Transcript sva - easyeverydayenglish

Subject-Verb
Agreement
A verb must agree in number
with its subject.
SING
The phone rate is affordable for
everyone.
PL
The clients are waiting for our decision.
Examples
Customers [calls, call] the company
daily.
He [seeks, seek] for more answers to
this question.
There are tricky rules, but the
bottom line is:
PLURAL
SINGLE SUBJECT
SUBJECT
=
PLURAL
SINGLE VERB
VERB
Exercises
1. The plan (was, were) based on
customer feedback.
2. The team (recognizes, recognize) the
manager’s efforts.
3. Sheila (pays, pay) her bills through
the phone.
Exercises
4. The customers (is, are) aware of the
company’s system updates.
5. If symptoms (persists, persist),
consult your doctor.
6. Keypad locking (helps, help) protect
you computer.
Exercises
7. You (calls, call) for technical support
tonight.
8. They (dials, dial) the toll free number
for customer support.
9. The wild geese (has, have) flown
southward.
The S rule
A plural action verb is always used with a
plural subject.
Most subjects that are plural end in s.
Exceptions: “I” and “you”
Plural verbs DO NOT end in s.
Singular Plural
Nouns
S
S
Verbs
S
S
Rule:
Pronouns ending in –one, -body, and
-thing always take singular verbs.
Examples
Everyone associated with the project [is,
are] proud to be part of the effort.
Somebody [has, have] to be responsible.
Something [is, are] on the table.
WORDS IN BETWEEN
Pretend
they’re
not
there,
then
What if there
are
words
between
choose
a verb.
the subject
and the verb?
The best thing about birthdays [is/are] the
presents.
Rule:
EACH, EVERY, OTHER,
MUCH always take
singular verbs
Examples
Much [has, have] been said about this
new book.
Each child [gets, get] a balloon today.
Tip:
Don’t be confused by phrases that come
between the subject pronoun and its verb —
phrases that may contain plural words.
Example
Each of the project partners [is, are]
responsible for writing a chapter
summary.
Each of the project partners is
responsible for writing a chapter
summary.
However…
EACH takes a plural verb
if it appears after a noun.
Examples
The doctors and nurses each [has,
have] contributed to this program.
The children each [gets, get] a balloon
today.
Rule:
The verb with ALL and SOME will be
determined by whether the word is referring to
something that is COUNTABLE or not.
Examples
Some of the students in the cafeteria
[has, have] voted already.
Some of the grain [was, were] ruined by
the flood.
Rule:
NONE may be considered singular or
plural.
Examples
None of the representatives [has,
have] indicated how he or she will
vote.
None of the representatives [has,
have] indicated how they will vote.
Rule:
With fractions or decimal equivalents,
determine by what is being referred to:
is it COUNTABLE or not?
Examples
Two-fifths of the grain [is, are] ruined.
One-half of the students [was, were]
convinced that there would be no final
exams this year.
Exercises
1. Everything (was, were) perfectly
executed according to plans.
2. Some of the sugar (was, were) used
for Uncle Ned’s coffee.
3. All of the trainees (was, were) not
ready for the exam.
Exercises
4. One-half of the target (was, were)
accomplished.
5. Some things (was, were) meant to be
forgotten.
6. Everybody from the party (is, are)
going to the graduation ball.
Rule:
Two or more subjects joined with “and”
become plural and require a plural verb.
Examples
Globe and Smart [competes, compete]
against each other.
She and Mark [is, are] partners.
However…
when the joined nouns are treated as
one, it will require a singular verb
Examples
My brother and best friend [gives, give]
me excellent advice.
Pork and beans [is, are] popular among
kids.
Note:
Phrases like “together with”,
“accompanied by”, “as well as” and
“along with” are NOT the same as
“and”.
Watch out for determiners like “the”,
“my”, “a” and “an” for they usually
suggest whether joined nouns are
treated as one or otherwise.
Remember
Words in between the subject and the
verb DO NOT change the number of the
subject.
Example
Homer, together with Bart and Lisa,
[munches, munch] on his snacks while
watching television.
Rule:
Either and Neither (without their
sidekicks or and nor) take singular verbs.
Examples
Neither of these choices [appears,
appear] to be satisfactory.
The purchasing office will lend me a
company car or compensate me for
travel expenses. Either [is, are] fine with
me.
Rule:
When either and neither act as
correlative conjunctions, the subject
that is closer to the verb determines the
number of the verb.
Example
Neither
theteachers
principal
the
teachers
EitherHave]
the
ornor
the
principal
[Has,
either the
President
or his
[is,
are]
at fault.
[has,
have]
to touch
be responsible
aides
been
in
with you?for the festival.
Exercises
1. Toyota and Honda [is, are] the
leading manufacturers of cars.
2. Mrs. Cruz, along with James and
Andrew, [is, are] preparing for the
concert.
3. Either Andrew or James [is, are]
going to be the master of
ceremonies.
Exercises
4. Neither [is, are] participating as
performers in the concert.
5. His uncle and my father [is, are]
planning a surprise party for Uncle
Ned.
6. My adviser and friend [is, are] moving
to Chicago next week.
Exercises
7. Mary, together with her children,
(rides, ride) the bus everyday.
8. Emily and Jack (needs, need) five
computers for their presentation.
9. The agents, along with a manager,
(reviews, review) the company
policies.
Exercises
10. His father and sponsor (cuts, cut) the
ribbon.
11.This device, along with its
attachments (has, have) a lot of
features.
12. PLDT, together with its subsidiaries,
(offers, offer) a variety of services.
Exercises
13. My best friend and my sister (reads,
read) four books a week.
14.The officer and my father (executes,
execute) difficult decisions everyday.
15.The computer and the projector (is,
are) ready for your presentation.
Rule:
Sentences that begin with HERE or
THERE place subjects after the verb.
Example
If
There
the
management
[is,looking
are] several
team
explanations
takes
thiswhen
for the
We
were
down
the
street
—
Civil
attitude,
there —
[is,here
are] [comes,
very little
latitude
all ofWar.
a sudden
come]
for
Joe negotiation.
and his two brothers.
Rule:
With “of phrases,” try turning the
sentence “inside-out” to find the right
subject-verb combination.
Example
?
?
?
Connecticut is one of those states that
[have, has] adopted a state income tax.
Turn this around to . . . .
Of those states that [has, have] adopted
a state income tax, Connecticut is one.
Rule:
Titles of films, companies and such
usually take singular verbs.
Example
The Untouchables [was/were] a good
movie.
Lion Films [produces, produce]
quality movies.
Rule:
The expression THE NUMBER takes a
singular verb while A NUMBER takes a
plural verb.
Example
The number of absent trainees [is,
are] small.
A number of trainees [is, are] absent
today.
Exercises
1. There [was, were] many people in
the yard.
2. Of the people who applied for this
position, they [is, are] the chosen
ones.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean [was, were]
shown last year.
Exercises
4. Here [is, are] my contribution for the
project.
5. Out of the millions who auditioned,
Kara, together with eleven others
[was, were] chosen as winner.
6. Dell and IBM [is, are] big companies.
Exercises
7. The number of websites in the list [is,
are] amazingly small.
8. A number of militant groups [is, are]
outside Malacañang.
rewind
agree
A verb must ________________
subject
with its __________.
A plural action verb is always
used with a________________.
plural subject
Plural verbs do not __________.
end in -s
Questions?