One of the students was punished.

(Only ONE student was punished)

​________ one of the plural noun (that / who / which) PLURAL VERB

e.g. He is one of the students who were punished.

(Many students were punished and he is one of them)

Multiple Choice

Everything you say in the interviews, whether it is true or not, ________ going to be reviewed again once they have their final list of candidates.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Every boy and girl _______ to grow up in a safe environment.

• deserve

• deserves

EVERY / EACH / ANY + NOUN is followed by a SINGULAR VERB

Examples:

(1) Everyone has the potential to achieve great things.

(2) Each one of the students was asked to prepare a presentation.

Multiple Choice

Ten kilometres _________ the distance we have to run this Sunday.

• is

• are

​A (Height / Distance / Weight / Sum of Money / Speed / Time…) + SINGULAR VERB

​Examples:

(1) Ten hours is a long time to spend at a desk.

(2) Fifty thousand dollars is a large sum of money.

Multiple Choice

Genetics ___________ the study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation in living organisms

• are

• is

​SINGULAR VERBS ENDING IN "S":

(1) News

(2) Mathematics

(3) Politics

(4) Economics (经济学)

(5) Physics

(6) Genetics 基因学

(7) Gymnastics (体操)

(8) Measles (麻疹)

(9) Diabetes (糖尿病)

(10) Rabies (狂犬病)

​+ SINGULAR VERB

​e.g. Mathematics is his favourite subject.

Multiple Choice

The police _________ been patrolling the streets all night to ensure the safety and security of the community.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

The rich _________ often criticized for their lavish lifestyles.

• are

• is

​PLURAL SUBJECTS WITHOUT "S":

(1) children

(2) people

(3) police

(4) cattle

(5) the + adj e.g. the rich / the poor /

the needy / the elderly....

e.g. The elderly often suffer from loneliness.

​+ PLURAL VERB

Multiple Choice

The manager with all the members of his staff __________ present at the annual dinner last night.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

Regular exercise as well as a balanced diet _________ essential for maintaining good health.

• is

• are

​AS WELL AS / WITH / TOGETHER WITH / ALONG WITH / LIKE

​In the sentence containing the linker "as well as" / "with" / "together with" / "along with" / "like", the verb agrees with the FIRST subject

e.g. Students together with their teacher create a dynamic

learning experience

Multiple Choice

Neither Tom nor his brothers ___________ shopping.

• likes

• like

Multiple Choice

Neither of the students _______ the answer to the difficult math problem.

• knows

• know

​When the subject is linked with “or”, “nor”, “either…or” or “neither…nor”, the verb agrees with the SECOND subject.

e.g. Neither the batteries nor the machine operates normally.  

A tablet or a few books are great options for passing the time during a long flight or train ride.

But....

Either of (n) /Neither of (n) is always followed by a SINGULAR verb

e.g. Either of the students was punished.

Multiple Choice

Fifty percent of the money __________ been used for food.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

About three quarters of the students _________ Chinese.

• is

• are

​With fractions (分数) (i.e. 1/3, two-thirds…) and percentages (i.e. 60%, thirty percent…), the verb agrees with the noun.

e.g. 70% of the information is incorrect.

70% of the students were present yesterday.

​FRACTIONS AND PERCENTAGES...

Multiple Choice

A number of schools across the country __________ implemented new technology-based teaching methods.

• has

• have

​A NUMBER OF VS. THE NUMBER OF

​“A number of” is followed by a PLURAL noun and a PLURAL verb.

“The number of” is followed by a SINGULAR / PLURAL noun and a SINGULAR verb.

​e.g. A number of students were late just now.

      The number of students who signed up for the class is 20.

Multiple Choice

The increasing popularity of mobile phones _________ led to a decreasing demand for public telephones.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

        The best movie out of all the summer films __________ Transformers.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

Everything, regardless of extremity, intensity, moral integrity, and so on, __________ permitted. 

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

Along the path to the summit ___________ a number of interesting plants.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

New ways of organising the workplace, such as re-engineering and downsizing, _________ only one contribution to the overall productivity of an economy.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

How well the predictions will be validated by later performance ___________ upon reliability and appropriateness of the information used.

• depend

• depends