Grammar I

Concord and agreement Practice

1- Select the appropriate verb form given in brackets at the end of each sentence, and write it down
in the blank space.

1. Surgeons in the US successfully __________ clouded vision or outright blindness by transplanting about
10,000 corneas a year. (alleviate, alleviates)
2. The congregation __________ mainly of factory workers. (consist, consists)
3. Analysis with the aid of computers __________ those accounts that appear to be conduits for drug money.
(select, selects)
4. What makes the situation serious __________ that no new antibiotics have been discovered in the past 15
years. (is, are)
5. Riding a bicycle in London __________ courage and agility. (demands, demand)
6. Each __________ capable of the first 90 minutes of sustained high-altitude running. (is, are)
7. He was fascinated by the stories in the Old Testament that __________ history to be determined by chance
meetings and by small, personal incidents. (show, shows)
8. The job of establishing sufficient controls and measurements so that you can tell what is actually happening to
athletes __________ tediously complex. (is, are)
9. Both science and medicine __________ to preparing athletes for competition. (contribute, contributes)
10. The only equipment they work with __________ a blackboard and some chalk. (is, are)
11. One area of research that shows great promise __________ genetics. (is, are)
12. The Producers __________ the most widely praised Broadway show in decades. (is, are)
13. The blind __________ not want pity. (does, do)
14. These are not the conclusions that she __________ from her survey of the current economic policies of
countries in the European Union. (draw, draws)
15. Where he went wrong __________ in the arbitrary way he allowed dialect to pepper his narrative. (was, were)
16. The extraordinary __________ described as though it were ordinary. (is, are)

2- These sentences form a connected passage. The base form of a verb is given in brackets at the end of
each sentence. Write down the appropriate form of the verb in the blank space.

1. The young woman now sitting in the dermatologist’s waiting room __________ an itchy rash. (have)
2. The rash on her elbows and legs __________ due to an allergic reaction. (be)
3. There are many allergies that __________ rashes. (cause)
4. The existence of allergies __________ known long before scientists had any understanding of their nature. (be)
5. The nature of allergy __________ still not fully understood. (be)
6. The victims of allergy seldom die and seldom __________. (recover)
7. There __________ nothing like an itchy rash for wearing a person down. (be)
8. Some allergies, such as asthma, __________ no external cause. (have)
9. Others __________caused by contact with a foreign substance. (be)
10. The young woman’s allergy __________ brought about by contact with copper. (be)

3 – Choose the correct form of the verb and state the principle applied in each case.

a. Although Eric and Martin were both born in Verona, neither of them speak/speaks in Italian.
b. Every book on the shelf was/were a detective story.
c. None of the books were by Agatha Cristie.
d. New statistics show/shows that the economy is growing.
 Grammar I

e. Crimes and Punishments is/are an upcoming investigation game in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes
series developed by Frogwares.
f. Measles causes/cause fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body.
g. What you both see and hear have/has an enormous impact.
h. So many people killed in earthquakes and ciclones is/are tragic.
i. Macaroni and cheese is/are the most popular dish among the children in the US.