Download Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb
Agreement
A short description
Agenda
Definition: Finding Subjects and Verbs
 Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement
 Case1: Everybody/ Nobody
 Case2: “Of” Constructions
 Case3: Either/Neither
 Case4: A Common Problem
 Exercise

Definition: Finding Subjects and Verbs
 A subject is the answer to the question “Who is
doing the action in the sentence?”
 A verb is the answer to the question, “What is the
action in the sentence?”
The subject and the verb are placed together most of
the time subject
verb
verb
After the solution has etched the
copper surface for 30 minutes, we are
going to apply a new compound.
subject
Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement
The principle:
 A singular subject demands a singular verb
 A plural subject demands a plural verb.
subject
verb
singular
verb
After the solution has etched the
copper surface for 30 minutes, we are
plural
going to apply a new compound.
subject
Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement
For a present tense sentence, you can’t have
two –s endings at the same time.
Plural subject nouns have an –s at the end
Verbs in the third person present tense
singular have an –s at the end.
So, a plural subject can’t have a singular verb,
and a singular subject can’t have a plural
verb.
Case1: Everybody/ Nobody
Indefinite pronouns such as “everybody” or
“nobody” feel plural to some writers
 always singular, take a singular verb.
Everyone associated with the
project is proud to be part of the
effort.
Nobody feels responsible.
Case2: “Of” constructions
phrases that come between the subject
pronoun and its verb may contain plural words.
Subject: singular
Verb: singular
Each
of the architects is
responsible for writing a section of
the requirements specification.
None
of them
e-mail yet.
has
replied to the
Case2: “Of” constructions
The verb that accompanies pronouns
such as all and some will be determined
by the pronoun’s countability.
Countable: plural
Some of the students in the
cafeteria have voted already.
Some of the lab setup was
ruined by the flood. Not countable: singular
Case3: Either and Neither
either and neither are always singular.
Neither of these choices appears to be
satisfactory.
The purchasing office will lend me a
company car or compensate me for travel
expenses. Either is fine with me.
When either and neither stand with or and
nor, the subject that is closer to the verb
determines the number of the verb.
Neither the professor nor the students
are at fault.
Case4: A Common Problem
Be careful when lengthy or numerous
modifying phrases come between the
subject and its verb.
Tim Berners-Lee, one of America’s most
prominent computer scientists and —as a
founder of the World Wide Web Consortium
— one of the most important figures in
the development of the Internet, has
been working quietly at M.I.T. for many
years.
The fact that the plural “scientists” and
“figures” appear in this sentence has no
effect on our choice of a singular verb, “has.”
Case4: A Common Problem
Other confusing phrase-introducers are:
Including
In addition to
Accompanied by
Together with
Except
As well as
Along with
No less than
Smith, along with fifteen other researchers,
agrees that copper is still the primary
metal that, in addition to platinum and
silver, produces the best circuits.
Exercise
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/cgishl/quiz.pl/sv_agr_quiz.htm
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/cgishl/quiz.pl/agreement_add3.htm
Subject-Verb Agreement: Quiz

Please take the Subject-Verb Agreement
Quiz on WebCT now.
Reference:
Darling, Charles. Subject-Verb Agreement. PowerPoint Presentation. Available Online.
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/svagr.pps. 03/01/2003.