Synta
x
Subject-Verb Agreement
Part I
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There are two classes of Syntax:
a. Agreement or Concord - means agreement
between words in gender, number, case, person or
any other grammatical category which affects the
forms of the words.
b. Order - word order refers to the way words are
arranged in a sentence.
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Agreement of the verb with the
subject
The subject verb agreement simply means the subject and
verb must agree in number.
This means both need to be singular or both need to be
plural.
Ronny plays Cricket.
He is a doctor.
We are students.
A detailed knowledge of the agreement of the verb with the 3
subject is thoroughly necessary to write accurate English.
The following guidelines should be carefully recorded.
A. A finite verb must agree with its subject both in number and person.
The movie was horrendous.
(subject: Third person singular: verb : singular)
I watch BBC News channel.
(subject: First person singular: verb : plural)
They are colleagues.
(subject: First person plural: verb: plural)
We go to shopping every week.
(subject: Third person plural: verb: plural)
Thus, Singular subject requires a singular verb.
A plural subject requires a plural verb.
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B. The verb normally exists in its plural form and the present
tense is considered to be the actual form of a verb.
The singular form is made by adding '-s/es/ies' to the present form of the verb.
o The third person singular subject takes the simple present
tense of the verb with '-s/es/ies' in the end.
Father read a newspaper in the morning.
The sun rises in the East.
o The plural subject takes the simple present tense of the
verb without '-s/es/ies' in the end.
They like each other.
Edward and Fred work in the same company.
We love eating Brown bread.
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C. Defective verbs take both singular and plural subjects
without a change in their forms.
He can pass the test.
They can pass the test.
You must win the race.
Jasmine would like to have tea.
She will accompany us.
D. Compound subjects take plural verbs.
When two or more singular subjects are joined by 'and' they are called
Compound subjects.
Wheat, Vinegar and Soda are available in the mall.
You and I were once good friends.
Noah and Stanley are dedicated to studies.
E. If two subjects joined by 'and' or two nouns joined by 'and' denote one
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idea, the verb must be in the singular form and they are considered to be
a Compound singular.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Rice and Curry is our food.
Bread and butter is cheap food.
The tumult and the shouting dies.
All coming and going is prohibited.
Truth and honesty always pays.
The long and short of the decision is this.
Caste and creed is a major problem.
Hammer and sickle is here.
The rise and fall is caused by the flood.
F. When two singular subjects are joined by 'or', the verb must be
singular.
Jack or Ava is going to inaugurate the occasion.
Peter or Fred has attended the meeting.
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G. If two singular nouns refer to the same person or
thing, the verb should be singular.
My father and senior advocate has gone for summer vacation.
The poet and philosopher was welcomed.
H. The verb 'to be' takes the same case after the pronoun
'It', as before 'It'.
He said to me, it is I and be not hesitate speaking the truth.
I. When two subjects are joined by 'and' and the first subject is preceded 8
by the article 'the', it denotes the same person or thing a singular verb is
used the sentence and a singular verb is used in the sentence.
The poet and singer has arrived.
The writer and philosopher is going to make a speech.
J. When two subjects joined by 'and' and both the subjects are preceded
by the article 'the', the verb must be taken in plural form.
The director and the producer have promoted their upcoming movie.
The teacher and the lawyer were on the stage.
K. When two uncountable nouns are joined by 'and', it expresses a
different idea and the verb is in plural form.
Love and happiness are necessary for a peaceful life.
Bravery and Beauty are acts of Valor.
Poverty and misery come together.
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L. The singular uncountable nouns take a singular verb.
The scenery is beautiful.
Work is worship.
The poetry of Tolstoy is famous all over the world.
M. The nouns which seem to be plural but are singular in
meaning take a singular verb.
Measles is a serious disease for grown up people.
Physics is an interesting subject.
N. The nouns which seem to be singular but are plural in
meaning take a plural verb.
Poultry has()/have() become popular in rural areas.
Vermin have ruined the crop.
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O. The nouns which are written plurally and are also plural
in meaning take a plural verb.
Your googles are very expensive.
My new shorts are too loose.
P. If there are two subjects in a sentence and only first
subject is preceded by an article 'a/an', it takes a singular
verb and it takes a plural verb when both the subjects are
preceded by the article 'a/an'.
A black and white cat was seen.
A black and a white cat were seen.
Q. The nouns which are singular in form but plural in number
take plural verb.
Sheep are domestic animals.
The people of India believe in patriotism.
R. Collective nouns generally take a singular verb but they take a
plural verb when the individual members comprising the group are
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thought of.
The jury has returned unanimous guilty verdicts.
Here, the 'Jury' is considered to be the whole.
(All the member of 'Jury' have returned unanimous guilty verdicts.)
The 'Jury' are divided in their opinion.
Here, all the members consisting of the 'Jury' did not agree on the matter and that means some of them
disagreed.
The team has taken its place in the ground.
The team have taken their places in the ground.
S. When two or more singular subjects of the same person are joined
by 'or', 'nor', 'either........or' or 'neither..........nor', the verb should be
singular.
Jones or James is going to get married this year.
Neither Judas nor his wife has committed this crime.
Either Noah or Fred stands first in the class.
Either she has done or you have done this.
T. When two singular subjects joined by 'and' are 12
preceded by 'each' or 'every', the verb must be singular.
Each person is worthy.
Every candidate has great opportunity this year.
Each employee was trustworthy.
Each man and woman was witness to the accident.
Every boy and girl is precious for us.
Every clerk, peon and guard was present.
Each and every thing is available here.
but...
When a plural noun or plural pronoun is followed by
'each', it is considered to be plural and it takes a plural
verb.
We each have some responsibilities towards our nation.
U. When two or more singular subjects are connected by 'or', 'nor', 13
'either..........or', 'neither..........nor' are of different person, the verb agrees
with the nearest subject.
Either he or you is()/ are() to be blamed.
Neither I, my brother nor my father is () / are() to attend your marriage.
Either you or he was at fault.
Is Noah or his friends to blame?
V. When one of the subjects joined by 'or', 'nor', 'either........or',
'neither........nor' is singular and the other plural, the plural subject must be
placed immediately before the verb to make the verb plural.
No friend or relatives has()/ have() anything.
Either he or his friends has()/ have() rung the bell.
Neither Arthur nor his cousins have stolen my wallet.
or
Neither Arthur has stolen nor his friends have stolen my wallet.
Either he has changed the channel or your sisters have changed it.
Here, the number of the verb is determined by the number of the last noun phrase.
W. 'Everyone', 'Someone', 'Anyone', 'No one', 'Everybody', 'Somebody', 'Anybody',
'Nobody' takes singular verb.
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Someone is there.
No one has failed the test.
Everybody is going for a tour.
X. 'Either of', 'Each of' and 'Neither of' take a plural subject and a singular verb.
Each of the candidates is eligible for the exam.
Either of the kids is missing.
Y. 'All' and 'Some' take a plural noun and a plural verb when they are followed by a
countable noun and a singular verb when they are followed by an uncountable
noun.
All mangoes are fresh.
All equipment is available here.
All is well. (here, 'All' means 'everything')
All are fine. (here, 'All' denotes a 'number of people')
Some goods are defective.
Some furniture is required for the house.
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Z. The following take a plural subject and a plural verb.
many of
a few of
two of
three of
the few of
few of
several of
Many of the employees here are well trained.
Eight of the labourers are absent due to falling sick.
A few of the apples are rotten.
THANK YOU
for the session…
