CC2040

Academic English workshop

(Health Care)
2009-2010
Session 2 –
Common ESL Errors 1
(Subject-Verb Agreement)

Wience Lai
ccwience@hkcc-polyu.edu.hk
3746-0170
HHB 1630
 Part A: Diagnostic Test

• Some sentences in the given text

are not correct. In groups,
identify the mistake and write
the correct form of verb in the
space provided. Put a “√” if no
mistake is found.
 Part B: Key Points Review
(Subject-verb agreement)
Basic principle:
• In English, subjects and verbs must
agree in person (first/second/third)
and number (singular/plural).
 Part B: Key Points Review
(Subject-verb agreement)
Remember the following rules when
you write:
SUBJECT-VERB SEPARATION.
When the verb is not immediately preceded by the
subject, make sure the verb agrees with the
subject, not the intervening nouns and/or
prepositional phrases, of the sentence. For
example, the girl in red pants is my younger sister.

SUBJECT-VERB INVERSION.
In questions and in inverted sentences like those
starting with Here and There, the verb agrees with
the subject that follows. For example, there are
over 15 tutorial schools in our neighborhood.
 Part B: Key Points Review
(Subject-verb agreement)
COMPOUND SUBJECT (1).
Plural verbs are needed where two subjects
are conjoined by And. For example,
meanness and selfishness are qualities
that repel most people.

COMPOUND SUBJECT (2).

When two subjects are joined by Either…Or,
Neither…Nor, the verb agrees with nearest
subject. For example, either Jack or I am
responsible for chairing the coming
marketing meeting.
 Part B: Key Points Review
(Subject-verb agreement)
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.
• Indefinite pronouns that end with -body, -one, or -thing (e.g.
somebody, someone, something) always take a singular verb.
• Similarly, the indefinite pronouns each, either, neither take a
singular verb.
• However, the indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several
always take a plural verb.
For example, although many have signed up for the marathon,
nobody was seen at the race.

COLLECTIVE NOUNS.
• Collective nouns like committee, class, crew, family, staff , etc.
take a singular verb when the group is regarded as a unit;
• they take plural verbs if individual members of the group are
considered as acting independently.
For example, the committee are uncertain of what to do next.
(The members of the committee are…)
 Part B: Key Points Review
(Subject-verb agreement)
VERBAL NOUNS AND NOUN CLAUSES.
Verbal nouns (i.e., gerunds and gerund phrases,
infinitives and infinitive phrases) and noun
clauses used as subjects always take a singular
verb. For example, that Gillian won a scholarship
to study in Japan is an opportunity envied by
others.

PLURAL FORM NOUNS.

Some nouns are plural only in form; they take a
singular verb. Examples include economics,
mathematics, means, measles, mumps, news,
physics, AIDS , etc.
 Subject-verb agreement
Circle the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. Misconceptions about apes like the gorilla (has, have) turned a
relatively peaceful animal into a terrifying monster.
2. In my opinion, a few slices of pepperoni pizza (make, makes) a
great evening.
The prepositional phrase that comes between the
3. Here (is, are)
subject andthethe
notesverb
from yesterday’s
does not anthropology lecture.
affect subject-verb
4. At the very bottom of the grocery list (was, were) an item that
agreement.
meant a trip all the way back to aisle one.

A verb agrees with its subject even when the

verb comes before the subject e.g. in a clause
beginning with here or there, or in a question.

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 2.2 Verbs
5. Not only the assistant managers but also the secretary (know, knows)
that the company is folding.
6. Either the trash can or those socks (smell, smells) horrible.

When subjects are joined by either . . . or, neither

7. .In.eighteenth-century
. nor, not onlyFrance,
. . . but also,
makeup andthe
high verb agrees
heels (was, were)
withbythe
worn subject closer to the verb.
men.

A compound subject resulting from joining two

8. Neither of those hairstyles (suit, suits) the shape of your face.
10.subjects
One of thesewith and
earrings generally
(fall, takes
falls) constantly a plural
off my ear. verb.

9. Both of the puppies (is, are) cute in their own ways.

Indefinite pronouns such as neither, either, one,
someone, everybody, anything , nothing always
take singular verbs.
10/05/09
Both always takes a EAS0708Wk13(WL)
plural verb. 10
 For more details about
subject-verb agreement,
see Langan, 2008, pp. 350-
354.

10/05/09 11
 Part C: Concept Boosting
Exercises
Exercise C1
Identify and underline the subjects and the
main verbs in the following sentences.
1. For people who have asthma, strenuous exercise
can be fatal.
2. My friend, who will get his PhD degree this month,
wonders why finding a job outside the academia is
so difficult.
3. That Sherry took her life last month devastated
everyone within her group.
4. Being able to listen to others is an important quality
of a successful social worker.
5. Among the important qualities of being a successful
fashion designer is the courage to explore new
things.
6. When a divorce happens, either a betrayal or
financial issues are often the cause.
 Part C: Concept Boosting
Exercises
Exercise C2
The following paragraphs contain
subject-verb agreement errors.
(1) Read through the paragraphs.
(2) Underline only the subjects
related to the mistakes found.
(3) Correct the errors found, if any.
Some sentences are error-free.
 References

Langan, J. (2008). English skills for academic

studies. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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 THE END

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