Remember that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree on person and number
Examples
The elevator works very well.
Singular singular
The elevators work very well.
Plural plural
Subject separated from the verb
When taking the TOEFL, you must always check the subject and verb to be sure they are agree. However, sometimes it is difficult to decide exactly what the subject is if the subject and verb are separated
Example:
The boys in the room are studying
Plural Plural
Very often, if the subject and verb are separated, they will be separated by a prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrase has no effect on the verb.
Subject + (prepositional phrase) + verb
The study of languages is very interesting.
Singular subject singular verb
Several theories on this subject have been proposed.
Plural subject plural verb
The view of these disciplines varies from time to time
Singular subject singular verb
The danger of forest fire is not to be taken lightly
Singular subject singular verb
The effects of that crime are likely to be devastating.
Plural subject plural verb
The fear of rape and robbery has caused many people to free the cities.
Singular subject singular verb
The following expressions also have no effect on the verb
| Together with | Along with |
| Accompanied by | As well as |
The actress, along with her manager and some friends, is going to a party tonight.
Singular subject singular verb
Mr. Robbins, accompanied by his wife and children, is arriving tonight.
Singular subject singular verb
Note: if the conjunction and is used instead of one of these phrases, the verb would then be plural.
Example:
The actress and her manager are going to a party tonight.
Plural subject plural verb
EXERCISE 1
Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses in the following sentences.
- John, along with twenty friends, (is/are) planning a party.
- The picture of soldiers (bring/brings) back many memories.
- The quality of these recordings (is/are) not very good.
- If the duties of these officer (isn’t/aren’t) reduce, there will not be enough time to finish the project.
- The effects of cigarette smoking (have/has) been proven to be extremely harmful.
- The use of credit cards in place of cash (have/has) increased rapidly in recent years.
- Advertisements on television (is/are) becoming more competitive than ever before.
- Living expenses in this country, as well as in many others, (is/are) at an all-time high.
- Mr. Jones, accompanied by several members of the committee, (have/has) proposed some changes of the rules.
- The levels of intoxication (vary/varies) from subject to subject.
Words that always take singular verbs and pronouns
Some words are often confused by students as being plural. The following words must be followed by singular verbs and pronouns in formal written English.
| Any + singular noun | Some + singular noun | No + singular noun | Every + singular noun | |
| Anybody | Somebody | Nobody | Everybody | Each |
| Anyone | Someone | No one | Everyone | Either * |
| Anything | something | nothing | everything | Neither * |
*either and neither are singular if they are not used with or and nor.
Examples:
Everybody who has not purchased a ticket should be in this line.
Something was under the house.
If either of you takes a vacation now, we will not be able to finish the work
Anybody who has lost his ticket should report to the desk. (note the singular pronoun)
No problem is harder to solve than this one
Nobody works harder than John does.
None/no: none can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it.
Non + of the + non-count noun + singular verb
Example:
None of the counterfeit money has been found
None + of the + plural count noun + plural verb
Example:
None of the students have finished the exam yet.
No can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it.
No + singular noun + singular verb
No + non-count noun + singular verb
Example:
No example is relevant to this case.
No + plural noun + plural verb
Example:
No examples are relevant to this case.
EITHER/NEITHER
When either and neither are followed by or and nor, the verb may be singular or plural depending on whether the noun following or and nor is singular or plural. If or or nor appears alone, the same rule applies. Study the following formulas.
Neither + noun + nor + plural noun + plural verb
Either + noun + or + plural noun + plural verb
Examples:
Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today
Plural noun plural verb
Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today
Plural noun plural verb
Neither + noun + nor + singular noun + singular verb
Either + noun + or + singular noun + singular verb
Example:
Neither John nor Bill is going to the beach today.
Singular noun singular verb
Either John or Bill is going to the beach today.
Singular noun singular verb
Other examples:
Neither John nor Jane is going to Class today.
Singular singular
Neither Maria nor her friends are going to class today.
Plural plural
John or George is bringing the car
Singular singular
Neither Alecia nor Carmen has seen this movie before.
Singular singular
Neither the director nor the secretary wants to leave yet
singular singular
GERUND AS SUBJECTS
If a sentence begins with [verb + ing] (gerund), the verb must also be singular
Examples:
Knowing her has made him what he is.
Dieting is very popular today.
Not studying has caused him many problems.
Washing with a special cream is recommended for scalp infections.
Being cordial is one of his greatest assets.
Writing many letters makes her happy.
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Also many words indicating a number of people or animals are singular. The following nouns are usually singular. In some cases they are plural if the sentence indicates that the individual members are acting separately.
| Congress | Jury | Club |
| Organization | Group | Minority |
| Government | Army | Class |
| Family | Majority * | Crowd |
| Team | committee | Public |
*Majority can be singular or plural. If it is alone it is usually singular. If it is followed by plural noun, it is usually plural.
Example:
The Majority believes that we are in no danger
The Majority of the students believe him to be innocent
Examples of collective nouns:
The committee has met, and it has rejected the proposal
The family was elated by the news
The crowd was wild with excitement.
Congress has initiated a new plan to combat inflation.
The organization has lost many members this year.
Our team is going to win the game.
The following nouns are used to indicate groups of certain animals. It is not necessary to learn the nouns; however, they mean the same as group and thus are considered singular.
| Flock of birds, sheep | School of fish |
| Herd of cattle | Pride of lions |
| Pack of dogs | |
The flock of birds is circling overhead.
The herd of cattle is breaking away.
A school of fish is being attacked by sharks.
Collective nouns indicating time, money, and measurement used as a whole are singular.
Twenty-five dollars is too much to pay for that shirt.
Fifty minutes isn’t enough time to finish this test.
Twenty dollars is all I can afford to pa for that recorder.
Two miles is too much to run in one day.
A NUMBER OF/THE NUMBER OF
A number of + plural noun + Plural verb
The number of + plural noun + singular verb
Examples:
The number of students are going to the class picnic (a number of = many)
The number of days in a week is seven.
A number of the applicants have already been interviewed.
The number of residents who have been questioned on this matter is quite small.
NOUN THAT ARE ALWAYS PLURAL
The following nouns are always considered plural. They cannot be singular. In order to speak of them as singular, one must say: “a pair of”
| Scissors | Glasses | Jeans |
| Trousers | Pants | Tweezers |
| Shorts | Pliers | Tongs |
Examples:
The pants are in the drawer.
A pair of pants is in the drawer.
The pliers were on the table.
The pair of pliers was on the table.
These scissors are dull.
This pair of scissors is dull.
THERE IS/THERE ARE
| There is | |
| There was | + Singular subject (or non-count) |
| There has been | |
| There are | |
| There were | + Plural subject |
| There have been | |
Examples:
There is a storm approaching
Singular singular
There have been a number of telephone calls today.
Plural plural
There were too many people at the party.
Plural Plural
There has been an increase in the importation of foreign cars.
Plural plural
There was water on the floor where he fell.
Singular non-count
EXERCISE 2
- Neither Bill nor Mary (is/are) going to the play tonight.
- Anything (is/are) better than going to another movie tonight.
- Skating (is/are) becoming more popular every day.
- A number of reporters (was/were) at the conference yesterday.
- Everybody who (has/have) a fever must go home immediately.
- Your glasses (was/were) on the bureau last night.
- There (was/were) some people at the meeting last night.
- The committee (has/have) already reached a decision.
- A pair of jeans (was/were) in the washing machine this morning.
- Each student (has/have) answered the firs three questions.
- Either John or his wife (make/makes) breakfast each morning.
- After she had perused the material, the secretary decided that everything (was/were) in order.
- The crowd at the basketball game (was/were) wild with excitement.
- A pack of wild dogs (has/have) eliminated this section of the training test.
- The jury (is/are) trying to reach a decision.
- The army (has/have) eliminated this section of the training test.
- The number of students who have withdrawn from class this quarter (is/are) appalling.
- There (has/have) been to many interruptions in this class.
- Every elementary school teacher (has/have) to take examination.
- Neither Jill nor her parents (has/have) seen this movie before.
Based on: M. A. Pyle and M. E. Munoz (1985). Cliffs TOEFL Preparation Guide. Singapore: John Willey and Sons
Good blog is this
BalasHapusUseful and detailed : )
BalasHapusYou made a finger mistake in the category *a number of, the number of*
BalasHapus