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Subject and Verb Agreement

1) A verb agrees with its subject in number and


person. In other words, a singular subject requires a
singular verb.

Example
a) I am a very simple man
I - singular subject
am - singular verb

b) We are very simple people.


We - Plural subject
are - Plural verb

2) A verb must agree in number with its subject.


Once the subject is identify, it is quite easy to use the
correct form of the verb.
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Example
Whatever measures can be taken to solve problems
of violence in school are being studied by the
Ministry of Education.

measures - plural subject


are - plural verb

3) Compound subjects, nouns or pronouns form by


and, require the plural form of the verb.

Example
The boy and his friend have between them 20 dollars

boy and his friend - plural subject


have - plural verb

4) Singular nouns which have longed been


considered has intimately related objects , even
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when they are joined by and, are considered a


singular subject and require singular verb.

Example

a) Bread and butter makes a wholesome snack.


bread and butter - singular subject
makes - singular verb

b) Time and tide waits for no man.

Time and tide - singular subject


waits - singular verb

5) When such phrases as a number of the number of


a box of, a set of are used part of the subject phrase,
the verb is determined by the subject.
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Example

a) A box of mangoes was given to the red cross.


a box of mangoes - singular subject
was - singular verb

Mangoes in a box were given to the red cross


mangoes - singular subject
were - singular verb

6) "A number of" always takes a plural verb.

Example
A number of egg from that week are graded.

7) "The number of" always takes a singular verb.


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Example

After revealing warnings to the owner, the number


of stray dogs remains very high.

8) The use of such phrases as "neither nor' and


"either or" poses a few problems a single rule
however ought to remove all difficulties.
Note: The verb agrees with the noun or pronoun
closest to it.

Example

Neither the boys nor the teacher (know, knows) the


answer.

Neither the teacher nor the boys (know, knows) the


answer.
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9) Such phrases as "together with", "along with",


"in the company of", "as well as" should never affect
subject and verb agreement.

Example
a) The dog, together with its pups (are, is) in the
kennel.

b) The taxi driver, as well as the wife and children,


(loves, love) to go to the beach on Sunday.
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Special Problems

a) Either Stella or her sister plays netball.

b) Either Mary or the children know where the gifts


are.

c) Neither the boy nor the girl is to be blamed for


the mishap.

Neither the girl nor the ladies are going to the


market.

You will notice that two subjects are separated


"either....or"; "neither..... nor" the verb agrees with
the subject nearest to it.
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Exercise
Underline the correct verb in the bracket.

1) Neither the pianist nor the singers (knows, know)


the new conductor.

2) Neither the front door or the front windows (is,


are) open.

3) Either John or his sister (play, plays) the piano.

4) Neither Andy nor his parents (walk, walks) in the


park on evenings.

5) Either Robin or his sister ( has, have) my


telephone number.

6) Neither the players nor the coach (has, Have)


taken the ball.
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Special Problems: Subjects joined by "and"

When a subject consists of two or more noun


phrases joined by "and" the verb is usually plural.

Examples
1) Joseph and Mary are journeying towards
Bethlehem.

2) Thomas and his children have lived in the


village for several years.

Where two subjects joined by "and" is considered a


single unit, a singular verb is used.

Example
a) Chicken and chips is a favourite among
children.
b) Macaroni and cheese tastes good.
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Exercise
Underline the correct verb

1) Jessie and her parents (have, has) gone to


the farm in the country

2) Fish and chips (is, are) sold at special eating


shops in the town.

3) Motorcycles and cars (was, were) parked


along the race track.

4) Ham and chops (is, are) well liked by school


children.

5) Both the drivers of the cars and cyclists


(was, were) cautioned on the wet track.
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Revision: Verb Forms


Underline the correct verb

I (awakes, was awakened) by the waves dragging at


my feet. Night (came, had come) but being too tired
to leave the sand pit, I (crawl, crawled) to a higher
place where I (am, would be) safe from the tide, and
again (went, gone) to sleep. In the morning I (find,
found) the canoe a short distance away. I (take,
took) the baskets, my spear and the bow and arrows,
and (turn, turned) the canoe over so that the tides
(would not take, should not take) it out to sea. I then
(climb, climbed) to the headland where I (lived, had
lived) before.

I (feel, felt) as if I (gone, had been gone) a long time


as I (stood, had stood) there looking down from the
high rock. I (was, am) happy to be home.
Everything that I (see, saw) - the otter playing in the
kelp, the rings of foam around the rocks that (guards,
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guard) the harbour, the gulls flying, the tides moving


part the sand-pit (fill, filled) me with happiness.
The island of the Blue Dolphins (is, was) my home;
I (have, had) no other. that night I (sleep, slept) on
the rock and the next day I (began, begun) the
search. The morning (is, was) clear, but to the north,
bank of clouds (hang, hung) low. Before long they
(should move, would move) in across the island and
behind them many other storms ( are waiting, were
waiting). I (have, had) no time to waste.

Exercise
Underline the correct verb

1) Everyone of the assignments (was, were)


hurriedly done.

2) Someone (know, knows) the solution to the


problem.

3) Each of the workers (is, are) responsible for


the breakdown of law and order in the factory.
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4) No one (receive, receives) the highest award


without hard work.

5) Each of the ladies (has, have) to abandon


domestic obligations.

6) I shall give up my position when anyone


(decide, decides) to relieve me of it.

7) Everybody (has, have) a right to be informed


of the rule.

8) None of my friends (carry, carries) lunch to


school.

9) Someone (was, were) seen climbing the


palm tree.

10) Each of you (is, are) going to copy the


assignment on the blackboard.

11) (Has, Have) there be any lessoning of


interest on the part of the student?
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12) Nobody (know, knows) the real cause of the


conflict between the two brothers.

13) Everyone except his friends (see, sees) him


as a villain.

14) Each of them (is, are) planning to go on


vacation abroad.

15) When anybody (speak, speaks) on behalf of


the unemployed, the government never
responds.

16) Each of the girls (do, does) her work well.

17) Nobody (was, were) see on the premises


after 6:00

18) Somebody (is, are) on the tree picking fruits.

19) (Are, is) any of you interested in football?

20) Each of the boys who sell tickets (has, have)


to wear school uniform.
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Exercise 2
Underline the correct verb

1) Pauline, together with her friends, (has,


have) arrived in Trinidad.

2) The man, accompanied by his dog, (was


were) running in the park.

3) Tommy, as well as his sister ( is, are)


interested in going to the club.

4) The teacher, with her class, (visits, visit) the


library every morning.

5) The captain, as well as his crew (was, were)


praised for receiving the sinking ship.

6) The superintendent, together with his


colleagues (has, have) acted courageously.
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7) My father, accompanied by my younger


brother (was, were) at the conference.

8) The farmer with his faithful dog (is, are)


climbing the hills.

9) The monthly report, together with the


financial statement, (is, are) required for the
meeting.

10) The captain, as well as the vice-captain (is


are) responsible for the success of the team.

Exercise 3
Underline the correct verb

1) Either Jody or him (has, have) the pack of


cards.

2) The rules of the game (allows, allow)


players time for consultation.
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3) Both Pam and Marsha (lives, live) not far


away from the stadium.

4) Either Jerry or his sisters (plans, plan) to


visit me on this long vacation.

5) Neither the girl nor her parents (likes, like)


walking in the midday heat.

6) One of the boys (is, are) selected to play in


the football match between Barbados and
Trinidad.

7) Neither Rachel or Carolyn (wants, want) to


return to Canada.

8) The committee (has, have) decided to


postpone the meeting to a later date.

9) Fish and chips, (is, are) a specialty among


some adults.

10) The orange with brown spots (is, are)


beginning to decay.
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11) The moonlight on the lakes (makes, make)


the water look like a shining mirror.

12) A group of men (rides, ride) around the park


every evening.

13) The jury (was, were) cautious in making the


final decisions.

14) The entire family (has, have) gone to


Barbados.

Note
Agreement with each, nobody, none, everybody,
anybody, every, someone, none, somebody are
definite pronouns and they are followed by singular
verbs.
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Beside, together with, as well as, in addition to, with.


These words and phrases are not part of a subject of
the sentence. They do not determine the form of the
verb.

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