Subject-Verb Agreement is the suitability of the verb (work) with the subject of the sentence in terms of numbers, namely: singular or plural .The subject can be noun, pronoun, or another construction acting as noun, such as gerund and infinitive. Basically, the singular subject uses singular verb, while the plural subject uses plural verb.
- General Subject-Verb agreement
Generally in the form of simple present tense, singular verb is in the form of base form / bare infinitive (basic form of verb) with added ending -s / -es. As for plural verbs without ending -s / -es added (on the contrary, plural subjects are added ending -s / -es). This verb rule applies also to the subject in the form of a third person (third person, for example: Ricky, Anna) and all personal pronoun (they, we = plural; he, she, it = singular), except I and you. Even though it is a single subject, I and you are paired with plural verbs.
If the verb in the verb "to be", am is paired with I, is with a singular subject except I and you, and are with plural subject and you.
Whereas in past tense, there is no difference in the form of verbs in terms of numbers (singular or plural) the subject of sentences, all in verb-2, unless the verb used is a verb "to be" was-were. Was for singular subjects except you, and were for you and plural subject.
- Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.
In present tenses, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways:
nouns ADD an s to the singular form,
BUT
verbs REMOVE an s from the singular form
- Indefinite pronouns as subjects
- Singular
indefinite pronoun subjects take singular verbs.
Singular :
each, either, neither, one, no one, nobody, nothing, anyone, anybody, anything,
someone, somebody, something, everyone, everybody, everything.
- Plural indefinite pronoun subjects take plural
verbs.
PLURAL: several, few, both, many
- Some indefinite pronouns may
be either singular or plural: with uncountable,
use singular; with countable, use plural.
EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL: some, any, none, all, most
SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT RULES
Singular – Plural
If
the subject is singular, then use singular verb.
· - Novita go to
school.
· -The cat eats fish.
· - She reads a
book.
If the subject is plural, then use plural verb.
· - The students go to
school.
· - The cats eat fish.
· - They read book.
If
there is a prepositional phrase, the subject is before the preposition.
· False: The door (at the houses) are broken.
· true: The door (at the houses) is broken.
Explanation:
At the houses' is a prepositional phrase. Then the subject in the sentence
above is the door, and the verb used is is.
If there are more than one prepositional phrases, the
subject is before the first preposition.
· false: The meeting (of the teachers) (in the school) begin at 10 a.m.
· true: The meeting (of the teachers) (in the school) begins at
10 a.m.
Explanation:
‘Of the teachers, in the school" are prepositional phrases. Then the
subject in the sentence above is the meeting, and the verb used is begins.
When
two subjects are connected with "and", then use plural verb.
· The cars and motorcycles park in
front of the building.
· Rina and Rini are
playing guitar together.
If
there are expressions of quantity (all, most, or some) followed by the
preposition 'of', then the subject can be singular or plural, depending on the
noun after the preposition.
· - All (of
the flower) grows beautifully.
· - All (of
the flowers) grow beautifully.
· - Most (of
the student) arrives at school.
· - Most (of
the students) arrive at school.
· - Some (of
the cake) has been eaten.
· - Some (of
the cakes) have been eaten.
-
Agreement after Certain Words
Certain
words in English are words that are always single (singular) grammatically, but
may have plural
meanings.
· - false: Everybody in library are reading the book.
· - true: Everybody in library is
reading the book.
Explanation:
Although we understand that there are many people who read books in the
library, the word everybody is singular and requires a singular verb which is
reading.
Some
of the certain words below have a singular form, so you must use a singular
verb:
· Everyone eat / eats meatball.
· Someone has / have to work hard.
· Anything are / is possible.
· Each flower
in the pot grow / grows beautifully.
· Every boy
and girl plays / play at
playground everyday. *
In
that sentence, we don't care how many singular noun (boy, girl) are connected
by ‘and‘. Subject (every) remains singular, it requires a singular verb
(plays).
2. Interrupting Phrase
An
interrupting phrase is a phrase that interferes in determining the subject.
Some interrupting phrases include:
· false: Nina, together with her friends, are cleaning the room.
· true: Nina, together with her friends, is cleaning
the room.
Explanation:
The subject in the sentence is Nina, so the verb used is is,
while together with her friends is an interrupting phrase.
· false: The dogs, as well as the paint, are a mammal.
· True: The dogs, as well as the paint, are mammals.
Explanation:
The subject in the sentence is the dogs, so the verb used is are, while as well
as the cat is an interrupting phrase.
Source
:
2. choose the correct form of the
verb in parentheses in the following sentences
Answer :
1. John along with
twenty friends,(are) planning a party.
2. The picture of the
soldiers (brings) back many memories.
3. The quality of
these recordings (are) not very good.
4. If the duties of
these officers (aren't) reduced,there will not be enough time
to finish the project
5. The effects of
cigarette smoking (have) been proven to be extremely harmful.
6. The use of credit
cards in place of cash (has) increased rapidly in recent
years.
7. Adverstisements on
television (are) becoming more competitive than ever before.
8. Living expenses in
this country,as well as in many others,(are) at an all-time high.
9.
Mr.Jones,accompanied by several members of the committee,(has) proposed
some changes of rules.
10. The levels of
intoxication (varies) from subject to subject
