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SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT But first, some vocabulary! • Collective noun- a noun that denotes a group of individuals (faculty, committee, team, congress, crowd, army) • Relative pronoun- (that, which, who) introduces the relative clause and refers to some antecedent • Relative clause- a clause introduced by a relative pronoun (“who visits frequently” in the clause “John, who visits frequently…”) • Antecedent- the word to which a pronoun refers (usually comes before the pronoun) • Indefinite pronoun-a pronoun that refers to something that is not quite exact (anybody, everyone, nobody, someone, all, any, most, none, some) Agreement of Subject and Verb •A verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. •For example: •The student was proud of her quarter grades. •The students were proud of their quarter grades. Plural Verbs vs. Singular Verbs •Examples of singular verbs: is, am, likes, eats, depends, needs, listens, tastes, understands, loves, hates •Examples of plural verbs: are, like, eat, depend, need, listen, taste, understand, love, hate Do NOT Be Confused!! Do not be confused by words that come between the subject and the verb!! Be sure you know what/where the subject in the sentence actually is before determining the appropriate verb. • WHERE IS THE SUBJECT? • The manager, as well as the players, is required to display good sportsmanship. • Gasoline, one of the many existing fuels, is more efficient for powering automobiles. • Jackie and Robyn, as well as Charlie, are going to the dance. Compound Subjects • Examples: • Neither Bev nor Kendra is going to the dance. Compound subjects joined by or or nor require a singular verb. • Note: When one of the subjects joined by or or nor is singular and one is plural, the verb must agree with the subject nearer the verb Compound subjects joined with and require a plural verb. • Neither Yoshi nor his friends are singing to the band anymore. • Strength and balance are necessary for gymnastics. Collective Nouns Collective nouns require a singular verb when they refer to a group as a unit. Collective nouns require a plural verb when they refer to the individuals within the group. • Examples: • The favored team is losing, and the crowd is getting ugly. • (Both team and crowd are considered units in this sentence, requiring the singular verb is.) • The pair were finally reunited after 20 years apart. • (Pair refers to two individuals, so the plural verb were is required.) Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to something that is not exact. Some are singular, for example: each, one, everybody, another, anybody, someone, nobody, everything Some are plural, for example: all, many, most, none, few, and some, several • Examples: • Everybody is invited to the cafeteria for refreshments. • Nobody wants to do homework. • One doesn’t need to try so hard. • Several like chocolate cake. • Many ask for ice cream. • Few have the intelligence to do so. Do NOT Be Confused!! Do not be confused by words or phrases that come between the indefinite pronoun and the verb. •Example •One of the participants is (not are) going to have to stay late to clean up. Relative Pronouns Relative pronouns introduce a relative clause ( who, which, that) Antecedent is the word to which the pronoun refers When a relative pronoun is used as the subject of a clause, the number of the verb is determined by the antecedent of said pronoun. . • Examples: • Which careers appeal to you depend on your interest. • This is one of the books that are required for class. (The relative pronoun that requires the plural verb are because its antecedent, books, is plural.) Special Cases Some nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning (mumps, measles, news, mathematics, economics, gallows, shambles, etc.) take a singular verb. Some nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning (scissors, trousers, tidings, etc.) take a plural verb. • Examples • Measles is still considered a serious disease in many parts of the world. • The scissors are missing again. QUIZ! • The students _____ (goes/go) to class everyday. • How _____ (do/does) she do it? • Which careers appeal to you _______ (depend/depends) on your interests. • Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books, _____ (is/are) considered by some to be one of the greatest novels ever. • Neither the equipment nor the uniforms _____ (has/have) arrived yet. • The new shopping mall ______ (open/opens) in two weeks. • The army _____ (is/are) going to withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year.