Transcript Basics of Subject

Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-Verb Agreement
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Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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Singular Verbs
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Agreement with One of
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Agreement with There in the Subject
Position
May2011
Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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Present simple tense
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Verb +-s/-es with a third person singular
(it, he, she) subject:
The PDA plans his schedule for him.
The student hopes she will do well in the exam.
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Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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Do not use -s/-es with:
first person singular (I):
I plan to do my PhD after 2 years of work.
second person singular and plural (you)
third person plural (they):
The team try hard to meet their deadlines.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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Auxiliary verbs (be/do/have) must agree
with their subjects.
Singular: is/was/does/has
Plural: are/were/do/have
Does the university accept mature students?
The administrators have informed all the staff
about the new policy.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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A compound subject (more than one
subject) takes a plural verb.
The engineer and the architect work on the
different aspects of the building.
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Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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The verb must agree with the head word
of a noun phrase or clause.
The assistant assigned to this job has received a raise.
The assistants assigned to this job have received a raise.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Basics of Subject-Verb Agreement
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The modal auxiliaries do not have an -s
or –(e)d form.
The programme may work.
The programme may works. X
The programmers cannot ascertain the damage.
The programmers cannot ascertained the
damage. X
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Singular Subject
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Use the singular verb for collective nouns
when they refer to a group of people.
For example:
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Singular Subject
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Use singular verbs for uncountable nouns.
The information is updated every hour.
The equipment has just arrived.
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Singular Subject
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Use the singular verb for certain
uncountable nouns ending with –s as they
are singular in nature.
Physics/Economics/ Statistics is my favourite subject.
News about the country is currently unavailable
because of the communication breakdown.
Politics is a popular subject.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Singular Subject
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Use the singular verb for gerunds that
function as nouns.
Driving requires focus and quick reflexes.
Studying for exams is tedious but rewarding.
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Singular Subject
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Use the singular verb with subject clauses
beginning with what.
What the experts have said has proven to be true.
What he is currently studying applies to the field
of bioengineering.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Singular Subject
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When the subject is joined by
either…or
/
neither…nor,
use the verb form that agrees with the
closest noun.
Either the manager or the team members are
present.
Neither he nor I am aware of the changes.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Singular Subject
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Use the singular or plural verb depending
on the noun used with the quantifying
words or phrases.
All of the students have been working on the project.
All of the money has been invested in a foreign bank.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Agreement with One of ..
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The noun phrase “one of” is used with a
plural noun. However, the subject is
singular and takes a singular verb.
One of my partners has not arrived.
One of the examples given does not show the
steps clearly.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Agreement with There in Subject
Position

When the subject begins with There, the
verb agrees with the following noun.
There are some students who haven’t finished.
There is news of the latest cure for cancer.
(Uncountable nouns are singular).
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Sources
Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An
Editing Guide (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle and Heinle
Publishers.
Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic
English (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education,
184-194.
Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide for
Student Writers (3rd ed.). New York: Cambridge
University Press, 90-97.
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