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Objective10:UseSingularVerbswithSingularSubjects,PluralVerbswithPluralSubjects
WHATISAGREEMENT?
Whenwordsagree,theyarethesamenumber .Thismeansthatsingularsubjectsmusthavesingularverbsandplural
subjectsmusthavepluralverbs.Singularmeansonepluralmeansmorethanone.
Singular:Thefarmerplantscorn.
Thesubject,farmer,issingulartherefore,theverb,plants,issingular.
Plural:Thefarmersplantcorn.
Thesubject,farmers,ispluraltherefore,theverb,plant,isplural.
CHOOSINGBETWEENSINGULARANDPLURALVERBS
Ifyouwanttofindoutwhethertouseasingularorapluralverb,firstdecidewhetheryoursubjectissingularorplural.
Mostpluralnounsendinsores.
Singular:horsedress
Plural:horsesdresses
Withsingularnouns,useverbsthatendinsores.Otherwise,usethesimpleformoftheverb.
Singular:Thehorserunsthroughthefield.
Plural:Horsesrunthroughthefield.
PRACTICECHOOSINGBETWEENSINGULARANDPLURALVERBS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Studentsisrequiredtobringtheirbookstoclass.
are
is
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhastwohighlightedverbs.Selectthecorrectformsoftheverbsfromthelistand
clickontheirnumber.
Thechildrendrawswaterfromthewelland carriesithome.
draw,carry
draws,carries
draw,carries
draws,carry
THIRDPERSONSINGULARPRONOUNS
Useverbsthatendinsoreswhenusingpronounsinthethirdpersonsingular.Theseare:he,she,it,one.
Otherwise,usethebasicformoftheverb.
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PRACTICEWORKINGWITHTHIRDPERSONSINGULARS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Whenevertheywatchacomedy ,theylaughsatallthewrongtimes.
laugh
laughs
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhastwohighlightedverbs.Selectthecorrectformsoftheverbsfromthelistand
clickontheirnumber.
WeusuallyeatsoutonFridays,butthisweekIhasmadeotherplans.
eat,have
eat,has
eats,have
COMPOUNDSUBJECTS
Useapluralverbwithsubjectsjoinedbyand.Subjectsjoinedbyandarecalledcompoundsubjectstheyalwaystake
pluralverbs.
ArnieandCarrieeat[noteats]seaweedstew.
Ajudgeandalawyerweresued[notwassued]forlibel.
PRACTICEWORKINGWITHCOMPOUNDSUBJECTS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
KoreaandThailand isinAsia.
are
is
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhastwohighlightedverbs.Selectthecorrectformsoftheverbsfromthelistand
clickontheirnumber.
Algebraandchemistryismyfavouritesubjects,buthistoryandeconomicsseemsdifficult.
are,seem
are,seems
is,seem
SUBJECTSJOINEDBYOR
Usesingularverbswithsubjectsjoinedbyorifbothsubjectsaresingular.
BillorSamhas[nothave]beenelectedtofeedthepig.
Eachpartofthesubject,BillandSam,issingularthereforetheverbisalsosingular
.Here'sanotherexample:
Bynow,rainorsnowhas[nothave]falleninthehills.
Usepluralverbswithsubjectsjoinedbyorifbothsubjectsareplural.
Hisparentsorhisgrandparentslive[notlives]inthathouse.
Eachpartofthesubject,parentsandgrandparents,ispluraltherefore,theverb,live,isplural.
Ifonesubjectissingularandtheotherisplural,theverbagreeswiththesubjectthatis
closertoit.
Idon'tbelievethemotherorherchildren
singinchurch.
Idon'tbelievethechildrenortheirmother
singsinchurch.
Inthefirstexample,children,whichisplural,isclosertotheverbtherefore,theverb,
sing,isplural.Inthesecond
example,mother,whichissingular,isclosertherefore,theverb,sings,issingular.
PRACTICEWORKINGWITHSUBJECTSJOINEDBY
OR
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
WedidnotdiscusswhethertheItaliansortheGermanshashadagreaterinfluenceonmusic.
have
has
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
ThenewscasterforgotwhetherCeylonorKuwaitisnowcalledSriLanka.
is
are
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Asarule,SenatorAlvarezorothercongressionalleadersdifferswiththepresidentonforeignaffairs.
differ
differs
RELATIVEPRONOUNSASSUBJECTS
Whenarelativepronounwho,which,orthatisasubject,maketheverbagreewithitsantecedent.Anantecedentis
awordtowhichapronounrefers.
Thesubjectofthedependentclausewhowinsthelotteryistherelativepronounwho.Theantecedentofwhoisman,
theworditrefersto.Sincemanissingular,whomusttakeasingularverb,wins.
Inthefollowingsentence,therelativepronoun
thatreferstothenounanimals,whichisplural.Therefore,thatmust
takeapluralverb,are.
PRACTICEUSINGRELA
TIVEPRONOUNSASSUBJECTS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
ArthurBurnsisaneconomistwhowere chairmanoftheboardofgovernorsoftheFederalReserve.
was
were
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhastwohighlightedverbs.Selectthecorrectformsoftheverbsfromthelistand
clickontheirnumber.
BurundiisacentralAfricanrepublicthatwere foundedin1962andthatborderRwanda.
was,borders
were, border
was,border
were, borders
GERUNDSASSUBJECTS
Agerundisanounthatendsiningandthatstandsforanactivity.Herearesomeexamples:running,writing,eating,
studying,working,reading,loving,understanding
.Dealwithgerundsasyouwouldanyothernouns.
Donatingfoodtotheneedyhelps[nothelp]thelessfortunate.
Swimmingandrunningare[notis]myfavouriteexercises.
PRACTICEWORKINGWITHGERUNDS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Dealingwitharrogantpeople takealotofpatience.
takes
take
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Readinggoodbooksimprovesthemindandthesoul.
improves
improve
SENTENCESTHATBEGINWITHTHERE/HERE
Ifasentencebeginswiththereorhere,thesubjectcomesaftertheverb.Lookforitthere:
Singular:"Hereisyourwine ,"saidthewaiter.
Plural:Therewereonlytwoboysonthesoccerfield.
VERBSTHATCOMEBEFORESUBJECTS
Iftheverbcomesbeforethesubject,readthewholesentenceandfindthesubjectbeforedecidingwhethertheverbis
singularorplural.
v.subj.
Singular:Nearfather'sbirthplacestandsanoldcathedral.
v.subj.
Plural:Behindthislovelychurchgrowancientolivetrees.
SINGULARNOUNSTHATENDWITHS
Somesingularnounsendins.Theseincludeacademicsubjectssuchas
mathematics,statistics ,andphysics.However,news,mumps,tennis,politics,and
acousticsarealsosingularnouns.Inmostcases,thesenounstakesingularverbs.
NOT:Geneticsarethestudyofheredity.
BUT:Geneticsisthestudyofheredity.
TITLES
Titlesofbooks,movies,televisionprograms,plays,andotherworksarealwaysconsideredsingular
.Theytake
singularverbs.
NOT:DublinersareabookofshortstoriesbyJoyce.
BUT:DublinersisabookofshortstoriesbyJoyce.
TERMSOFQUANTITY
Wordsthatnamequantities,suchasmajority,minority,number,dollars,andyears,aresingularorpluraldependingon
theiruse.Ifyouareconsideringitemstogetherinonegroup,useasingularverb.
Ifyouareconsideringseparateitems
withinagroup,useapluralverb:
Singular:Thenumberofpeopleinthisclubisincreasing.
Plural:Anumberofpeopleinthisclubareretirees.
PRACTICECORRECTINGSPECIALSUBJECT/VERBAGREEMENTPROBLEMS
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
ThereisseveralreasonsforthewarinBosnia.
are
is
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
FromtheearthatGettysburgrisesthousandsofstonememorialstoAmericanheroism.
rise
rises
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Dr.JekyllandMr.Hyde,Stevenson'snovel,stillfascinatereadersaftermorethanacentury.
fascinates
fascinate
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Fivedollarscoversthecostofa"steak"dinneratSam'sSlopHouse.
covers
cover
Instructions:Thesentencebelowhasahighlightedverb.Selectthecorrectformoftheverbfromthelistandclickon
itsnumber.
Amajorityoftownspeoplearevotingfortheresolution.
are
is