GRAMMARIZED ONLINE GAME (SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT)

What part of the following sentence is erroneous? "Economics are a required course for business majors."

• Economics

• are

• required

• business

Answer explanation

The verb "are" is wrong because Economics is an example of a noun that is plural in form but singular in meaning like Mathematics, Physics, and Politics. Thus, it should use the singular verb, "is".

What makes the sentence incorrect? "The number of cars in the parking lot seem to have doubled."

• number

• parking

• seem

• doubled

Answer explanation

The verb "seem" is wrong. When using the expression "The number", always use a singular verb. In the given sentence, the correct verb to use is "seems".

What is the mistake in the sentence: "The book that I borrowed from the library are very interesting."

• The book

• that I borrowed

• from the library

• are very interesting

Answer explanation

The phrase, "are very interesting" is wrong because the verb "are" disagrees with the subject "book" which is singular.

What is erroneous in the given sentence? "Both the dog and the cat loves to play outside."

• dog

• cat

• loves

• play

Answer explanation

The error in the sentence is the verb, "loves" because it is in the singular form which does not match with the plural subjects, "Both cat and dog".

What is wrong in the given sentence? "Each of the team members are responsible for a specific task."

• members

• are

• responsible

• task

Answer explanation

The verb "are" is wrong because the subject in the sentence is "Each" which always requires a singular verb.

What part of the sentence is incorrect? "Fifty dollars in cash were found on the sidewalk."

• Fifty dollars

• in cash

• were found

• on the sidewalk.

Answer explanation

The phrase, "were found" is wrong because when using an amount of money, like "Fifty dollars" or "Three-thousand pesos" as a subject, always use a singular verb.

What's wrong in the sentence? "One of the dogs in the park bark loudly every night."

• One of the dogs

• in the park

• bark loudly

• every night.

Answer explanation

The phrase "bark loudly" is wrong because the subject is only "One of the dogs". When using the phrase, "one of the..." always use the verb with "s".

What makes the sentence incorrect? "The team leader, along with the other employees, have been very busy with the upcoming event."

• The team leader

• along with the other employees

• have been very busy

• with the upcoming event

Answer explanation

The subject in the given sentence is the "team leader", NOT the "other employees" which is part of the intervening words that separate the subject and verb. Therefore the verb "have" in the phrase "have been very busy" is incorrect since it does not agree with the subject, "team leader".

What makes the following sentence incorrect? "Either Sarah or Mark teach the Math class on Mondays."

• Either

• teach

• Math

• Mondays

Answer explanation

When using "either-or, or neither-nor", the verb always agrees with the nearest subject or the subject found AFTER or/nor.

Identify the error in the sentence, "Three-fifths of my work shift are spent cleaning up."

• Three-fifths

• work shift

• are spent

• cleaning up

Answer explanation

When the subject is a fraction and is followed by an "of phrase" like "of my work shift" or "of the cake", the verb agrees with the noun in the of phrase. Thus, the correct verb to be used in the given sentence is "is spent" NOT "are spent".