Subject-verb agreement Flashcards
chapter essencial points
What´s wrong?
The electron named in 1894.
SUBJECT AND VERB MUST BOTH EXIST
AllAll nouns and verbs are there?>> they make sense? >> they agree in number?
The electron was named in 1894.
The past participle alone can not work as a working verb.
What is wrong?
- Because the dog was never mine.*
- Which will be approved tomorrow.*
SUBJECT AND VERB MUST BOTH EXIST
- The dog was never mine.*
- The plan will be approved tomorrow.*
Subordinate clauses can never stand without a main clause. Because and which are connecting words or subordinators.
What is wrong?
The development of a hydrogen car based on expected performance parameters will be able to travel hundreds of miles without refueling.
SUBJECT AND VERB MUST MAKE SENSE TOGETHER
All nouns and verbs are there?>> they make sense? >> they agree in number?
Once developed, a hydrogen car based on expected performance parameters will be able to travel hundreds of miles without refueling.
Don’t forget that the subject must execute the action!!!
Spot the middlemen and warmup bellow and name their kind.
- Near Gallaway, the houses on the road is/are gorgeous.*
- When the auditors left, the executive who had been interviewed was/were glad.*
- Limping, the horse once considered one of the favorites was/were taken away.*
ELIMINATE THE MIDDLEMEN AND THE WARMUP
All nouns and verbs are there?>> they make sense? >> they agree in number?
- [Near Gallaway], the houses [on the road] ARE gorgeous. (prepositional phrase)*
- [When the auditors left], the executive [who had been interviewed] WAS glad. (subordinate clause)*
- [Limping], the horse [once considered one of the favorites] WAS taken away. (others modifiers - ing, ed)*
Pick the number
- Mathematics, in addition to history and science, is/are a required subject.*
- Mathematics, history and science, is/are a required subject.*
AND X ADDITIVE PHRASES
- Mathematics, in addition to history and science, IS a required subject.(additive phrase is just a middle man)*
- Mathematics, history and science, ARE required subjects.(only AND adds to a subject)*
Exs of additive phrases [along with] Polly - [in addition to] surgery - [as well as] the mayor - [accompanied by] me - [together with] a tie - including salt and pepper
Pick the number
- Neither the coach nor the players is/are going to the beach.*
- Neither the players nor the coach is/are going to the beach*
Or, Either •••Or, & Neither •••Nor
- Neither the coach nor the players ARE going to the beach.*
- Neither the players nor the coach IS going to the beach.*
The verb agrees in number with the noun closer to the verb. Note that when the words either or neither are in a sentence alone (without or or nor), they are considered singular and take only singular verbs.
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS: usually singular. Name the exceptions!
Allways singular:
(-one, -body, -ing, etc.) Anyone, anybody, anything
Each, every (as pronouns)
Everyone, everybody, everything
Either, neither (may require a plural verb if paired with or/nor)
No one, nobody, nothing
Someone, somebody, something
Whatever, whoever
SANAM
the exceptions can be singular or plural
Some, Any, None, All, More/Most
Look at the of-phrase!
Some of the money WAS stolen from my wallet. (money is singular)
Some of the documents WERE stolen from the bank. (documents is plural)
Pick the number
- The crowd in the stands is/are cheering loudly as the home team takes/take the field.*
- Our army of a hundred thousand soldiers is/are attacking the enemy.*
COLLECTIVE NOUNS - ALMOST ALLWAYS SINGULAR
- The CROWD in the stands IS cheering loudly as the home TEAM TAKES the field.*
- Our ARMY of a hundred thousand soldiers IS attacking the enemy.*
Pick the number
- Every dog has/have pawns.*
- Every dog and cat has/have pawns.*
- Each of these shirts is/are pretty.*
- They each is/are great tennis players.*
EACH and EVERY: Singular Sensations
- Every dog HAS pawns.*
- Every dog and cat HAS pawns.*
- Each of these shirts IS pretty.*
- They each ARE great tennis players. (each here do not preceed the subject)*
As the subject of a sentence, each or every requires a singular verb form. The same is true for any subject preceded by the word each or every. Note that each following a subject has no bearing on the verb form.
Spot the middlemen and warmup and choose the number
The tidal forces to which an object falling into a black hole is/are subjected is/are sufficient to tear the object apart.
USE STRUCUTURE TO DECIDE
The tidal forces ARE sufficient to tear the object apart.
Pick the number
- The number of hardworking students in this class is/are quite large.*
- A number of students in this class is/are hard workers.*
QUANTITY WORDS AND PHRASES
- [The number] of hardworking students in this class lS quite large.*
- A number of [students] in this class ARE hard workers.*
‘The number of’ follows the normal rule: eliminate the middlemen. ‘A number of’ is an idiomatic expression meaning some or many. In this case students is the subject.
Pick the number
- Having good friends is/are a wonderful thing.*
- Whatever they want to do is/are fine with me.*
SUBJECT PHRASES AND CLAUSES: ALWAYS SINGULAR
- [Having good friends] IS a wonderful thing.*
- [Whatever they want to do] IS fine with me.*
Pick the number
- Near those buildings sits/sit a lonely house, inhabited by squatters.*
- There is/are a young man and an older woman at the bus stop.*
- Pong is a classic game from which have/has descended many current computer pastimes.*
FLIP IT!
FLIP IT: A lonely [house] inhabited by squatters, SITS near those buildings.
FLIP IT: [A young man and an older woman] ARE there at the bus stop. Flip subordinate clauses as well.
FLIP IT: Pong is a classic game from which many current computer [pastimes] HAVE descended.
Pick the number
- Politics IS/ARE not for the faint heart.*
- People is/are often confused about…*
Common word trap
- Politics IS not for the faint heart.*
- People are often confused about…*
