Posted by: Carlo A. Sangutan
Sources: English Plus A Communicative Approach by Ida Yap Patron
English Grammar and Composition Notes c/o Prof. Rufina C. Esagre
_____________________________________________________________
This module intends to let the students:
- learn the rules on subject-verb agreement;
- apply the rules in making sentences; and
- make pronouns agree with their antecedents when used in sentences.
Introduction
Agreement means in union. It could also mean compatibility between two or more individuals as well as things. In life, we always have an agreement on things for us to be united. One example is marriage. Both a man and a woman agree to be married. they have an agreement to love and cherish each other as well as form a whole peaceful family. Upon having an agreement, both have the same goal in a sense that they must do whatever the agreement is, just to live life to the fullest. It is not only happened between people but also in languages as in English language. The most familiar agreement in English grammar is the subject-verb agreement.
Language Focused
In a correct sentence, the verb must agree with its subject in person and number. The failure to make the subject and verb agree in number is now considered to be the most common error committed by many students. This agreement or rule is applied to verbs in the present tense only.
Q: Why?
It is because in the past (except for was and were) and future tenses do not undergo changes even when they are used with subjects of different persons and numbers.
Q: What do person and number mean?
Person refers to the speaker (first person), the one spoken to (second person), and the one spoken of (third person). It is easy to recognize the subject in pronouns.
Number refers to the singularity or plurality of a noun. Singular means one while plural means more than one. Person and number are properties of nouns and pronouns.
Q: What should be remembered as a general rule?
The use of the simple (plural form) and s-form (singular form) of the verb is determined by the person and number of the subject. It is therefore necessary that the subject is properly identified.
When the subject in the sentence is in the first person or in the second person, singular or plural in number, the simple form of the verb is used.
When the subject is in the third person, plural in number, the simple form of the verb is used. But when it is singular in number, there is a need to use the s-form of the verb.
Q: What simplified rules the general rule consists of?
RULES ON SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
1. The verb agrees with its subject in person and number.
Examples:
☻She works hard in order to finish her studies.
☻The children shout while they play.
2. Words which intervene between subject and verb do not affect the verb.
Examples:
☻My sister, together with her friends, arrives tonight.
☻The bus, loaded with boxes of fruits and vegetables, was abandoned in a solitary road.
3. Make the verb agree with the subject, not with the "of-phrase" (a phrase that begins with 'of').
Examples:
☻The bundle of bank notes attracts the driver's attention.
☻The enticing hands of the demon attract us into a labyrinth of cynical distrust.
4. Sentences in the inverted order where the subject is not in the beginning position, but comes after the verb, must be properly identified.
Examples:
☻Down that fearsome desert is a kind person.
☻There are always great and kind people around us.
5. Generally, compound subjects connected by "and" take the plural form of the verb.
Examples:
☻Students and teachers need to trust each other.
☻A change of clothes and a warm bath are all I need.
Note: When the compound subject refers only to one person, thing, or idea, the verb is singular.
Examples:
☻The secretary and treasurer of this class is absent.
☻A bow and arrow makes for a primitive weapon.
6. A compound subject involving the use of "each" or "every" requires the s-form of the verb (singular).
Examples:
☻Each boy and girl has clothes made of T'boli tinalak.
☻Every man and woman helps this community become more progressive.
7. Compound subjects joined by "or", "either...or", "neither...nor", or "not only...but also" agree with the nearer subject.
Examples:
☻Neither Analyn nor her friends have seen Chocolate Hills.
☻Either the people or the demon tells lies.
8. A singular verb is used for nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning.
Examples:
☻Measles is prevalent in their place nowadays.
☻Mathematics is a challenging subject.
Note: There are many words ending in "-ics" that may be either singular or plural such as economics, athletics, critics, politics, etc. These words are singular when they refer to a school subject, a science, or a general practice. The "his/her", "some", "all" and singular modifiers do not precede them when they are in singular in meaning.
Examples:
☻Politics has become a way of life to them. (singular)
☻His politics are well-known. (plural)
9. Some nouns are plural in form and meaning. These nouns take the simple form of the verb(plural).
►scissors, tongs, shears, pliers, pants, tweezers, refreshments
Examples:
☻My favorite pants were stolen by thieves last night.
☻His scissors are used only to cut strings.
10. Fractions may take the singular or the plural form of the verb depending on the of-phrase. If the object of the preposition (of) is singular, the fraction takes the singular form of the verb; if it is plural, the verb becomes plural in form.
Examples:
☻One-half of the mangoes are sold.
☻Three-fourths of the cake is eaten by Hector.
11. Words or phrases that express periods of time, weights, measurements, and amounts of money or taken as a unit are usually regarded as singular.
Examples:
☻Two kilos of sugar meets our monthly needs.
☻About 15% of progress is brought about by proper attitude.
☻Ten days seems extremely long to survive in the desert.
12. Expressions of quantity or amounts that describe individual items rather than whole units require plural verbs.
Example:
☻A hundred years have passed since the country gained its independence.
13. Adjectives used as subjects take the plural form of the verb.
Example:
☻The hardworking are rewarded.
14. Indefinite pronouns like everyone, anyone, someone, somebody, everybody, one, each one, all(meaning everything), neither, and either take the singular form of the verbs.
Examples:
☻Each has his assignment.
☻Somebody was quick to report the situation to the dean and discipline officer. Neither of them was pleased.
15. Subjects modified by each, every, neither and either take the singular form of the verbs.
Examples:
☻Each student presents his explanation.
☻Either one has become so defensive.
16. Expressions like many a, more than one, not one take the singular verbs.
Examples:
☻More than one person finds it very interesting.
☻Many an individual feels happy about the misery of others.
17. The expression the number of takes the singular verb and the expression a number of takes the plural.
Examples:
☻The number of cars in the city is increasing so fast that causes traffic.
☻A number of demons tempt good people to do bad things.
18. Many, others, several, few, a few, both and all(referring to people) require the simple form of the verb (plural).
Examples:
☻Like the three magi, many follow the star.
☻All are sure where the star is.
19. A collective noun requires a singular verb when the group is regarded as one unit, and a plural verb when the individuals in the group act separately.
Examples:
☻The crew works fast. (one unit)
☻The crew were very busy working. (separate)
20. A plural verb is used for a relative pronoun referring to a plural antecedent. In other words, the verb of the relative pronoun depends on its antecedent.
Examples:
☻Hermanio is a boy who looks good wearing barong tagalog.
☻Trust is a value that helps us grow better.
21. A clause used as a subject takes the singular verb.
Example:
☻What you do reflects on you.
22. Some, most and all are singular when they refer to quantity. They are plural when they refer to number.
Examples:
☻Some of the electrical appliances are damaged. (number)
☻Most of the music is difficult to understand. (quantity)
23. The words listed below are mass nouns. They are always singular and cannot be preceded by a, an or a number. They refer to things difficult to count.
information homework jewelry
personnel baggage scenery
graft clothing poetry
chalk blood help (n.)
advice money soap
mail(letters)
Examples:
☻Much help is needed.
☻Poetry is difficult to understand.
☻The scenery is awesome.
Note: When a noun listed above is preceded by pieces of, kinds of, collections of, etc., it is followed by a plural verb.
Examples:
☻Many pieces of chalk are in the box.
☻Rare collections of jewelry are kept in the vault.
24. With nouns always singular in form but either singular or plural in meaning, the verb agrees with the intended meaning.
deer salmon sheep
trout cattle swine
Examples:
☻Fifty sheep are grazing in the meadow.
☻One deer, the largest, was saved.
25. Nouns that expresses abstract ideas are usually singular in form. They require singular verbs.
Examples:
☻Pity comes naturally from the forgiving heart.
☻Courage makes us survive difficult ordeals.
26. The verb agrees with the subject, not with its predicate nominative.
Examples:
☻Rico's chief interest is rocks and minerals.
☻Their hobby is writing and collecting antiques.
27. The verb agrees with the positive subject and not with the negative.
Examples:
☻I, not my friends, am getting the watches.
☻Linda, not her sisters, is touring Europe.
28. A singular verb is used when the subject is a title of a book, play, story, or musical composition.
Examples:
☻The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy.
☻Trees is a simple, charming poem.
29. Singular verbs are used with mathematical abstractions.
Examples:
☻Four times eight is thirty-two.
☻Five plus three is eight.
Q: Aside from subject-verb agreement, is there another agreement in English grammar?
Actually, the second most familiar agreement in English grammar is the agreement of pronouns and antecedents. Pronouns stand for nouns which are commonly called antecedents. Pronouns agree with their antecedents in person and number as well as in gender.
Q: How can this agreement be achieved?
Agreement of pronouns with their antecedents can be achieved by:
a. considering what is being talked about;
Example:
Traditional politicians always look for negative issues about their opponents who, in turn retaliate. They bribe the poor. They fool the people with empty promises.
b. remembering gender - the masculine, feminine, and neuter pronouns such as he, his, him, she, her, it, its;
Example:
Mother Ignacia was the epitome of womanhood. She defied tradition, eventually giving women the opportunity to take active roles by practicing industriousness, persistence, simplicity, and being prayerful.
c. using demonstrative pronouns such as this, that, these, and those, as adjectives and making these agree with the words they modify.
Example:
Their exemplary courage and determination enabled them to achieve their dreams.
Note: Two or more antecedents joined by "and" require a plural pronoun.
Example:
Mother Ignacia and the Beatas, who were persistent in their cause, derived their strength from their unwavering faith in God and in themselves.
A. Choose the correct verbs from the options in the parentheses.
1. The heart, although weighing less than 12 ounces, (is , are) a muscle about the size of a person's fist.
2. The walls of the heart (contract , contracts), forcing blood to rush out.
3. All of the water in the different cans (is , are) contaminated.
4. Some of the delegates (is , are) disappointed over the result of the convention.
5. Down the road (skip , skips) the child.
6. Statistics (provide , provides) the numerical data in question.
7. Refreshments (is , are) now served at the canteen.
8. Rosa and Lynda (is , are) best friends in school.
9. Many a novel (has , have) been written on love.
10. Six plus seven (is , are) thirteen.
11. Many men today (drive , drives) their own cars.
12. My confidant and adviser (is , are) my mother.
13. One of his dogs (has , have) puppies.
14. Three-fourths of the apples (is , are) missing.
15. Many (has , have) tied to break my record.
B. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronouns to complete the article of Philippine Daily Inquirer. Choose from these pronouns: them, their, they, his, he, who, and him.
MARAWI CITY - "Death, to the enemies of Mindanao and (1.) _____ people!" This was how Governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, (2.) _____ right fist raised for emphasis, ended (3.) _____ speech, Friday before barangay officials at the Mindanao State University gymnasium.
Misuari and the Interior Secretary Robert Barbers were guest speakers at the graduation rites for the Barangay Administration Training Program. (4.) _____ were warmly welcomed by local officials.
Misuari did not mention names, but (5.) _____ lashed out at politicians (6.) _____ were maligning and destroying (7.) _____. He said that they portrayed (8.) _____ as riding on the back of a pig. "That is how dirty (9.) _____ are because (10.) _____ have no arguments, (11.) _____ can't argue with (12.) _____ rights," Misuari said.
He urged the people to vote only for (13.) _____ who manifest genuine love and respect for Mindanao. But (14.) _____ discouraged voting for those who malign the people by calling (15.) _____ incompetent and corrupt.
12. Expressions of quantity or amounts that describe individual items rather than whole units require plural verbs.
Example:
☻A hundred years have passed since the country gained its independence.
13. Adjectives used as subjects take the plural form of the verb.
Example:
☻The hardworking are rewarded.
14. Indefinite pronouns like everyone, anyone, someone, somebody, everybody, one, each one, all(meaning everything), neither, and either take the singular form of the verbs.
Examples:
☻Each has his assignment.
☻Somebody was quick to report the situation to the dean and discipline officer. Neither of them was pleased.
15. Subjects modified by each, every, neither and either take the singular form of the verbs.
Examples:
☻Each student presents his explanation.
☻Either one has become so defensive.
16. Expressions like many a, more than one, not one take the singular verbs.
Examples:
☻More than one person finds it very interesting.
☻Many an individual feels happy about the misery of others.
17. The expression the number of takes the singular verb and the expression a number of takes the plural.
Examples:
☻The number of cars in the city is increasing so fast that causes traffic.
☻A number of demons tempt good people to do bad things.
18. Many, others, several, few, a few, both and all(referring to people) require the simple form of the verb (plural).
Examples:
☻Like the three magi, many follow the star.
☻All are sure where the star is.
19. A collective noun requires a singular verb when the group is regarded as one unit, and a plural verb when the individuals in the group act separately.
Examples:
☻The crew works fast. (one unit)
☻The crew were very busy working. (separate)
20. A plural verb is used for a relative pronoun referring to a plural antecedent. In other words, the verb of the relative pronoun depends on its antecedent.
Examples:
☻Hermanio is a boy who looks good wearing barong tagalog.
☻Trust is a value that helps us grow better.
21. A clause used as a subject takes the singular verb.
Example:
☻What you do reflects on you.
22. Some, most and all are singular when they refer to quantity. They are plural when they refer to number.
Examples:
☻Some of the electrical appliances are damaged. (number)
☻Most of the music is difficult to understand. (quantity)
23. The words listed below are mass nouns. They are always singular and cannot be preceded by a, an or a number. They refer to things difficult to count.
information homework jewelry
personnel baggage scenery
graft clothing poetry
chalk blood help (n.)
advice money soap
mail(letters)
Examples:
☻Much help is needed.
☻Poetry is difficult to understand.
☻The scenery is awesome.
Note: When a noun listed above is preceded by pieces of, kinds of, collections of, etc., it is followed by a plural verb.
Examples:
☻Many pieces of chalk are in the box.
☻Rare collections of jewelry are kept in the vault.
24. With nouns always singular in form but either singular or plural in meaning, the verb agrees with the intended meaning.
deer salmon sheep
trout cattle swine
Examples:
☻Fifty sheep are grazing in the meadow.
☻One deer, the largest, was saved.
25. Nouns that expresses abstract ideas are usually singular in form. They require singular verbs.
Examples:
☻Pity comes naturally from the forgiving heart.
☻Courage makes us survive difficult ordeals.
26. The verb agrees with the subject, not with its predicate nominative.
Examples:
☻Rico's chief interest is rocks and minerals.
☻Their hobby is writing and collecting antiques.
27. The verb agrees with the positive subject and not with the negative.
Examples:
☻I, not my friends, am getting the watches.
☻Linda, not her sisters, is touring Europe.
28. A singular verb is used when the subject is a title of a book, play, story, or musical composition.
Examples:
☻The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy.
☻Trees is a simple, charming poem.
29. Singular verbs are used with mathematical abstractions.
Examples:
☻Four times eight is thirty-two.
☻Five plus three is eight.
Q: Aside from subject-verb agreement, is there another agreement in English grammar?
Actually, the second most familiar agreement in English grammar is the agreement of pronouns and antecedents. Pronouns stand for nouns which are commonly called antecedents. Pronouns agree with their antecedents in person and number as well as in gender.
Q: How can this agreement be achieved?
Agreement of pronouns with their antecedents can be achieved by:
a. considering what is being talked about;
Example:
Traditional politicians always look for negative issues about their opponents who, in turn retaliate. They bribe the poor. They fool the people with empty promises.
b. remembering gender - the masculine, feminine, and neuter pronouns such as he, his, him, she, her, it, its;
Example:
Mother Ignacia was the epitome of womanhood. She defied tradition, eventually giving women the opportunity to take active roles by practicing industriousness, persistence, simplicity, and being prayerful.
c. using demonstrative pronouns such as this, that, these, and those, as adjectives and making these agree with the words they modify.
Example:
Their exemplary courage and determination enabled them to achieve their dreams.
Note: Two or more antecedents joined by "and" require a plural pronoun.
Example:
Mother Ignacia and the Beatas, who were persistent in their cause, derived their strength from their unwavering faith in God and in themselves.
Test of Learning
A. Choose the correct verbs from the options in the parentheses.
1. The heart, although weighing less than 12 ounces, (is , are) a muscle about the size of a person's fist.
2. The walls of the heart (contract , contracts), forcing blood to rush out.
3. All of the water in the different cans (is , are) contaminated.
4. Some of the delegates (is , are) disappointed over the result of the convention.
5. Down the road (skip , skips) the child.
6. Statistics (provide , provides) the numerical data in question.
7. Refreshments (is , are) now served at the canteen.
8. Rosa and Lynda (is , are) best friends in school.
9. Many a novel (has , have) been written on love.
10. Six plus seven (is , are) thirteen.
11. Many men today (drive , drives) their own cars.
12. My confidant and adviser (is , are) my mother.
13. One of his dogs (has , have) puppies.
14. Three-fourths of the apples (is , are) missing.
15. Many (has , have) tied to break my record.
B. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronouns to complete the article of Philippine Daily Inquirer. Choose from these pronouns: them, their, they, his, he, who, and him.
MARAWI CITY - "Death, to the enemies of Mindanao and (1.) _____ people!" This was how Governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, (2.) _____ right fist raised for emphasis, ended (3.) _____ speech, Friday before barangay officials at the Mindanao State University gymnasium.
Misuari and the Interior Secretary Robert Barbers were guest speakers at the graduation rites for the Barangay Administration Training Program. (4.) _____ were warmly welcomed by local officials.
Misuari did not mention names, but (5.) _____ lashed out at politicians (6.) _____ were maligning and destroying (7.) _____. He said that they portrayed (8.) _____ as riding on the back of a pig. "That is how dirty (9.) _____ are because (10.) _____ have no arguments, (11.) _____ can't argue with (12.) _____ rights," Misuari said.
He urged the people to vote only for (13.) _____ who manifest genuine love and respect for Mindanao. But (14.) _____ discouraged voting for those who malign the people by calling (15.) _____ incompetent and corrupt.
Where can I find the answer key for the exercises?
ReplyDeletethanks, it really helped me a lot
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ReplyDeleteThank you for this one. It really helped me a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteWhere can I find the answers?
ReplyDelete