WRITING FOR THE PROFESSIONS
WEEK 7 STYLE EXERCISES: SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT
SUGGESTED ANSWERS

Exercise 1:

Rule 1. A verb must agree with its subject in person and number.
eg A box of light bulbs (was/were) dropped. (the subject is singular 'box' therefore the verb must also be singular 'was')

Exercise:
a. Both of them (know/knows) who is to blame.
b. This crowd of protestors (give/gives) the police a tough time.(the verb has to agree with the subject 'the crowd')

Rule 2. Singular subjects (compound subject) joined by the word ‘and’ are generally plural.
eg. Both the architect and the interior designer, like to push artistic boundaries. (the subject is joined by 'and' and so therefore the verb must be plural 'know').

Exercise:
a. Shady trees and the beautiful flowers along the path (give, gives) the home character.
b. Earth and sky (seem, seems) to merge on the horizon.

Rule 3. Pronouns and adjectives such as someone, anyone, no-one, anybody, somebody, nobody, one, either, neither, each, every are singular and take a singular verb and a singular pronoun

eg Anybody (is, are) able to type (his/her/their) name using the keyboard.
No-one likes to fail at university.

Exercise:
a. Each of the boys (give/gives) (his/their) pocket money to charity.
b. Neither of her assistants (is/are) willing to join us.

Rule 4. Some nouns which have a plural name, always require a plural verb eg barracks, pants, premises, proceeds, scissors, shears, tongs, tweezers, trousers

Exercise:
a The new premises (was/were) open for business.
b. The trousers (was/were) well cared for BUT
c. The pair of trousers (was/were) part of a suit.

Rule 5. A collective noun requires a singular verb, unless we wish to distinguish individual members if the group from one another
eg The crowd (was/were) quiet.

BUT The crowd (was/were) making their way home.

Rule 6. After a subject joined by ‘either … or’, ‘neither … nor’, or ‘not only … but also’, the verb tends to agree with the subject nearest to it.

eg Neither the lecturer nor the students want/wants to reschedule the class. (‘want’ agrees with 'students').

Rule 7. ‘There is’ and ‘there are’ agree with the noun that follows.

eg There is/are flexibility in this kind of management structure.
There is/are many advantages to this kind of management structure.

 

Exercise 2: Underline the verbs in the following sentences and where necessary, correct them to make sure they agree with the subject.

1. A large consignment of eggs was/were sent to the market.('was' agrees with the singular collective noun 'consignment')

2. The boy as well as the older men, is/are expecting a wage increase. (after a subject joined by ‘either … or’, ‘neither … nor’, or ‘not only … but also’, the verb tends to agree with the subject nearest to it. Therefore, the verb should agree with the plural 'older men'.)

3. News was received that the proceeds of the dance was/were to be given to the hospital. (the subject is 'proceeds' which is plural therefore the verb is 'were').

4. Our secateurs was/were sharp, but the pair of scissors was/were blunt.(Some nouns which have a plural name, always require a plural verb eg barracks, pants, premises, proceeds, scissors, shears, tongs, tweezers, trousers; but 'pair of scissors' is singular).

5. My friend, as well as my brother, have decided that “The Wonders of the World” is/are well worth buying. ('Wonders of the World' is a singular subject therefore the singular 'is' is used.)

6. A great deal of ignorance and confusion prevail/prevails. (Singular subjects (compound subject) joined by the word ‘and’ are generally plural).

7. Carlos is the only one of those students who has/have lived up to the potential described in the yearbook. (The 'who' refers, in this case, to 'the only one,' which is singular.)

8. The International Club, as well as the Choral Society and the Rowing Club, need/needs to submit a new constitution. (The subject here is 'The International Club,' which is singular. The modifying phrase that comes after 'as well as' modifies the subject but does not compound it as the word 'and' would do.)

9. One of my best friends is/are an extra on Seinfeld this week. (The subject of this sentence is 'one,' which is, of course, singular. Don't let the intervening prepositional phrase (with its plural 'friends') fool you.)

10. Most of the milk has/have gone bad. Six gallons of milk is/are still in the refrigerator. ('Most' is not a countable noun here (you can't count 'the milk' in the first sentence), so the verb must be singular. You can count the gallons of milk, though, so the subject in the second sentence is plural.)

11. The students and instructors each hopes/hope for a new facility by next year. (When 'each' or 'every' comes after the compound subject, a plural verb – 'hope' – is appropriate.)

12. A large number of voters still votes/vote along straight-party lines. ('Number' is a collective noun, but the elements within the collective noun, the voters, are acting separately in this case (we hope!), so the verb should be plural: 'vote.')