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| Neb English Support Class 12 |
Subject: Verb Agreement Grammar Class 12 / Compulsory English NEB by Suraj Bhatt
Subject: Verb Agreement
The verb must agree with the subject in number and person. If the subject is in the plural, the verb must be used in the plural. If the subject is in the singular, the verb must be used in the singular. But the subject 'I' is singular; we use two plural verbs (v1, have) with it. The subject 'you' always takes the plural verb.
Singular verbs:
V5 (goes, eats, comes etc.)
is, am
was
has
does
Plural verbs:
V1 (go, eat, come etc.)
are
were
have
do
RULES OF SUBJECT: VERB AGREEMENT
RULE NO. 1
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject of the sentence is somebody, nobody, everybody, someone, no one, everyone, something, everything, nothing, this, that, singular noun, uncountable noun, each, every, one, neither, either, etc., we use a singular verb.
Examples:
One of my relatives (is/am/are/were) happy now.
Each of them (write/writes/are writing) their homework.
Water (boil/boils/are boiling) at 100°.
A book (have/has/are) been stolen.
RULE NO. 2
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject of the sentence is both, several, many, two, a lot of, these, those, or a plural noun (people, children, mice, cattle, deer, men, women, books, etc.), we use a plural verb.
Examples:
Both of us (was/were/is/are) happy last week.
Children (have/has/is) gone to school.
The cattle (is/am/are) grazing.
RULE NO. 3
Subject: Verb Agreement
Two or more singular subjects joined by 'and' normally take a verb in the plural.
Examples:
You and I (is/am/are) students.
Rita and Sita (go/goes) to school.
(Note): When the two nouns refer to the same person or expression or one idea, the verb must be in the singular.
Examples:
The writer and editor (have/has) arrived.
The headmaster and accountant (is/am/are) talking.
Slow and steady (win/wins) the race.
Bread and butter (is/am/are) good for our health.
Rice and curry (is /are) his favourite food.
(Note): If different persons/things are referred to, 'the' article is used before each noun, and the verb then becomes plural.
The writer and the editor (have/has) arrived.
The headmaster and the accountant (is/are) talking.
(The writer and the editor indicate two different persons)
RULE NO. 4
Subject: Verb Agreement
Singular subjects preceded by each or every take the verb in the singular.
Examples:
Each girl and boy was present.
Every man, woman and child gets the money.
RULE NO. 5
Subject: Verb Agreement
If two or more subjects are joined with or, nor, neither.......nor, either.......or, not only...... but also, whether.......or etc, the verb should be used according to the last subject.
Examples:
Ram or his friends (have/has) come.
Neither she nor I (was/were) present at the meeting
Either the boy or his sister (was/were) invited.
Neither he nor I (know/knows) anything about it.
RULE NO. 6
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject of the sentence gives the meaning of distance, weight, measurement, price, quantity, rupees etc; we use the verb in the singular.
Examples:
Ten kilometres (have/has) been crossed.
Twenty rupees (is/am/are) enough to buy a pen.
Five tons of petrol (cost/costs) a lot.
RULE NO. 7
Subject: Verb Agreement
We use superlative degree (best, tallest, most, highest etc.) after 'the' and Comparative degree (more, higher, better, taller etc.) before 'than'.
Examples:
Ram is the (tall taller/tallest) boy in our class.
Rita is (rich/richer/richest) than me.
RULE NO. 8
Subject: Verb Agreement
We use objective case (me, us, him, her, them etc.) after "Let".
Examples:
Let (me / my) speak first.
Let (him/his/he) go out.
RULE NO. 9
Subject: Verb Agreement
Along with, in addition to, as well as, except, besides, rather than, not, and words joined to a singular/plural subject by with, together with, not with, not, including, excluding etc. being parenthetical do not affect the number of the verb. We generally use the verb according to the first subject.
Examples:
I, as well as you, (is/am/are) happy.
He, besides his friends, (was/were) coming.
They, along with Rita, (go/goes) to school.
RULE NO. 10
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject is used in the form of 'Noun +of+ noun', we use the verb according to the first noun. The + adjective (poor, rich, young, old, blind etc.) takes the plural verb.
Examples:
The People of this village (is/am/are) hardworking
The condition of those people (was/were) very bad.
The young (is/are) energetic.
RULE NO. 11
Subject: Verb Agreement
Some nouns look like a plural but they give the meaning of singular. We use a singular verb with those subjects.
Examples:
The news (come/comes) on the radio.
Politics (is/are) hated by people
The wages of sin is death.
(Economics, physics, customs, gymnastics, ethics etc.)
RULE NO. 12
Subject: Verb Agreement
After 'There' we use singular or plural according to the situation.
Examples:
There (is/am/are) a book on the table.
There (is/am/are) some books on the table.
RULE NO. 13
Subject: Verb Agreement
'Self-form' is used according to the subject of the sentence.
I = myself
We = ourselves
You = yourself/yourselves
It = itself
She = herself
He = himself
They = themselves
Examples:
Clean it (herself/yourself/itself), Sita.
You and I cooked (myself/yourself/ourselves).
Do it (itself/yourself), Ram.
I drove (itself/myself).
A book fell (myself/ itself)
RULE NO. 14
Subject: Verb Agreement
'A+ collective noun + of + noun' takes a singular verb.
Example:
A team of boys (have/has) come.
RULE NO. 15
Subject: Verb Agreement
After modal auxiliary verb & does not, do not, did not, we use v1
Examples:
He can (speaks/spoke/speak) English.
He did not (go/went/goes) to Pokhara.
RULE NO. 16
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject is 'A number of + plural noun', we use a plural verb. If the subject is The number of + plural noun', we use a singular verb.
Examples:
A number of patients visit the doctor daily.
The number of patients is ten.
RULE NO. 17
Subject: Verb Agreement
We use a plural verb after these words jeans, trousers, scissors, shoes, glasses, socks, binoculars, spectacles, pyjamas etc.
Examples:
Scissors cut cloth and papers.
Binoculars are useful for us.
But when we use 'a pair of' in front of these words, we use a singular verb.
Examples:
A pair of trousers has been given to me.
A pair of socks was sold.
RULE NO. 18
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject is 'More than one + noun, we use a singular verb.
Examples:
More than one mango was stolen.
More than one student has been expelled.
But if the subject is "more + plural noun + than one, we use a plural verb.
More mangoes than one are fresh.
RULE NO. 19
Subject: Verb Agreement
The + adjective (rich, blind, sick, poor, deat, intelligent, young, old, dead, brave, coward, handicapped, unemployed etc.) takes a plural verb.
Examples:
The rich are selfish.
The old were walking, slowly.
The intelligent have been rewarded.
RULE NO. 20
Subject: Verb Agreement
We use a singular verb after 'many a /an +.....
Examples:
Many a man goes.
Many an elephant lives on grass.
RULE NO. 21
Subject: Verb Agreement
The nationality words end in sh, ch or ese preceded by the definite article "The', we use a plural verb.
Examples:
The Chinese have a long history.
The French are tall and strong.
(The British, The English, The French The Irish, The Dutch, The Chinese etc.)
RULE NO. 22
Subject: Verb Agreement
If the subject of the sentence begins with 'None of', we generally use the plural verb.
Example:
None of my friends were serious.
RULE NO. 23
Subject: Verb Agreement
We use a singular verb after the phrases beginning with A group of, A chain of, A crowd of, A flock of, A batch of, A series of, A band of, A bouquet of, A galaxy of, A team of, A herd of, A set of, A regiment of, A class of etc.
Examples:
A group of people has arrived.
A series of accidents has taken place.
RULE NO. 24
Subject: Verb Agreement
Some words like cattle, mice, children, police, sheep, deer, public, gentry, clergy, swine, vermin, poultry, people etc. look like singular but they are plural. We use a plural verb.
Examples:
People are hardworking.
The sheep are grazing.
But
A sheep is grazing.
RULE NO. 25
Subject: Verb Agreement
We can use both singular and plural verbs depending on the context, for the following collective nouns like- staff, team, jury, audience, family, class, committee, government etc.
Examples:
Our family is going to the Godavari for a picnic. (collectively)
The committee are divided on one minor point. (separately)
The class looks nice. (collectively)
The jury has elected its president. (collectively)
The family were divided in their arguments. (separately/ individually)
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