Grammar

z
Subject-Verb
Agreement
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Parts of a sentence:

Sentence

Subject Predicate
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sentence

subject predicate

Subject Subject complemen

word attribute verb object adverbial
t
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Subject word:
 Subject word is a pronoun or a noun.

 They live/lives in this city.

 He has/have knitted a sweater.

 Pronoun-verb agreement is very easy, but when the subject

has more than one pronoun, consider two things:

 Order of the Pronouns: (on the basis of ethical value)

 You, he and I (for positive job)

 I, he and you (for negative job)

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Pronoun-Verb agreement on the basis
of Connecting words:

 You, he and I are the part of this sacred alms

distribution. (and as key word)

 You or I am ready to help the people.(S2 Keyword)

 He as well as you is going to receive punishment.

(S1 Keyword)

 Either he or you plan to break the jail. (S2 Keyword)

 Clause
c t
j e ve
ub rd rb
S Wo
Usman was/were taking his medicine in the morning.
• Subject word is a Noun or a Pronoun

Five chairs was/were painted by the painter.

• Subject word is a noun or a pronoun
When the subject comprises a single
noun(singular or plural),the adjustment of
singularity or plurality of a of the verb is
not a problem.
• The police has/have arrested the thief.

The greater the number of nouns or noun

phrases in the subject, the greater the
chance of error in Verb-Agreement.
• The blessings of God boost/boosts our confidence.
• S1 + of+ S2+V+O(key words…. Connectors are important.
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1:Keyword: “And”

 S1+and+S2+Verb Plural

 Faran and Ali are studying English

under a tree.
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2: Keyword-AND( If S1 and S2 refer to
the same concept:

S1+and+S2+Verb Singular
Honor and glory is the reward of Galvanized efforts.

My friend and benefactor is dead.

Profit and loss is a part of business.

Bread and butter is not easy to earn now a days.

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3:Article + Adj/N+ and + Adj/N+ V
Sing:

 A white and red cow is/are grazing.

 The principal and science teacher has not come to school

today.

 A large and comfortable chair is needed in my study.

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4: A/An/the+ Adj/N+ and + a/an/the
+Adj/N +Verb plural

 A white and a red cow is/are grazing.

 The principal and the science teacher have not

come to school today.

 A large and a comfortable chair are needed in my

study.
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5: Each/every+S1+and+each/every+S2+V
singular.

 Each boy and each girl is present

today.
 Every man and every woman was
given a packet of sweets.
 Every teacher and every student has
got his share of the balance amount.
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Each or every:

 Each is used when you see the persons in

a group as individuals.
 Every is used when you see persons in a
group as a unit.
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6: Two and two:

 Two and two make four.(proverbial

usage:truth is truth/reality is reality)
 Two and two makes four.(Arithmatic
Calculations) just like: two and three is
five.
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7: Follow S1 when following keywords relate two
nouns:

 Of  But
 Unlike


 In addition to
.as well as

 No less than  Besides

 Nothing but
 Except
 With

 Along with  Rather than

 Together with
 Accompanied by
 And not

 But not
 like
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Exemplary Sentences:

 The teacher along with his students is here.

 I as well as he am a doctor.

 Ali like his brothers quarrels all the time.

 My friend and not his relatives was coming to the

ceremony.

 All the students except Ahmed were protesting.

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8: Follow S2when following keywords
relate two nouns:

 Neither-----nor

 Either--------or

 Not only---------- but also

 or
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Exemplary sentences:

 Neither Ahmed nor his parents were absent.

 Neither the director nor the chairman is interested in this plan.

 Either his friends or Ahmed was coming to the ceremony.

 Not only Ahmed but also his parents were in favor of Medical
field.

 Ahmed or Zahra has lost her notebook.

 Ahmed or his friends lost their books.

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Fraction of something:

1. Half of the-------

2. Quarter of the---------

3. Heap of---------

4. Heaps of---------

5. The rest of-------

6. Most of----------

7. A lot of/lots of-------

8. Some of----------

9. Two thirds of-----------

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Examples:

 Half of the plate is empty.

 Half of the plates are empty.

 A quarter of it is fresh.

 A quarter of them are fresh.

 There is heaps of time before the plane arrives.

 A lot of sugar has been sold.

 Two thirds of the students were absent.

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Following S2:

 Some of any of none of all of/all the most of/majority of

 SANAM: THIS MNEMONIC HELP US MEMORIZE THIS

RULE OF FRACTION RELATED TO S2.
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Examples: Mnemonic: SANAM

 Some of my arm was burnt. Some of my arms were burnt.

 All the milk was drunk by the cat.

 All the boys were present in the ceremony.

 The majority believes that the country can progress.

 A two-thirds majority of the parliamentarians is needed to make a

constituitional amendment.

 The majority of the lecturers believe that the student has not performed well.

 [Majority is taken both as singular and plural as per the situation.

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None of the; a special case:

 None of the class mates was listening to me.

 None of the classmates were listening to me.

 When ‘None’ means no one or not any, use whichever verb makes
more more sense.

 None of the printers are working.

 None of the printers is working.

 None of you are guilty.

 None of you is guilty.

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9: ( No+ any+ some+ every)+(body+ one+ where+ thing)16
words e.g. no body, no one 16+(each, either, neither)=19 words
With these 19 words singular verb is used.

 Anybody who comes onto the stage will get a chance to win a
return ticket to the U.K.

 Nothing costs higher than the wastage of time.

 Each sold the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a

gift for the other.
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10: Plural compound Noun referring to a
particular quantity is considered SINGULAR.

 Nouns indicating a specific time, money, and measurements (weight,

distance, and height) used as a whole are singular and take a singular verb.

 Four years was a long time.

 Sixty quintals is a huge weight.

 Fifty rupees is not a big amount.

 Fifteen minutes is allowed to each speaker.

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But when they are not used as a whole and are further
subdivided into smaller units we use a plural verb.

 Twenty thousand rupees is a handsome salary.

 Twenty thousand rupees have been spent on different

commodities.

 Fifteen minutes is enough time for revising the topic.

 Fifteen minutes are left in the paper.

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11: Names of countries are always
singular.

 Certain names like West Indies and United States may seem to
be plural as they end in ‘s’ , but they are also singular. But in
sports while referring to players, the name of country is followed
by plural verb. Examples:

 Pakistan have won the World Cup.

 Pakistan win by seven wickets.

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a. 12: Relative Pronoun follows its Antecedent in
agreeing to its verb(singular or plural)

a. Yasir who is my brother will help you.

b. I who am at your service should not be ignored.

c. The Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi is the place

which gives me a lot of inspiration.

d. I got a lot of impetus from the Quaid’s speeches

that are so popular.
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13: One of the+ Noun plural+ Verb singular

 One of the boys is absent.

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14: One of the+ Noun plural+ (who/which/that+
verb Plural)+ Verb Singular + object

 He is one of the boys who are absent.

 One of the scientists who study culture is

coming here.
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15:Only+One of the + Noun Plural+(who/which/that
+Verb Singular)+ Verb Singular + object

 He is only one of the boys who is absent.

 I am only one of the residents who

protests.
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16: A number of + Noun Plural+ Verb Plural

 A number of students are out of the campus.

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17: The number of+ N plural + Verb singular

 The number of students is rising in the college.

 The number of students has paid their fee.

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18: A great many + N plural + V plural + plural
possessive

 A great many soldiers have participated in wars

to please their gods.

 A great many miscreants were arrested with

weapons in their hands.
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19: Many a+ N singular + Verb singular + Singular
possessive.

 Many a soldier has met his death.

 Many a student is getting rid of old methods of

cramming.
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20: Collective Nouns + V singular

A band of A chain of A range of A galaxy of A series of

A team of A herd of A bevy of A set of A crowd of
(flock)
A regiment A flock of A class of A batch of a list of
of
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Collective Nouns + verb singular:

 A band of singers has performed well.

 A regiment soldiers was fighting against the

enemy.
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21: Clear Reference:

 Bilal and Ali were going on the road where he saw an

accident.

INCORRECT( ‘he’; a confusing pronoun)

 Bilal and Ali were going on the road where Bilal / Ali /
the latter/ the former saw an accident.
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22: ‘Means’ and ‘Wages’ take plural verb when used
in the sense of income, salary or finance.

 His wages are low.

 His means of income are poor.

 The wages in IT are higher than the national

average.

 His means are more then adequate.

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But: in the sense of “a way to an end,” means may be
treated as either a singular or plural.

 It is singular when referring to a particular strategy or method:

 The best means of securing the cooperation of the builders is to

appeal to their self-interest.

 Means of transportation has/ have improved in recent times.

 It is plural when it refers to a group of startegies or methods:

 The most effective means for dealing with the drug problem have
generally been those suggested by the affected communities.

 There are no means to listen to what he is saying.

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Something more about “Means”:

 Means is most often followed by of e.g. a means

of noise reduction.

 But ‘for’ , ‘to’, and ‘toward’ are also used: a

means for transmitting sound;

 A means to an end;

 A means towards achieving quality.

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23: Wages + singular verb ( if taken as reward or
outcome of something)

 Wages of sin is hell.

 Wages of his lifelong struggle is the outcome of

sagacity.
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24:when the enemy is used in the sense of armed
forces of a nation with which one’s country is at war,
we have to use the plural verb.

 The enemy were forced to retreat.

 The enemy were pushed back into their own

areas by the Pakistan Army.
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25: The + Adj + Plural Verb

 The poor need our help.

 The beautiful are proud.

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26: The + language name (refers to a nation) + Plural
Verb

 The English are a hardworking nation.

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27: The + Family name (plural) + Plural Verb

 The James Dillingham Youngs were proud of two

thongs.

 The Ahmads are visiting us this evening.

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28: Subject name as personal skill takes plural verb.

 His mathematics are weak.

 His economics to run the affairs of the home are

not laudable.