Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
- josneywat
- Localização: Easton, Pennsylvania
- Membro desde: 23 Abr 2009, 20:42
- Perfil · 315 Pontos · 540 Mensagens
Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
1. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
Example: Paul and Mary are married
2. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by "or" or "nor", use a singular verb.
Example: The door is open, please come in.
3. When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by "or" or "nor", the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
Examples: Paul or his friends walk
4. Doesn't is a contraction of does not and should be used only with a singular subject. Don't is a contraction of do not and should be used only with a plural subject.
Example: He doesn't
We don't
5. Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.
Example: One of them is
The people who watch that TV program are,
6. The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.
Example: Each one of these books is
Everybody knows
Either is
7. Nouns such as civics, dollars, mathematics, measles, and news require singular verbs.
Example: Measles is a disease
8. Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs.
9. In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject follows the verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
Example: there are many questions
there is a question
10. Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, family, etc. In a very few cases, the plural verb is used if the individuals in the group are thought of and specifically referred to.
Example: the family has decided
11. Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
12. Sentences beginning with "there are" are usually in inverted order. Be sure the verb agrees with the subject. There is never a subject of the sentence in the true sense of the word.
1. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
Example: Paul and Mary are married
2. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by "or" or "nor", use a singular verb.
Example: The door is open, please come in.
3. When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by "or" or "nor", the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
Examples: Paul or his friends walk
4. Doesn't is a contraction of does not and should be used only with a singular subject. Don't is a contraction of do not and should be used only with a plural subject.
Example: He doesn't
We don't
5. Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.
Example: One of them is
The people who watch that TV program are,
6. The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.
Example: Each one of these books is
Everybody knows
Either is
7. Nouns such as civics, dollars, mathematics, measles, and news require singular verbs.
Example: Measles is a disease
8. Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs.
9. In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject follows the verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
Example: there are many questions
there is a question
10. Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, family, etc. In a very few cases, the plural verb is used if the individuals in the group are thought of and specifically referred to.
Example: the family has decided
11. Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
12. Sentences beginning with "there are" are usually in inverted order. Be sure the verb agrees with the subject. There is never a subject of the sentence in the true sense of the word.
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