SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
GENERAL RULES:
1. A singular
subject must take a singular verb
A plural
subject takes plural verb
Singular
Subject + Singular Verb
Plural
Subject + Plural Verb
Ex.
She types fast every day.
They type fast every day.
2. Words that
come between the subject and the verb does not affect agreement
Subject +
Clause + sing/plural verb
Ex.
The child, together with his father
and mother, is not affected by the flu
3. AND, NOT
ONLY, BUT ALSO make a subject plural
Therefore
use a plural verb
Ex.
Not only John but also Mark were
called to the president’s office.
My mother and father are
celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary today.
4. ONE, EACH,
EACH ONE, EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY, EVERYONE, ANYONE, ANYBODY, NO ONE, SOMEBODY
and SOMEONE makes a subject singular therefore use singular verb.
Ex.
Each nurse is required to submit a report on the incident.
Everybody wants to be loved.
5. SEVERAL,
SOME, BOTH, MANY, FEW and MOST makes a subject plural therefore use plural verb
Ex.
Most refuse
to pay the graduation fee.
Few were
left alive after the earthquake.
6. When SOME,
HALF, NONE, MORE, ALL are followed by a PREPOSITION, the object of the
preposition determines the form of the verb.
The same rule applies for fractions and percentages.
Ex.
All of the
chicken is gone.
All of the
chickens are gone.
None of the
fruit was left on the table.
None of the
fruits were left on the table.
7. If subjects
are connected by the words OR, NOR, NEITHER/NOR, EITHER/OR, the verb agrees
with the subject nearest it.
Ex.
Neither
Sally or her sisters were at home when the the package arrived.
Either
Tasha or Chloe is to be blamed for the accident.
8. For nouns
singular in meaning but plural in form (NEWS, GYMNASTICS, ECONOMICS,
MATHEMATICS, MUMPS, POLITICS, etc) use singular verb
Ex.
Mathematics
has always been easy for her.
Politics is
a favourite topic these days.
9. Singular
verb form is usually used for units of measurements
Ex.
Four litres
of oils is require to get the machine running.
Three days
is all we need to finish the project.
10. Collective
nouns usually take a singular verb for unless the members are acting
separately.
Ex.
The team
presents a weekly report to its supervisor
The team
present a weekly report to their supervisor
The class
holds an annual reunion.
Verb Tenses
Tense
|
Simple
|
Progressive
|
Perfect
|
Perfect Progressive
|
Present
|
take/s
|
am/is/are
taking
|
have/has taken
|
have/has been taking
|
Past
|
took
|
was/were
taking
|
had taken
|
had been taking
|
Future
|
will/shall take
|
will be taking
|
will have taken
|
will have been taking
|
PREPOSITIONS
|
|||
Single Word Prepositions
|
|||
Aboard
About
above
across
after
against
along
among
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
|
between
beyond
but
by
despite
down
during
except
failing
following
for
from
in
inside
into
like
|
minus
near
next
of
off
on
onto
opposite
out
outside
over
past
plus
regarding
since
than
|
through
throughout
till
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
via
with
within
without
|
Multi-Word Prepositions
|
|||
according to
ahead of
along with
as for
aside from
because of
|
close to
due to
except for
far from
near to
next to
|
out of
outside of
prior to
regardless of
as far as
as well as
|
in addition to
in case of
in front of
on account of
on behalf of
on top of
|
