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If a sentence has a singular subject it is

followed by a singular verb, and if it has a
plural subject it is followed by a plural verb.
The verb agrees with the subject.
He lives in Japan.
They live in Japan.
When the subject of the sentence is complex
the verb must agree with the main noun in
the subject.
Many leading members of the party have criticised
the lack of progress.
The only excuse she gave for her mistakes was that
she was exhausted.

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 The verb must agree with the subject when
the subject follows the verb:
Among the people invited was the School Principal.
Displayed on the board were the exam results.
If the subject is a clause, we usually use a
singular verb:
To keep these young people in prison is inhumane.
That Mary won the competition three years in a row
was a huge achievement.
Having overall responsibility for the project means I
have to attend a lot of meetings.
How the robbers escaped remains a mystery.

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 However, if we use a what-clause as a
subject, we use a singular verb if the
following main noun is singular, and either a
singular or plural verb if the following main
noun is plural.
What worries me is his poor attitude.
What I need is a beer.

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 Some nouns with a singular form, referring to
groups of some kind, can be used with either
a singular or plural form of the verb.
The committee has made a decision on the budget.
We use the singular form if the focus is on the
institution or organisation as a whole unit,
and a plural verb if the focus is on a collection
of individuals.
Often you can use either with very little
difference in meaning, although in formal
contexts (such as academic writing) it is more
common to use a singular verb.

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 Collective nouns like these include: army,
association, class, club, committee, company,
crew, crowd, family, jury, team, etc. and the
names of specific organisations such as Sony,
IBM, BBC.
In some contexts a plural form of the verb is
needed:
The committee usually raise their hands to vote
yes.
In others, a singular form is preferred.
The company is to close next year.

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 When names and titles ending in s refer to a
single unit we use a singular verb. Examples
include countries; newspapers; titles of
books, films, etc.; and quoted plural words or
phrases.
The Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK
The Machine Gunners was one of Robert Westalls
most successful books.
The Los Angeles Times lists Derek Jones as the fifth
richest man in the world.

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Complete the sentences with a singular or plural form
of the verb in brackets. Use present tense forms.
1. What I particularly enjoy about the film .
the scenes in China. (be)
2. That he was the best tennis players of his
generation .. indisputable. (be)
3. The main reason for her failure .. to be
her poor attendance.
4. What surprises me her ability to
remember all the fine details.
5. Keeping large pets in a small flat . cruel.
(be)

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6. An investigation into the circumstances of
her death that she was murdered.
(reveal)
7. The rental cost in the northern parts of the
country risen dramatically (have)
8. Among the many valuable paintings in the
gallery is a self-portrait by Picasso.

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Complete the sentences with the correct noun and an
appropriate form of the verb in brackets. The first
letter of the noun has been given to you as a hint:
1. The p_________ __________ (present) a
picture of chaos in our school, but its just
not like that at all.
2. The Junior Book Prize j________ __________
(include) three adults and three children.
3. The world-wide television a____________ for
tomorrows cup final ___________ (be)
expected to be 150 million.
4. The t_________ ____________ (play) its first
match of the season at its home ground.

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5. The o_________________ _____________
(perform) classical concerts throughout the
year.
6. The c_________ ______________ (have) all
passed the end-of-year exam.
7. The U_______ N_______________ _______
(have) ordered an investigation into the
capture of members of its peace-keeping
force in eastern Africa.
8. If the u_____________ __________ (refuse) to
host the conference, I just dont know where
we will be able to hold it.

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Correct any mistakes in these sentences or write if
they are already correct.
1. Musical chairs are a party game where
everyone dashes for a seat when the music
stops.
2. The phrase men in white coats are used to
talk about psychiatrists.
3. Chequers is the country house of the British
Prime Minister.
4. The people I know who have seen the film
say that its really good.
5. The United States come top of the list of
countries ranked by economic performance.

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5. A report in the Strait Times detail the crimes
of a 12-year-old boy in Southampton.
6. Northern Lights are one of Marys favourite
books.
7. The stairs leading to the cellar were slippery
and poorly lit.
8. Whoever made all the mess in the kitchen
have to clear it up.
9. The public needs to be kept informed about
progress in the peace talks.

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