READING COMPREHESION
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT.
What is subject and verb
in the sentence?
How to identify subject
and verb in the sentence
What exactly is subject
verb agreement?
Basic rules
What is a subject in the
sentence?
A
subject is a person place thing or idea that is doing or being something (Who is performing an
action: subject is performing an action and what action is going on/action is
done what action may happen)
What is a verb in the
sentence?
A verb
is the action performed by the subject or state of being in a sentence. Verbs can be expressed in
different tenses, depending on when the action is being performed.
Example
Ajay plays Cricket regularly (subject=Ajay verb=plays)
He ran to the beach (subject = He verb = ran
because running is an action)
Think about other
words that describe actions. "Walk," "think,"
"play," and "drive" are all action words and work as verbs.
Person |
Singular |
Plural |
First person |
I |
You |
Second person |
You |
You |
Third person |
He,she,it |
They |
Based on
count the subject may be singular or plural
What is subject verb
agreement?
For
making a sentence grammatically correct a verb must agree with its subject in
number
The verb in a sentence
must match the subject. In other words, if one person is performing an action,
the verb is singular. If more than one person or object are performing an
action, the verb is plural.
SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT RULES
Key: subject = yellow verb = green
Subjects and verbs
must agree in number.
If the subject is
singular, the verb must be singular too.
Example: She writes every
day.
Exception: When using the singular
"they," use plural verb forms.
Example: The participant expressed satisfaction with their job. They are currently in a managerial role at
the organization.
1. If the subject is
plural, the verb must also be plural.
Example: They write every
day.
2. When the subject
of the sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and,
use a plural verb.
Example: The doctoral student and the committee members write every
day.
Example: The
percentage of employees who called in sick and the
number of employees who left their jobs within 2 years are reflective of the level of job
satisfaction.
3.When there is one
subject and more than one verb, the verbs throughout the sentence must agree
with the subject.
Example: Interviews are one
way to collect data and allow researchers to gain an in-depth
understanding of participants.
Example: An assumption is something
that is generally accepted as
true and is an
important consideration when conducting a doctoral study.
4.When a phrase comes
between the subject and the verb, remember that the verb still agrees with the
subject, not the noun or pronoun in the phrase following the subject of the
sentence.
Example: The student, as well as the
committee members, is excited.
Example: The student with all the
master’s degrees is very
motivated.
Example: Strategies that the teacher uses to encourage classroom
participation include using
small groups and clarifying expectations.
Example: The focus of the
interviews was nine
purposively selected participants.
5. When two or more
singular nouns or pronouns are connected by "or" or
"nor," use a singular verb.
Example: The
Chairperson or the CEO approves the
proposal before proceeding.
6. When a compound subject
contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by "or" or
"nor," the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is
closest to the verb. This is also called the rule of proximity.
Example: The student or the committee members write every
day.
Example: The committee members or the student writes every
day.
7. The words and phrases
"each," "each one," "either,"
"neither," "everyone," "everybody," "anyone,"
"anybody," "nobody," "somebody,"
"someone," and "no one" are singular and require a singular verb.
Example: Each of the participants was willing to be recorded.
Example: Neither alternative hypothesis was accepted.
Example: I will offer a $5 gift card to everybody who participates in the study.
Example: No
one was available to meet with me at the
preferred times.
8.The
words and phrases "each," "each one," "either,"
"neither," "everyone," "everybody,"
"anyone," "anybody," "nobody,"
"somebody," "someone," and "no one" are singular
and require a singular verb.
Example: Each of the participants was willing
to be recorded.
Example: Neither alternative hypothesis was accepted.
Example: I will offer a $5 gift card to everybody who participates in the study.
Example: No one was available to meet with me at the
preferred times.
9.Noncountable nouns take a singular verb.
Example: Education is the
key to success.
Example: Diabetes affects many people around the world.
Example: The information obtained from the business owners was relevant to include in the study.
Example: The research I found on the
topic was limited.
10.Some
countable nouns in English such as earnings, goods, odds,
surroundings, proceeds, contents, and valuables only
have a plural form and take a plural verb.
Example: The earnings for this quarter exceed expectations.
Example: The proceeds from the sale go to support the homeless population
in the city.
Example: Locally produced goods have the advantage of shorter supply
chains.
11.
In sentences beginning with "there is" or "there are," the
subject follows the verb. Since "there" is not the subject, the verb
agrees with what follows the verb.
Example: There is little administrative support.
Example: There are many factors affecting teacher retention.
12.
Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but are considered
singular and take a singular verb. Some examples are "group,"
"team," "committee," "family," and
"class."
Example: The group meets every week.
Example: The committee agrees on the quality of the writing.
However,
the plural verb is used if the focus is on the individuals in the group. This
is much less common.
Example: The committee participate in various volunteer
activities in their private lives.
What Do You Mean By Singular Verb?
It is basically a verb
that shows what has been done, being done or will be done. The singular verbs
are used with the singular subject of the sentence. The singular subject can be
made up of a person, place, thing or sometimes idea.
Plural |
Singular |
Past Tense |
Past Participle |
catches |
catch |
caught |
caught |
flies |
fly |
flew |
flown |
knows |
know |
knew |
known |
pays |
pay |
paid |
paid |
springs |
spring |
sprang |
sprung |
writes |
write |
wrote |
written |
Let’s now discuss four important rules of forming a plural verb
from singular verb.
1. Adding ‘s’ to the Singular Verbs:
In English grammar rule, when the sentence is using singular
third-person nouns and pronouns, then they just need to add an ‘s’ to the nouns
or base form of the verb.
Singular Verbs |
Plural Verbs |
Boat |
Boats |
House |
Houses |
Cat |
Cats |
Dog |
Dogs |
Pillar |
Pillars |
Pill |
Pills |
River |
Rivers |
Mountain |
Mountains |
Place |
Places |
Car |
Cars |
Vehicle |
Vehicles |
Network |
Networks |
Toy |
Toys |
Pen |
Pens |
Animal |
Animals |
Medicine |
Medicines |
Gun |
Guns |
Bed |
Beds |
Color |
Colors |
Work |
Works |
Pay |
Pays |
Say |
Says |
Know |
Knows |
Spring |
Springs |
Write |
Writes |
Become |
Becomes |
Drink |
Drinks |
Get |
Gets |
Lead |
Leads |
Seek |
Seeks |
Sing |
Sings |
Speak |
Speaks |
Steal |
Steals |
Tear |
Tears |
Wear |
Wears |
2. You Must Drop The ‘s’ with Plural Verb forms:
Sometimes while following the grammar rules, the reverse is true
for the plural nouns and pronouns. So this time when it comes to plural nouns,
you must drop the ‘s’ of the base form.
Generally, when it comes to making some good note with the verbs
and get to agree on it with the subject of the sentence, singular and plural
rules comes handy.
3. Adding ‘es’ to the Singular Verb
In case, you are working with the singular third person nouns or
pronouns then you need to add ‘-es’ to the base form of the verb.
Singular |
Plural |
Bus |
Buses |
Wish |
Wishes |
Catch |
Catches |
Pitch |
Pitches |
Box |
Boxes |
Watch |
Watches |
Match |
Matches |
Cloth |
Clothes |
Go |
Goes |
Drive |
Drives |
Forgive |
Forgives |
Hide |
Hides |
4. Changes in ‘- y’ to ‘i’ and adding ‘- es’
In certain cases, you have to change the ‘- y’ ending to an ‘- i’
and then it will be added to ‘es’ to give the form of the singular verb. In
some exceptional cases, the irregular verbs change form from past tense to past
participle.
Singular |
Plural |
Spy |
Spies |
Sky |
Skies |
Baby |
Babies |
Hobby |
Hobbies |
Daisy |
Daisies |
City |
Cities |
Penny |
Pennies |
Fly |
Flies |
Cry |
Cries |
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