SUBJECT
VERB AGREEMENT
Hello guys, still with me Alpi. Today I will discuss
about SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT. This task was assigned because Miss Dini was absent
and this is what I will do.
What is Subject?
Subject is the
person/people/thing(s) that do the activity.
I, you, they,
we, she, he, it, my father and my mother, Linda, Sussi, Linda and Sussi, the
bank, the flight schedule, etc.
What is VERB?
Verb is a word used
to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the
predicate of a sentence.
Ø ACTION VERB
all the English verb phrase
that describes the subject of doing things. This subject real action can be
seen what it does.
Example:
1. Dino knocks my door
2. I am listening to the music
Ø LINKING VERBS
inking
verbs are verbs that are used to connect between said sehigga a sentence in
English that is intransitive so it does not require an object because only as a
link only.
Example:
1. Taste
this juice please
2. I am feel
lonely now
Verb:
apparently, appear, become, grow, keep, get, prove, modify, view, sound, smell,
taste, feel.
Example:
- He's looking for a book.
- He attended since last
Ø HELPING VERBS
The second
category of verbs is helping verbs. Also called auxiliary verbs, helping
verbshelp the main verb show tense or possibility.
Helping verbs + main verbs = verb phrases. The
main verb is always the last verb in the phrase.
to be: am, is, are, was,
were, be, being, been
Examples:
1.
Tejo is going to Florida.
2.
The trip might be dangerous.
RULE 1
Subjects and verbs must agree in
number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the concept.
Examples:
- The dog
growls when it is angry.
- The dogs growl
when they are angry.
RULE 2
Don’t get confused by the words that
come between the subject and verb; they
do not affect agreement.
Examples:
-The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is
usually very good.
RULE 3
Prepositional phrases between the
subject and verb usually do not affect
agreement.
Examples:
-The colors of
the rainbow are beautiful.
RULE 4
When sentences start with “there” or
“here,” the subject will always be placed
after the verb,
so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.
Examples:
-There is a
problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.
RULE 5
If two subjects are joined by and,
they typically require a plural verb form.
Examples:
-The cow and
the pig are jumping over the moon.
RULE 6
The verb is singular if the two subjects
separated by and refer to the same
person or thing.
Examples:
-Red beans and
rice is my mom's favorite dish.
RULE 7
If one of the words each, every, or no
comes before the subject, the verb is
singular.
Examples:
-No smoking or
drinking is allowed.
-Every man and
woman is required to check in.
RULE 8
If the subjects are both singular and are
connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor,
either/or, and not only/but also the verb is singular.
Examples:
-Jessica or
Christian is to blame for the accident.
RULE 9
The only time when the object of the
preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun
subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a
prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition
determines the form of the verb.
Examples:
-All of the chicken
is gone.
-All of the
chickens are gone.
RULE 10
The singular verb form is usually used
for units of measurement or time.
Examples:
-Four quarts of
oil was required to get the car running.
RULE 11
If the subjects are both plural and are
connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also, the verb is plural.
Examples:
-Dogs and cats
are both available at the pound.
RULE 12
If one subject is singular and one plural
and the words are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or,
and not only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest
the verb.
Examples:
-Either the bears
or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
-Neither the
lion nor the
bears have escaped from the zoo.
RULE 13
Indefinite pronouns (everything,
anything, everyone, someone, somebody, nothing, etc) typically take
singular verbs.
Examples:
-Everybody wants
to be loved.
-Everything is
gonna be alright.
RULE 14
Except for the pronouns (few, many,
several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.
Examples:
-Few were left
alive after the flood.
-Several
students understand the material.
RULE 15
If two infinitives are separated by and
they take the plural form of the verb.
Examples:
-To walk and to
chew gum require great skill.
RULE 16
When gerunds are used as the subject of a
sentence, they take the singular verb
form of the
verb; but, when they are linked by and, they take the plural form.
Examples:
-Standing in the
water was a bad idea.
-Swimming in the
ocean and playing drums are my
hobbies.
RULE 17
Collective nouns like family, committee,
herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.
Examples:
-The herd is stampeding.
-Cooper family
always attends the annual party.
RULE 18
Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are
treated as singular and take a singular
verb.
Examples:
-The Burbs is a
movie starring Tom Hanks.
-Harry Potter
has reached Top 3 Best Seller books.
