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LÍNGUA INGLESA III B - COMPREENSÃO E PRODUÇÃO ESCRITA
CLASS 02
TOPIC 03: CHECKING SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Adapted from: SMALZER, William R. Write to be read – reading, reflection and
writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2005
When you are writing a text, you must pay attention to a very important
aspect of the writing process: subject-verb agreement. What does it mean? It
means that a singular subject must have a singular verb and a plural subject
must have a plural verb.
These are some general situations to help you understand subject-verb
agreement in a better way:
THE SUBJECT CAN BE...
A)
A SINGULAR NOUN.
THE STUDENT IS very interested in the class.
Subject (singular noun): The student
Singular verb: is
B)
AN UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
MONEY IS something everybody needs
Subject (uncountable noun): Money
Singular verb: is
OBS. Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs, since they do not
have a plural form.
C)
A PLURAL NOUN
ALL THE STUDENTS
WERE excited for the class.
Subject (plural noun): All the students
Plural verb: were
D)
A GERUND PHRASE
GOING TO THE BEACH IS always a good choice for the weekend.
Subject (gerund phrase): Going to the beach
Singular verb: is
OBS: Gerund phrases are always singular so they always take singular
verbs.
E)
AN INFINITIVE PHRASE
TO STUDY HARD IS the best way to a good future.
Subject (infinitive): To study hard
Singular verb: is
However, besides these general situations, there are some specific rules
for subject-verb agreement that are very important for our understanding of
this topic.
RULE 1
RULE 2
RULE 3
RULE 4
RULE 5
RULE 6
RULE 7
RULE 8
RULE 1
If the sentence has two subjects connected by the word and, they take a
plural verb.
Example: The students and the teacher were happy with the final scores
in the test.
Subjects: The student/the teacher
Connecting word: and
Plural verb: were
RULE 2
Phrases that are not part of the subject do not affect the verb.
Example: The class, with all the students, is always nice and fun.
Subject: The class
Prepositional phrase: with all the students
Singular verb: is
RULE 3
The subject usually comes before the verb, but sometimes it may come
after, depending on the way the sentence is formed.
Example: Between the two students in the class was the teacher, talking
to them.
Subject: The teacher
Singular verb: was
OBS: Another way of organizing this sentence would be:
The teacher was between the two students in the class, talking to them.
RULE 4
Relative pronouns (who, which, that) can work as subjects, so the verb
agrees with the word the pronoun refers to.
Example: The students, who were all together in the classroom, started
talking.
Subject: who (representing the students)
Plural verb: were
RULE 5
When you use the expressions either … or and neither … nor to connect
two subjects, the verb agrees with the second subject.
Example: Either my mom or my brothers are going to the mall today.
Subjects: My mom/my brothers
Plural verb: are (the verb agrees with the closest subject – my brothers)
RULE 6
Indefinite pronouns usually take singular verbs. They are: each,
everyone, everybody, somebody, someone, something, everything, anybody,
nothing, no one and nobody.
Example: Everybody has classes at this school.
Subject: Everybody
Singular verb: has
OBS: The indefinite pronouns that take plural verbs are: both, few,
several and many.
Example: Many of my students are in class today.
Subject: Many (of my students)
Plural verb: are
OBS: The indefinite pronouns none, some, most and all agree with a
singular verb if it is used with an uncountable noun and with a plural verb if
it is used with a countable noun.
Example: Most of the money was used for buying books.
Subject: Most of (the money – uncountable noun)
Singular verb: was
Example: Most of my students are ready for the test.
Subject: Most of (my students – countable noun)
Plural verb: are
RULE 7
Group nouns/collective nouns have a plural meaning, but usually agree
with a singular verb. Some group nouns are: family, class, government,
committee, band, group, team, audience and company.
Example: The government is organizing a big party in the city.
Subject: The government
Singular verb: is
RULE 8
Some nouns end with the letter –s, but they are not plural so they take a
single verb. Some of these words are: mathematics, politics, news, physics
and economics.
Example: Politics is always a conflicting issue.
Subject: Politics
Singular verb: is
Now that you learned the rules about subject-verb agreement, let’s
practice!
EXERCISING 1
Identify the subject-verb agreement rule for each sentence and write
its number in the box. Also, observe the subject and the verb in the
sentences.
a) The first person in the line was my mom.
RULE number
b) The two dogs and the cat were playing in the garden.
RULE number
c) Someone is calling you on the phone.
RULE number
d) The road, from one side to the other, was full of cars.
RULE number
e) Economics is not very interesting to me.
RULE number
f) Neither my family nor my friends liked the movie.
RULE number
g) The band was playing beautiful songs last night.
RULE number
h) My car, which is very expensive, was stolen last night.
RULE number
Click here (Visite a aula online para realizar download deste arquivo.)
to download this exercise.
Good luck!
ANSWERS (CLICK HERE TO OPEN)
a) The first person in the line was my mom. RULE number 3
b) Two dogs and the cat were playing in the garden. RULE
number 1
c) Someone is calling you on the phone. RULE number 6
d) The road, from one side to the other, was full of cars. RULE
number 2
e) Economics is not very interesting to me. RULE number 8
f) Neither my family nor my friends liked the movies. RULE
number 5
g) The band was playing beautiful songs last night. RULE number
7
h) My car, which is very expensive, was stolen last night. RULE
number 4
EXERCISING 2
Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.
1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.
2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to
watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are)
Andrea's favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only
one left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
21. The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press
cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.
Click here (Visite a aula online para realizar download deste arquivo.)
to download this exercise.
Good luck!
ANSWERS (CLICK HERE TO OPEN)
1. Annie and her brothers ARE at school.
3. The dog or the cats ARE outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat IS always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara DON'T want to see that movie.
6. Benito DOESN'T know the answer.
7. One of my sisters IS GOING on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds LIVES on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, TAKES about two hours
to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, WANT to win.
11. Either answer IS acceptable.
12. Every one of those books IS fiction.
13. Nobody KNOWS the trouble I've seen.
14. IS the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics IS John's favorite subject, while Civics is
Andrea's favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars IS the price of a movie these days.
17. ARE the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants ARE at the cleaner's.
19. There WERE fifteen candies in that bag. Now there IS only one
left!
20. The committee DEBATES these questions carefully.
21. The committee LEAD very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, GREETS the press
cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, ARE in this case.
LOOKING CLOSER
If you still have doubts on how to make subject-verb agreement, take
a look at these links:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslsubverb.html [1]
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sv_agr.htm [2]
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/quiz/subverb1.htm [3]
CHALLENGE
Click on the link below to take a short quiz on subject-verb agreement.
http://a4esl.org/q/j/kf/mc-svae.html [4]
FONTES DAS IMAGENS
1.
2.
3.
4.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslsubverb.html
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sv_agr.htm
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/quiz/subverb1.htm
http://a4esl.org/q/j/kf/mc-svae.html
Responsável: Profª. Malena Monteiro
Universidade Federal do Ceará - Instituto UFC Virtual