Topic/Course

Subject Verb Agreement Error

Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)
Subject Topic/Course
Verb
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Bird (Singular) fly (Plural form of the verb)

Birds (Plural) flies (Singular form of the verb)
Dealing with Collective Nouns:
Topic/Course
The couple are taking separate cars to work today.
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)
A litter of kittens was born in the shelter.

The couple eats out once a month.

A litter of kittens have been running around the shelter making messes.
The Proximity Principle:

Topic/Course
Either John or his brothers are bringing the dessert
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Neither James nor the labourers are at work.

Not only the students but also the teacher is unhappy about the results.
The non-intervention principle:
Topic/Course
The mother of my friends is coming over.
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

The teacher as well as the students was working on the problem.

.
Items which always take singular verbs:
Everybody Anybody Somebody Nobody Each

EveryoneTopic/Course
Anyone Someone No one Either
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Everything Anything Something Nothing Neither

Each of the twenty articles has to be reviewed thoroughly.

Either of you has to complete the job by tonight.

Neither of them is permitted to provide official authorization

Some common and proper nouns ending in –s, including –ics nouns, are
singular.

Topic/Course
No news is good news.
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Physics is a difficult subject

Plural titles of books, plays, operas, films, etc., takes the singular
verb.

Great Expectations was written by Dickens.

The Pirates of Penzance is a lovely operetta.

Nouns occurring in sets of two take the singular when the noun pair
is present, but the plural when pair is absent - regardless of whether
one pair or more is being referred to.
Topic/Course
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)
A pair of trousers is on the sofa.
This pair of shoes needs new heels.

Todd’s trousers are on the sofa.

These shoes need new heels.
Fractions and percentages take the singular when they modify a
Topic/Course
mass noun and the plural when they modify a plural noun
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

One-half of the cake was eaten by Rhaegar.

Two-thirds of the students are not satisfied with the class.

One tenth of the population of Egypt is Christian (/are Christians).

Sums of money, periods of time, quantities.
Topic/Course
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Ten dollars is a high price to pay.

Twenty years is the maximum sentence for that offence.

Five litres is the maximum amount of fuel this vehicle can hold.
None.
Topic/Course
None of it is mine.
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

None of the debt has been paid.

None of the ballplayers were on the team bus after the game
‘The number of ’ is singular and ‘a number of ’ is plural:
Topic/Course
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

The number of students who took this test is fifteen.

A number of students are taking this test tomorrow

Confusion with majority and minority:
Topic/Course
The great majority
Sub-Topicis helpless.
(Example: name of college)

The majority was/were determined to press its/their victory

A majority of my friends advise it

The clausal Subject rule:
Topic/Course
What they want is revolutions
Sub-Topic (Example: name ofeverywhere.
college)

The fact that the children want friends doesn’t surprise me

Adjectives being used as nouns to describe people are considered
plural. Topic/Course
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

The poor are demanding more food.

The intelligent are not arrogant.

The rich are privileged.

When there is one subject and more than one verb, the verbs throughout
Topic/Course
the sentence must agree with the subject
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

Interviews are one way to collect data and allow researchers to gain
an in-depth understanding of participants.
In sentences beginning with there or here, the subject follows the
Topic/Course
verb. Since there/here is not the subject, the verb agrees with what
follows the verb.
Sub-Topic (Example: name of college)

There is little administrative support.

 QUESTIONS 1-5:
Directions for questions 1 to 5: Do the following have S-V errors? State Y if yes and
N if not.

1. Ram and I is running.

2. The Indian cricket team have won today.
3. Everyone have to be present tomorrow for class.
4. The number of times I have visited you in the hospital is something I have
lost count of.
5. Neither the boys nor the girl get the credit for doing this job.
 QUESTIONS 6-7:
Directions for questions 6 to 25: Identify the error and mark the option that
represents it.

6. Western culture have (A) / influenced many people in (B) / India in a very
powerful way. (C)
7.The Indian cricket team, (A) / once the perfect example for unity, (B) / is now
fighting (C) / amongst themselves. (D)
 QUESTIONS 8-12:
8. The teachers of the university expects all (A) students to follow rules and regulations
(B) laid down by the dean. (C)
9. All of (A) / the books, (B) / including yours, (C) / is in the box. (D)
10. My friend (A) / and his mother (B) / are in town. (C)
11. If anyone (A) / don’t like (B) / the music I’m playing, (C) / he or she can go
somewhere else. (D)
12.Neither Sachin Tendulkar nor V.V.S. Laxman, (A) / both of whom are batting (B) at
the crease at the moment, (C) / are capable of rescuing India’s innings. (D)
 QUESTIONS 13-15:
13. Among the many reasons for his defeat in the election (A) / were his arrogant
assumption that (B) / his constituents were incapable (C) / of understanding economic
conditions. (D)
14. These days, cell phones (A) has become a necessity (B) in everyone’s life. (C) 15. I
was (A) / so overcome with thirst (B) / that either of the drinks (C) / were fine with me.
(D)
 QUESTIONS 16-19:
16. Neither of the girls (A) / know that (B) / her teacher (C) / has seen the police report.
(D)
17. Of all the problems that have confronted (A) / human beings since (B) / the beginning
of recorded history, perhaps the most significant have been(C) / the riddle of their own
origin. (D)
18. Anyone who want (A) / to pursue (B) / higher education (C) / has to pass entrance
exams. (D)
19. The gymnastic team has been practicing (A) / for the last five years (B) / but are yet
(C) / to win a Gold medal. (D)
 QUESTIONS 20-22:
20. The captain, (A) / along with the team, (B) / practice at the nets (C) / every day. (D)
21. A recent national study of the public schools (A) / shows that (B) / there are now
one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, (C) / four times as many than there
were four years ago. (D)
22. His mastery of (A) / several sports and social graces (B) / make him (C) / a sought-
after prom date. (D)
 QUESTIONS 23-25:
23. The book, (A) / including all the innovative chapters (B) / in the first section, (C) / are
boring. (D)
24. Three hundred runs (A) / are no longer (B) / a difficult target (C) / to chase in ODI
cricket. (D)
25. Hardest hit (A) / by the high temperatures (B) / and drought (C) / was the farmers.
(D)
 QUESTION 26:
Choose the best option to correct the underlined part of the sentence(s).
26. In a shameless case of caste discrimination, eighteen families of the Rajasthan village
was denied water by upper caste members.
a. eighteen families in a Rajasthan village is denied water by upper caste members.
b. eighteen families in a Rajasthan village were denied water by upper caste members.
c. eighteen families in a Rajasthan village were denied water through upper caste members.
d. eighteen families in a Rajasthan village has denied water by upper caste members.
 QUESTION 27:
:Choose the best option to correct the underlined part of the sentence(s).
27. Even in the best circumstances, fierce competition from larger, more
established companies to broaden their customer bases make it difficult for small
concerns.
a. make it difficult for small concerned
b. make it difficult for the concerned small
c. makes it difficult for small concerns
d. makes them difficult to the small concern
 QUESTIONS 28:
Identify the error and mark the option that represents it.

28. A letter by Mark Twain, (A) / written in the same year as The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn were published, (B) / reveals that Twain provided financial assistance
(C) / to one of the first Black students at Yale Law School. (D)
 QUESTION 29:
Choose the best option to correct the underlined part of the sentence(s).

29. The information presented in the most recent reports indicate that turbulent
times lie ahead for those who have invested only in NASDAQ stocks.

a. indicates that turbulent times lie ahead for those who have invested only in NASDAQ
stocks.
b. indicate that turbulent times should lie ahead for those who have invested only in
NASDAQ stocks.
c. indicate that turbulent times lie ahead for those who have invested only in NASDAQ
stocks.
d. indicate that turbulent times are laying ahead for those who have invested only in
NASDAQ stocks.
 QUESTION-30:
30. The data being collected in the recent geological survey provide a strong indicator for engineers as they
consider the new well project, but its greatest importance might lie in how they affect the upcoming call by
those same engineers on whether to retrofit 111 skywalks in the survey zone.

a. The data being collected in the recent geological survey provide a strong indicator for engineers as they
consider the new well project, but its greatest importance
b. The data being collected in the recent geological survey are providing a strong indicator for engineers as they
consider the new well project, but their greatest importance
c. The data collected in the recent geological survey is providing a strong indicator for engineers as they consider
the new well project, but their greatest importance
d. The data collected in the recent geological survey provides a strong indicator for engineers in consideration of
the new well project, but its greatest importance
e. The data collected in the recent geological survey provide a strong indicator for engineers in consideration for
the new well project, but the greatest importance
 QUESTION-31:
31.There is a difference in the way the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” is used in business across
the continents; in the UK, “turn rate” refers to how rapidly the inventory acquisition and transaction
occurs whereas in Asia “turn rate” refers to a company’s income, known in the States as C.O.P.
a. way the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” is used in business across the continents; in the UK, “turn
rate” refers to how rapidly the inventory acquisition and transaction occurs whereas
b. use of the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” in business across the continents; in the UK, “turn rate”
refers to how rapidly the inventory acquisition and transaction occurs whereas
c. way the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” are used in business across the continents; in the UK,
“turn rate” refers to how rapidly the inventory acquisition and transaction occur since
d. usage of the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” in business across the continents; the rapidness of
inventory acquisition and transaction is called “turn rate” in the UK whereas
e. way the term “turn rate” and the term “C.O.P” are used in business across the continents; in the UK, the
rate at which the inventory acquisition and transaction occur are called “turn rate” whereas
 QUESTION-32:
32.Unlike falcons, which are highly conscious to atmospheric pressure, people have found that
paragliding require the use of a pseudo meter since detecting wind currents are impossible using
normal human motion sensitivity.

a. that paragliding require the use of a pseudo meter since detecting wind currents are impossible using
normal human motion sensitivity

b. the use of a pseudo meter crucial for paragliding since it is impossible to detect wind currents using
normal human motion sensitivity

c. that paragliding requires the use of a pseudo meter since detecting wind currents are impossible using
normal human motion sensitivity

d. paragliding to require the use of a pseudo meter due to the fact that detecting wind currents is not
possible with the use of normal human motion sensitivity

e. that paragliding requires the use of a pseudo meter since detected wind currents are impossible to handle
using normal human motion sensitivity
 QUESTION-33:
33. Estimated to be about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of
volume, Lake Suhana in Northern Ireland can hold about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of
the planet’s freshwater resources and harbours more than 1,000 unique species of
flora and fauna.
a. to be about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of volume, Lake Suhana
in Northern Ireland can hold about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of the planet’s freshwater
resources and harbours
b. to be about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of volume, Lake Suhana
in Northern Ireland holding about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of the planet’s freshwater
resources and harbour
c. to be about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of volume, Lake Suhana
in Northern Ireland can hold about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of the planet’s freshwater
resources and can harbour
d. as about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of volume, Lake Suhana in
Northern Ireland can hold about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of the planet’s freshwater
resources while harbouring
e. at about 17 million years old and ranking as the largest in the world in terms of volume, Lake Suhana in
Northern Ireland can hold about 6,100 cu.mi of water, roughly 19 percent of the planet’s freshwater
 QUESTION-34:
34. Most professional observers believe that despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information
sources, the financial success of the weekly magazine – or at least some of the weekly magazines – seem
secure for some time to come.

a. that despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information sources, the financial success of the weekly
magazine – or at least some of the weekly magazines – seem secure for some time to come
b. that, despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information sources, the financial success of the weekly
magazine – or at least some of them – seems secure for some time to come
c. that, despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information sources, the financial success of the weekly
magazine – or at least some of the weekly magazines – seems secure for some time to come
d. that the financial success of the weekly magazine – or at least some of the weekly magazines – seems secure
for some time to come, this is despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information sources
e. that the financial success of the weekly magazine – or at least some of the weekly magazines – seemed secure
for some time to come, despite the increasing popularity of new, digital information sources
 QUESTION-35:
35. Modern accounts of the life of Meruem, crowned emperor by Francis in 350, show that the founder of
the Biblical renaissance in painting and the arts was himself an illiterate driven by his passion for a
civilized state to reform art in his kingdom.

a. that the founder of the Biblical renaissance in painting and the arts was himself an illiterate driven by his
passion

b. that the founder of the Biblical renaissance in painting as well as in the arts was himself an illiterate and also
driven by his passion

c. that the founder of the Biblical renaissance in painting and the arts was himself an illiterate and that he was
driven by his passion

d. that the founder of the Biblical renaissance in painting as well as in the arts was himself an illiterate and that
he was driven by his passion

e. that the founder of the Biblical renaissance in painting and the arts was himself an illiterate and that his
passion drove him
THANK YOU