Article 9[edit] Certain collective nouns, such as family, couple, personal, public, etc., may take a singular or plural verb, depending on their use in the sentence. Shouldn`t Joe be followed by the what and not by the merchandise, since Joe is singular? But Joe isn`t really there, so let`s say who wasn`t. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood used to express hypothetical, useless, imaginary, or factually contradictory things. The subjunctive connects singular subjects to what we generally consider plural verbs. Article 8. Use a singular verb with distances, periods, sums of money, etc. if you are considered a unit. If you`re looking for a subject-verb match quiz, here are two for you. The first set of questions is simple and covers simple topics composed with singular nouns or pronouns and verbs that must correspond depending on whether they are singular or plural.
The second quiz covers compound topics, complex sentences, and special nouns that adopt singular verbs. A. Instructions: Choose the correct verb in these sentences. Section 5. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as with, as well as no, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the topic. Ignore them and use a singular verb if the subject is singular. Here is the article to finish all the articles on the agreement of the verb Asubject: 20 Rules of the Subject-Verb agreement. Students will be able to take one quiz at a time by learning these rules. The word there is, a contraction from there, leads to bad habits in informal sentences like There are many people here today because it is easier to say “there is” than “there is”. Be careful never to use a plural theme.
Rule of thumb. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), while a plural subject takes a plural verb. This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I`m one of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to this strange sentence: If you`re able to find the right subject and verb, you can correct subject-verb match errors. Article 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects if they are through and connected. In the first example, a statement of wish, not a fact, is expressed; therefore, what we usually consider a plural verb is used with the singular subject I. Rule 3. The verb in a sentence or, either/or, or neither/yet is in agreement with the noun or pronoun closest to it. Rule 1. A topic comes before a sentence that begins with von.
This is a key rule for understanding topics. The word of is the culprit of many, perhaps most, subject-verb errors. Once your students have a solid understanding of topics, predicates, and objects, they will be well prepared to move on and create complex, masterful sentences. We could hardly exist in a world without subjects and verbs living in harmony. None of our sentences would make sense. But with a strong understanding of subject-verb pairing, students can write a variety of different types of sentences. These subject-verb matching exercises with answers cover simple themes, just like composite topics that use “and” or “or” to connect individual topics. Rule 2.
Two singular subjects related by or, either/or, require a singular verb. Example: The list of items is/is on the desktop. If you know that the list is the subject, then choose is for the verb. This quiz covers topics composed with a singular and plural noun or pronoun, as well as complex sentences. It`s a fun quiz because it also covers special names that can be confusing, such as collective names and names that end with an “s” but remain singular. Article 7[edit] In sentences that begin with here or there, the real subject follows the verb. Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun should be careful to be accurate – and also consistent. It should not be taken lightly. The following is the kind of erroneous sentence you see and hear often these days: In recent years, the SAT test service has not considered one to be strictly singular. According to Merriam-Webster`s Dictionary of English Usage: “Clearly, none since Old English has been both singular and plural and still is. The idea that it is only singular is a myth of unknown origin that seems to have emerged in the 19th century. If this sounds singular in context, use a singular verb; If it appears as a plural, use a plural verb.
Both are acceptable beyond any serious criticism. If no one should clearly mean “not one,” a singular verb follows. Examples: Neither the plates nor the serving bowl go on this shelf. Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go to this shelf. The answers follow our PDF worksheet below, which you can download and print for your students. . It is recommended to rewrite these sentences if possible. The previous sentence would read even better than: Consistent: Employees decide how they want to vote.
Employees decide how they want to vote. Cautious speakers and authors would avoid the singular and plural attributing it to staff in the same sentence. e) Everyone in the supermarket is looking for the missing girl. In these sentences, the introduction by correspondence and the bed & breakfast are compound names. (e) Each teacher …………….. ready to attend the meeting on weekends. f) Neither student ………….. now in the library. . Examples: Much of the cake has disappeared. Many cakes have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed. One third of the population is unemployed. All the cake is gone. All the cakes are gone. Part of the cake is missing. Some of the cakes are missing. . d) Someone ……………….. Tea shared on the tablecloth. And no matter how classroom curricula change, we`re still big proponents of sentence mapping.
With this classic but powerful tool, your students will be adept at success. ___ The director with all the actors works very hard. (c) Person ……………. Come to the party. We are still waiting. p) Some of the children in the playground ………………. Play hide and seek. (a) All ……………….
I read the fairy tale to the end. Embarrassing: Neither she, nor my friends, nor I go to the festival. Examples: I wish it was Friday. She asked him to raise his hand. Note: Subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English, but should still be used in formal oral and written expression. Writers, speakers, readers, and hasty listeners might overlook the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence: Right: A bouquet of yellow roses ready. (bouquet gives, not pink) d) Diabetes is very common in people who consume too much fast food. Examples: Staff participate in a meeting. The staff acts as a unit. The couple does not agree on the discipline of their child. The couple refers to two people acting as individuals. Better: Neither she, nor me, nor my friends go to the festival.
OR you, my friends and I don`t go to the festival. (q) One fifth of the cronfield …………….. destroyed by locusts. Examples: Three miles is too far away to walk. Five years is the maximum penalty for this crime. Ten dollars is a high price to pay. BUT ten dollars (i.e. dollar bills) were scattered across the ground.
g) Jeans ….. in the bathroom. . (n) Six times five times divided by two …………….. Fifteen. Exceptions: Breaking and entering is against the law. The bed and breakfast was lovely. Test yourself now or download the QUIZ PDFs and print them for later. Examples: There are four hurdles to overcome. There is a major hurdle to overcome. Here are the keys.. B.
Instructions: Decide whether the sentence is right or wrong. . Article 10[edit] The word that was replaced was in sentences that expressed a desire or contradicted the facts: o) Three-fifths of all the money ………….. already issued. They can be set up to succeed by making sure you`ve covered the different types of names first. Example: A car and a bicycle are my means of transport. Examples: The politician is expected with the journalists shortly. Excitement as well as nervousness are the cause of their tremors. Normally, his education would seem terrible to us.
However, in the second example, when a request is expressed, the subjunctive setting is correct. b) Some of the students ………………………. left the classroom for lunch. If possible, it is best to rephrase these grammatically correct but cumbersome sentences. Examples: My aunt or uncle arrives by train today. Neither Juan nor Carmen are available. .