Subject and Verb 3 Flashcards
With plural nouns, the verb goes plural:
Earnings, belongings, clothes, congratulations, goods, outskirts, overheads, particulars, premises (building), riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks.
Words like police, people and staff, always verb in plural.
Whereabouts, verb in singular or plural.
The company’s earnings have increased for the last five years.
Police believe that Thomas is in Brazil although his exact whereabouts is/are unknown.
Some plural nouns are used with singular verbs.
The words DATA and MEDIA are followed by singular verb. Although in academic writting, the verb goes plural.
CRITERIA and PHENOMENA, the verb goes plural always.
All the data is available for public inspection (are available).
I agree that the criteria are not of equal importance.
Uncountable nouns ending in “S”, verb goes singular.
News, means (method or money), economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, physics, politics, statistics, athletics, gymnastics, diabetes, measles, rabies.
The news from the Middle East seems very encouraging.
Politics is very popular in university.
Her politics are boring.
Measurements and Percentage, verb in singular.
With a complement of a noun phrase (LONG TIME) the verb is singular.
When the subject is complex with fraction or percentages, verb agrees with the closest noun.
When the subject is a singular noun that means the whole or collection of individuals, the verb goes singular or plural.
Only three meters separates the winner from the second place.
Three hours seems a long time.
An inflation rate of only 2% makes a difference to exports.
About 50% of the houses need major repairs.
Some 80% of the electorate is expected to vote. (are expected).
