Transcript AGREEMENT
• All verbs except the modal verbs agree in number with their subjects. • E.g. I play football • He plays football. • When the subject is qualified by a phrase or a clause, the verb agrees in person and number with its subject, and not with the noun in the phrase or clause. • E.g. The man who won two medals is a friend of my mine. • If the two subjects are joined by or, either… or , neither… nor and not only… but also, the verb agrees with the second subject. • E.g. Not only the driver but also two of the passengers were injured in the accident. • If two subject are joined by with, as well as, including, like, and not, accompanied by, rather than, etc., the verb agrees with the first subject. • The driver, as well as two of the passengers, was injured in the accident. • The noun people, police, public, etc take a plural verb. • E.g. The public have been warned of the danger of explosion. • After many a/more than one +singular noun structure, the verb is singular. • E.g.. Many a celebrity was present at the ceremony. • The verb in a relative clause agrees with what who, which or that refers to. • He is one of the cleverest boys that have graduated from the college. • He is the only one of my friends that has joined the police force. • The + adjective represents a class of people. It is always plural. • E.g. The poor are in need of our help. movie Ebony & Ivory Ebony and Ivory Live together in perfect harmony Side by side on my piano keyboard Oh Lord, why don’t we? We all know That people are the same Wherever you go There is good and bad in everyone We learn to live….. Exercise • One of my friends (be) admitted to hospital yesterday. • All the information (have) been closely examined and analysed. • Neither of them (know) her address. You’d better ask someone else. • The club has an excellent library of books which (be) available for members to borrow. • More than one tenant of that building (have) been robbed. • Mr. Lee, as well as his two sons, (be) a soccer fan. ANSWERS • One of my friends was admitted to hospital yesterday. • All the information has been closely examined and analysed. • Neither of them knows her address. You’d better ask someone else. • The club has an excellent library of books which are available for members to borrow. • More than one tenant of that building has been robbed. • Mr. Lee, as well as his two sons, is a soccer fan. Web site : http://www.edunet.com/english/grammar/