CHAPTER 8 SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT > This agreemtent means that the subject and verb must be alike in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject requires a plural verb. Bl Singular and Plural Subjects 1.1 A singular subject requires a singular verb. Examples: Jade is playing outside. © Allan teaches geometry. 1.2 Aplural subject requires a plural verb. Examples: ' © The students are going ona field trip. © Weare takinga break. 1.3 A phrase or clause that comes between a subject and its verb does not affect subject- verb agreement. Examples: * The leader of the kidnappers was killed in the encounter. * The guards whom the organizer hired to maintain peace and order were responsible for that incident. HH Compound Subjects 2.1 Subjects joined by OR or NOR a. When both parts of a compound subject joined by OR or NOR are singular, a singular verb is required. Examples: © Marianne or Michelle ts attending the soiree. © Themother orthe father is requested to pin the medat on the honor graduate. b. When both parts of a compound subject joined by OR or NOR are plural, a plural verb is required. Examples: © The parents or their chtildren were present.* The men or the women are representing their departments ¢. When one or more singular subjects are joined to one or more plural subjects by OR or NOR, the verb should agree with the nearest subject. Examples: * Diane, Duane, or the girls are going to market. ° * Either the boys or Val is going to play basketball. 2.2 Subjects joined by AND a. Acompound subject joined by AND is generally plural and requires a plural verb. Examples: + Hysper and her brothers are kind people. * Gordon's fiin and Chicago Bulls are our favorite basketball teams, b. The following ate the exceptions. (4) If the parts of the compound subject joined by AND are thought ofas one item or unit, a singular verb is required. Examples: + Track and field is my favorite athletic event. © Ham and cheese is my usual breakfast. (2) If the word EVERY or EACH comes before a compound subject, a singular verb is also needed Examples: * Every man, woman, and child was tested for the virus. * Each student and guardian is requested to participate in the school activity. (3) ifthe parts of the compound subject refer to the same person, place, thing, or event, it is singular and therefore requires a singular verb. Examples: * The owner and manager of the construction firm is her husband. (The owner and manager is the same person.) The presentation and coronation night of the muses is one of the main events in the town fiesta,Hl Confusing Subjects Amounts and Measurements ‘A noun denoting an amount or measurement is usually singular and needs a singular verb. Examples: «Ten thousand pesos is all | need for my shopping spree. + Twelve feet is the depth of the swimming pool at the resort. 32 Collective Nouns . a When a collective noun is thought of as a single unit, a singular verb is required. Examples: * The ceam is going to win in the championship game. , © The committee has decided on the issue of his expulsion. b. When afollective noun is thought of as composed of many individuals, a plural verb is heeded Examples: + The jury have been deliberating on the verdict for hours but they haven't agreed upon it yet. * Allthe Cabinet have been given a memorandum. 33 Hard-to-find Subjects a. In cases where the subject is preceded by its verb, the verb should still agree with the subject, not with the word, phrase, or clause that comes before it. Examples: + On top ofthe table are three apples. * There Isa pine tree beside the house. b. The subject of an interrogative sentence must agree with the verb. Examples * Does the boy go to rehearsals everyday? * Do the boys go to rehearsals everyday? + Has everybody found a partner? * Have all the boys found their partners? 34 Indefinite Pronouns a, Singular indefinite pronouns like anyone, everyone, someone, anybody, everybody, nobody, and somebody, require singular verbs.Examples: * Everyone is expected to submit his project on time. © Someone is knocking at the door. b. Plural indefinite pronouns like both, few, many, others, and several require plural verbs. Examples: + Several of the contract workers were sent home. = Both of the suspects are missing. ¢. The pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some require singular verbs if the noun they refer to is singular, and plural verbs ifthe noun is plural. Examples: + Allof the book was ruined. * Allofthe cubicles were occupied. 3.5 Plural-looking Nouns Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning require singular verbs. Examples: © Mathematics is my favorite subject. * Semantics is the study of meanings in language. 3.6 “Always Plural” Nouns Some nouns are always plural and should have plural verbs. Examples: ‘* The tweezers are on top of my dresser. * Grandfather's eyeglasses were lost. 3.7 Subjects of Linking Verbs A linking verb should agree with its subject, not with its predicate nominative or subjective complement. Examples: * One reason for drug addiction is broken families. * Broken families are one reason for drug addiction. 3.8 Titles Atitle ofa poem, article, essay, story, or novel is singular and requires a singular verb, Examples: © “Little Women” is a touching novel by Louisa May Alcott.+ Victor Hugo's “Les Miserables” is a dramatic and powerful social document about the French Revolution. 3.9 Anumber and the number a. A numbers always plural. It means many. Example + Anumber of students were arrested after the police dispersed the rally b. The number is always singular. It refers to.a particular number. Example: + The number of students arrested during the rally was not disclosed, 3.10 Matheimaticad Expressions Expressions used in mathematical equations are always singular. Examples: + Oile plus seventeen equals eighteen. «~The square root of sixteen is four. 3.11 Mass Nouns and Count Nouns a Count nouns are nouns with definite numbers and thus can either be plural or singular. Examples; + The student is busy studying his lessons. + . The students are busy studying their lessons Mass nouns are nouns with an indefinite number and thus are always singular except when they are preceded by plural counters. Examples: + The water in the jar is contaminated, * The bottles of water in the storehouse are contaminated 3.12 Fractions and Percentages Fractions and percentages are dependent upon the noun found in the “of phrase” Examples * Three-fourths of the earth’s surface is water. * Three-fourths of all students in the school are male. «Fifteen percent of the solution is made up of water. © Fifteen percent of the respondents are female.