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Grammar Notes
Subject-Verb Agreement
Part 2
S-V Agreement Rule #7
• A compound subject whose parts are joined by and usually
requires a plural verb.
• Example:
• The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are the world's most
famous teenage detectives.
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S-V Agreement Rule #8
• When the parts of a compound subject are joined by or or
nor, the verb should agree with the part closest to it.
• Examples:
• Neither the Hardy Boys nor Nancy is the stay-at-home type.
• Nancy or the Hardy Boys are always near a crime scene.
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S-V Agreement Rule #9
• When a collective noun refers to a group as a unit, it takes a
singular verb. When it refers to a group acting as
individuals, it takes a plural verb.
• Examples of collective nouns: class, team, club, family, staff,
jury, crowd, police
• Examples:
• In 1911 a robbery team steals the Mona Lisa from the
Louvre in France. (acting as a unit)
• The team separate after the theft. (acting as individuals)
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S-V Agreement Rule #10
• Some nouns ending in s appear to be plural but are really
singular in meaning. Use singular verbs with these words.
• Examples of singular words that end in s: mumps, genetics,
physics, molasses, news, mathematics
• Example:
• Eventually, forensics is used to help solve the crime.
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S-V Agreement Rule #11
• Titles of works of art, literature, and music are singular.
Words and phrases that refer to weights, measures,
numbers, and lengths of time are usually treated as
singular.
• Examples:
• The Twelve Chairs is a comic mystery story.
• Twelve years is a long time for an investigation to continue.
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S-V Agreement Rule #12
• A verb always agrees with its subject, never with a
predicate nominative.
• A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows a
linking verb and names or explains the subject.
• Examples:
• The robbers' main target is banks.
• Banks are the target.
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S-V Agreement Rule #13
• A subject can follow a verb or come between parts of a
verb phrase in the following types of sentences:
* Questions
* Sentences beginning with here or there
* Sentences beginning with a phrase
• Examples:
• Does the bank want the robbers punished?
• Here is a book about dumb criminals.
• Right by the police speeds the truck.