1. PEL101- COMMUNICATION SKILLS-I
LECTURE-5
Subject-Verb Agreement
WEEK-3
DESIGNED BY ANUDEEP KAUR BEDI
ID-13654

2. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
A sentence is made up of three parts.
SUBJECT: What or whom the sentence is about.
VERB: What the subject did or is.
The REST: Everything else in the sentence.

3. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
EXAMPLES
Rachel talks on the phone during her break.
Karen types on her computer every day.
Iris changes her clothes to suit the weather.
The private investigator is below average.

4. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subjects and verbs must agree in the following way:
SINGULAR subjects require SINGULAR verbs .
PLURAL subjects require PLURAL verbs.

5. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Examples
1. Rachel understands the process very well.
2. The students understand the process very well.
3. Jared calls his manager every day.
4. The employees call their manager every day.

6. DID YOU SEE THAT? SINGULAR VERBS end with –s
PLURAL VERBS don’t end with s?

7. Some pronouns are singular.
Someone Somebody
Something Another
Anybody Anyone
Anything Nobody
No one Nothing
Everybody Everyone
Everything Either
Neither Each
Much One

8. Some pronouns are plural .
Examples:
1. Few students miss calculus lectures on Monday.
2.Several students know the answer.
3.Many are already raising their hands.
4.Others have not read the chapter.

9. Some pronouns can be either singular or plural
All
Most
None
Half of

10. Underline the subject and verb in each sentence.
Label the following sentences as S for singular or P for plural
1. Some of the meat is spoiled.
2. Some of the cookies have been eaten.
3. Most of the money is still in the safe.
4. Most of the coins have been stolen.
5. None of the cheerleaders are happy.
6. Half of the assignments are late

11. ANSWERS
1. Some of the meat is spoiled. S 2.Some of the cookies have been eaten. P 3.Most of the money is still in the safe. S 4.Most of the coins have been stolen. P 5.None of the cheerleaders are happy. P 6.Half of the assignments are late. P

12. Somebody (move, moves) my morning paper nearly every morning.
EXERCISE- Identify the subject of the sentence by underlining it once. Then underline the correct verb for that subject.
Somebody (move, moves) my morning paper nearly every morning.
2. Both (argue, argues) on the phone.
3. Some pizza (has, have) been saved for later.
4. Half of the answers(was, were) correct.
5. Half of the assignment(is, are) already complete.
6. Most of the ice (melt, melts) in the spring.
7. Neither of the employers who interviewed me last week (has, have) called with the results of their interviews.
8. A small group of parents (hope, hopes) to meet on Sunday to discuss travel arrangements for their seniors touring Southeast Asia in the fall.

13. ANSWERS Somebody (move, moves) my morning paper nearly every morning.
Both(argue, argues) on the phone.
3. Some pizza(has, have) been saved for later.
4. Half of the answers(was, were) correct.
5. Half of the assignment (is, are) already complete.
6. Most of the ice (melt, melts) in the spring.
7. Neither of the employers who interviewed me last week (has, have) called with the results of their interviews.
8. A small group of parents (hope, hopes) to meet Sunday to discuss travel arrangements for their seniors touring Southeast Asia in the fall.

14. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subjects in the first and second person take plural verbs, as does the third person plural.
The third person singular takes a singular verb, as illustrated in the chart below.
Person Singular Plural
First I eat We eat
Second You eat You eat
Third He /She/it eats They eat
The bird eats Birds eat

15. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Example (singular subject):
The cat lives on Lake Street.
S V
Example (plural subject):
The cats live on Lake Street.
S V

16. Indefinite pronouns as subjects
The following indefinite pronouns are singular and take singular verbs.
anyone, everyone, someone, either one
anybody everybody somebody neither no one
anything everything something another each
anyone
everyone
someone
either
one
anybody
everybody
somebody
neither
No one
anything
everything
something
another
each

17. Examples 1)Everyone is anxious to meet the new boss.
2) Someone in the game was hurt.
3)Neither of the men is working.
4)Everyone has done his or her homework.
5) Somebody has left her purse
6) Each does a good deal of work around the office.

18. Indefinite pronouns as subjects
The following pronouns are plural and take a plural verb
Examples: 1) Both girls are pretty.
2)Several were encouraged to continue the discussion.
3) Few roses were still blooming.
Both
Few
Many
Several

19. Indefinite pronouns as subjects
Some indefinite pronouns may be either singular or plural:
with uncountable, use singular;
with countable, use plural.
Example: Some of the sugar is on the floor.
Some of the marbles are on the floor.
Some
Any
None
All
Most

20. Indefinite pronouns as subjects
Examples: All of the children were late. None of the engines are working. Most of the news is good. Most of the flowers were yellow.

21. EXERCISE-- Pick the correct verb form
Each of the girls (look-looks) good on skis.
2.Everybody (was-were) asked to remain quiet.
3.Neither of the men (is-are) here yet.
4.(Is-Are) each of the girls ready to leave?
5.Several of the sheep (is-are) sick.
6.Some members of the faculty (is-are) present.
7.Nobody in the class (has-have) the answer.
8.Each of the girls (observe-observes) all the regulations.
9.All of the pizza (was-were) gone.
10.Most of the seats (was-were) taken.

22. ANSWERS 1)looks 2)was 3) is 4)is 5)are 6)are 7)has 8)observes
9 )was ) were

23. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Collective Nouns (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) may be singular or plural, depending on meaning. When they refer to a group of people or things as one unit, they take a singular verb. When they refer to the individuals within a group, they take a plural verb.

24. Examples of collective nouns
Audience
Family
Orchestra
Band
Team
Committee
Class
Group
Crowd
Jury

25. Examples: of collective nouns both as singular and plural
1. The orchestra is playing a hit song. (Orchestra is considered as one unit—singular.)
1a. The orchestra were asked to give their musical backgrounds. (Orchestra is considered as separate individuals—plural)
2. The jury was reentering the courtroom.(acting as one unit)
2a. The jury were discussing their opinions of the trial. (acting as individuals within a group)

26. Singular nouns though they appear plural
The following nouns are singular, although they appear to be plural.
As the subject of a sentence, they take a singular verb.
Example:
Mumps is a disease of the salivary glands
The News from the front is bad.
Civics
Athletics
Genetics
News
Mumps
Physics
Politics
Series
Measles
United States
Economics
Mathematics

27. Plural in appearance and are plural nouns ..
Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs)
unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).
Examples:
My glasses were on the bed.
2) My pants were torn.
3) A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.
4) The pliers are in the toolbox.
5) The pair of pliers is in the toolbox.
6) The pair of scissors is on the table.

28. EXERCISE--- Circle the correct verb in each of the sentences below.
Margo and her parents (visit-visits) each other often.
2. Either the cups or the glasses (are-is) in the dishwasher.
3. Vern and Fred (need-needs) a ride to work.
4. There (is-are) a dog, a cat, and a bird in the garage.
5. Neither Matt nor his brothers (was-were) at the party.
6. Here into the main ring of the circus(come-comes) the trained elephants.
7. Either the workers or the boss (deliver-delivers) the merchandise.
8. The committee (work-works) hard for better schools.

29. EXERCISE 9. There (is-are) many things to do before the holidays.
10. The jury (was-were) polled for their verdicts.
11. Here (is-are) the nails you need for the projects.
12. Either Joyce or Ellen (was-were) here.
13. The United States (is-are) a country of contrast.
14. A magazine and a book (was-were) lying on the floor.
15. The family (is-are) occupied with their individual problems

30. ANSWERS 1)Visit 2)are 3)need 4) are 5)were 6)come
7)delivers 8)works ) are
10)were )are )was
13) is )were 15)are

31. SOME Rules to remember
A. Expressions of time, money, measurement, and weight are usually singular when the amount is considered one unit.
EXAMPLES
Five dollars is (not are) too much to ask.
Ten days is (not are) not nearly enough time.
B. Some nouns, while plural in form, are actually singular in meaning.
Examples:
Mathematics is (not are) an easy subject for some people.
Physics is (not are) taught by Prof, Baldwin.

32. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
C. Don’t and Doesn’t must agree with the subject. Use doesn’t after he, she, it.
Examples:
Doesn’t he (not don’t) know how to sail?
They don’t (not doesn’t) make movies like that anymore.

33. EXERCISE-- Circle the correct verb in each of the sentences below.
1. Mumps (is-are) one of the most uncomfortable diseases. 2. One hundred dollars (is-are) not a lot of money to some people. 3. She (doesn’t-don’t) look very well today. 4. Twenty minutes (is-are) the amount of time it takes me to get home from work. 5. It (doesn’t-don’t) seem so cold today. 6. Gymnastics (is-are) easy for Angela. 7. Interesting news (is-are) what sells our paper. 8. A pound of cookies (cost-costs) about a dollar. 9. They (doesn’t-don’t) think they’ll win the game tonight. 10. He (don’t-doesn’t) speak very well.

34. ANSWERS
1. Is 2. is 3. doesn’t 4. is 5. doesn’t 6. is 7. Is 8. costs 9. don’t 10. doesn’t

35. PRACTICE EXERCISE-- Write the correct verb in the blank to the left of each sentence
1.____ Everybody (was-were) asked to be quiet. 2.____ In a marathon, few of the starters (finishes-finish) the race. 3._____ Sixty days (is-are) not enough time to complete the project. 4._____ All of the workers (is-are) receiving their bonus. 5._______On our street (is-are) many tall trees. 6.________ It (don’t-doesn’t) make any difference. 7._______ The value of cars and motorcycles (has have) increased. 8._______ The principal and her husband (is-are) honored guests. 9._________________ Either the pitcher or the base runners (was-were) caught napping. 10. _______ One of my friends (believe-believes) in E.S.P

36. 11._______ Have you ever heard the expression, “No news (is-are) good news?” 12.________There (was-were) several dents in the car. 13._______ Louise (doesn’t-don’t) want to drive that long distance. 14.________ Either Luis or Horace (pay-pays) the bills in our house. 15.________ A boy and a girl (were-was) here to see you. 16.________ The box of apples (is-are) on the porch. 17._______Some of the job applicants (is-are) expected to pass the difficult screening test. 18._______The army (is-are) conducting maneuvers in March. 19.___________ Here (come-comes) the family now. 20.________ Neither of us (is-are) going to work.

37. 21. _______ (Doesn’t-Don’t) they know when to quit. 22
21._______ (Doesn’t-Don’t) they know when to quit? 22.________ Thirty minutes (is-are) the time limit for the test. 23._______ Measles (is-are) a disease most children experience. 24. _______ The class (is-are) turning in their registration forms today. 25.________ Beyond the mountains (is-are) a fertile valley.