O

OF S UTHER
E
DMMA COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

N
MA COLLE

PHIL INES
(Formerly Davao Merchant Marine Academy)

IPP
DM
Tigatto Road, Buhangin, Davao City, 8000
1993 Philippines

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MARINE TRANSPORTATION /

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MARINE ENGINEERING
ENGLISH 1 – COMMUNICATION SKILLS
DCSP-ACA-ME-CM-FBL-____

COURSE MODULE
(Paper-Based)

STUDENT’S COPY
Module Title Rules on Subject-Verb Agreement

Module Number Prelim- Module 3

Competence Develop communicative competence in English with emphasis on correct

grammar, effective reading, writing, and listening skills
Course Outcomes CO1. Construct grammatically correct sentences.

KUP 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the different skills needed in

KUP
constructing correct grammar and improve comprehension skills;
- Apply the different rules on Subject-Verb Agreement
Learning Outcomes

References

Baraceros, E.L. (2013). English Grammar for College Freshmen. Quezon

Essential Readings
City: Rex Bookstore (pp. 10-12)
Additional
Readings/Videos

Module Content

Introduction:

Subject-Verb Agreement simply means the subject and verb must agree in number. This means both
need to be singular or both need to be plural. (examples.yourdictionary.com)
 1. A singular noun used as a subject takes the singular form of verb; two nouns acting as a
compound subject take the plural form of the verb.
Examples:

Singular Subject: The college freshman does a research study.

Compound Subject: The student and the professor do a joint research work.

2. Compound subjects are joined by and, or, and nor. If the compound subject is considered as
one unit, or is modified by each or every, singular verb is used.

Examples:
Time and effort is what the cadet needs presently to continue his studies.
Every cadet and instructor appears eager to work together this semester.

3. If the subject consists of two nouns, and the article the precedes each of these, the verb must
be plural. But if the 2nd noun is not preceded by the, the verb must be singular.

Examples:
The BSMT Dean and Director of the school holds a conference with the student council.
The BSMT Dean and the Director of the school hold a conference with the student council.

4. Words like somebody, something, everything, someone, take a singular verb; all, both, many,
several, few, take a plural verb.

Examples:
Everybody executes higher-level learning strategies.
Several find the college freshmen responsible.

5. The expression the number takes the singular form of the verb, a number of takes the plural
verb.

Examples:
A number of cadets are at the covered court.
The number of protesters is not enough to convince us of their cause.

6. Many is plural; many a is singular.

Examples:
Many prefer to take up Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering.
Many a student prefers to take up Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering.

7. Subjects joined by either… or/ neither … nor are singular or plural depending on the subject
nearest the verb.

Examples:
Either the student or the professors are ready to answer the researchers’ questions.
Neither you nor she is knowledgeable of the answer to the question.
 8. The positive, not the negative idea in the sentence agrees in number with the verb.
Examples:
Your idea, not your classmates’ concepts, prevails over the group.
The questions, not the answer, are what you have to write on the board.

9. Nouns denoting quantity, fraction, percentage, or currency take singular verbs, but if they are
followed by the of-phrase, the object of the phrase determines the number of the verb.

Examples:
Seventy percent welcomes the 1st year cadets to the academy.
Seventy percent of your thinking implies positive attitude towards college learning.
Seventy percent of the college freshmen love to do higher-learning activities.

10. Nouns ending in s but singular in meaning are singular.

Examples:
Physics is what college freshmen prefer to research on.
Statistics shows an increase of first year cadets in this institution.

11. Nouns in pairs take plural verbs, except if the expression a pair of is used.

Examples:
Eyeglasses are needed by cadets who have eye impairment.
A pair of eyeglasses are on the instructor’s table.

12. A collective noun taken as one unit takes a singular verb; it is plural if every member of the
group is thought of as individual doing his or her own task.

Examples:
The family prays together at their family altar.
The family do their work early every Saturday.

13. Expressions like including, together with, plus, as well, in addition to, and accompanied by, do
not affect the number of the verb in the main subject of the sentence.

Examples:
The cadet, plus his friends, loves to spend his free time at the library.
The instructors, together with the dean, talk of higher learning thinking skills.

14. The verb agrees with the antecedent of the relative pronoun.

Examples:
One of the college cadets who wants to land in the Dean’s List is a scholar.
One of the cadets in this class lives in the school’s dormitory.
Does/Do

Singular Plural
First Person I do We do
Second Person You do You do
Third Person He/She/It does They do