UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

COLLEGE OF LAW

Legal English I
GRAMMAR AND USAGE
When I hear the hypercritical quarreling about grammar and style, the position of
the particles, etc., stretching or contracting every speaker to certain rules of
theirs I see that they forget that the first requisite and rule is that expression
shall be vital and natural, as much as the voice of a brute or an interjection: first
of all, mother tongue; and last of all, artificial or father tongue. Essentially your
truest poetic sentence is as free and lawless as a lambs bleat.
(Henry David Thoreau)
Grammar is the logic of speech, even as logic is the grammar of reason.
(Richard Chenevix Trench)
Its not wise to violate the rules until you know how to observe them. (T.S. Eliot)

I. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
A. A singular subject takes a singular verb; while a plural subject takes a
plural verb.
The complainant, as well as the witnesses, was present.
The complainants, as well as the judge, were present.
To settle for less than victims hospitalization expenses is not possible.
Your granting our requests is most appreciated.
Notes:
1. The following are generally considered singular, and take singular verbs:
Each, either, neither, one, someone, anyone, everyone, nobody,
somebody, much, anybody, everyone
2. The following are plural and take plural verbs:
Both, few, many, several
3. The following may be singular or plural depending on the meaning intended:
All, most, some, every, none, any, half, more
(i.e. singular when taken as a unit, e.g. All is calm,;
plural when the members are considered separately, e.g. All are
going to the beach.)
4. A conjunctive-compound subject is usually plural.
The plaintiff and the defendant agree to refer the matter to mediation.
What your sister wants and what my brother wants are poles apart.
5. Each may be plural, if the subject is plural rather than a compound of
singular nouns or pronouns.

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The speakers each have three minutes to explain their positions.

6. Adjectives used as a noun to represent a class (class adjectives) are plural.
Unlike a collective noun which represents the whole and taken singularly, a
collective adjective represents no singular entity, but rather the assemblage of
individual members, hence, taken as plural subjects.
The beautiful are a class by themselves.
The coward die before they die.
7. Plural-form nouns are taken in the plural sense; plural verbs are therefore
used.
The scales of justice tip for both rich and poor.
World War II pliers were used during the extraction.
Your pants (slippers/eyeglasses/scissors) are colorful.

B. PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
Prepositional phrases that come in between the subject and the verb do not
affect subject-verb agreement.
One of my friends is attending the party.
A panel consisting of three doctors, two university professors, and four
lawyers is going to conduct the interview.
Only one in three is expected to oppose the motion.
A faction of the 14 member board is questioning the report.

C. DEPENDENT CLAUSES
There may be separate noun-verb agreements in dependent clauses but these
should not affect the agreement of the main subject and verb.
Not one among the senior citizens of the City who are taking the
medicine is complaining.

D. COMPOUND BUT REFERRING TO ONE THING

Compound words that refer to one thing is singular and take singular verbs.
Rice and fish is his favorite breakfast.
Barong Tagalog and black pants is the official attire.
To convince clients to settle and make peace with his neighbors is my
lifes goal.

E. SINGULAR COMPOUNDS THAT APPEAR PLURAL

When a singular subject is joined by prepositions to other nouns or pronouns
(e.g. as well as, along with, together with, but not, etc.), the subject remains
singular taking a singular verb.

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The Dean, together with other faculty members, continues to encourage

students to study alternative dispute resolution.
The school president, not to mention the other members of the board, is
of the opinion that law students should all have office internships.
F. COMPOUND SUBJECTS MODIFIED BY EACH OR EVERY IS
SINGULAR.
Every Aida, Lorna, and Fe in this institution is a candidate.
Each and every Aida, Lorna, and Fe is great.

G. SINGULAR MEASUREMENTS BUT PLURAL IN APPEARANCE

Mass noun phrases of measurements as well as names and titles in plural form
are singular.
Three blocks is great for exercise.
Fifteen days is the companys annual vacation leave.
Paramount Pictures is my favorite studio.
Three hundred pesos is all I ask.
The Last Mohicans is a good movie.
The United Nations has only a few large states.

H. COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Collective nouns are singular if the action is collective but plural if the action is
individual. Example of collective nouns: staff, committee, band, personnel, etc.
The team deliberates on its strategy. (collective, hence, singular)
The team have their individual differences. (individual, hence, plural)

I. NAMES OF SCIENCE OR THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION

When the name of a science ending in ics is used to refer to the discipline itself
(e.g. economics, mathematics, statistics), the same is singular; when the
practical application of the field is referred, the same becomes plural.
Economics is his favorite subject.
The economics of studying abroad force Filipino students to become
frugal.

J. DISJUNCTIVE COMPOUNDS
If the subject is a disjunctive compound (joined by or or nor), the verb should
agree with the element of the compound closest to the verb.
Neither the prosecutors nor the accused is ready for trial.
Neither the accused nor the prosecutors are ready for trial.
Either he or I am taking the examination tomorrow.
Either I or he, but not both, is taking the examination tomorrow. #end#

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