Dear Students,
English Section in the exam is a section where some students score very well but others even fail to clear cut-off. Learning Grammar is really essential to score good marks. But, what happens is that students from various boards where lesser attention is paid on English language fail to apply grammar during the examination even if they know the rules.
So, conclusion is that practicing in some interesting way so that the things remain intact in your mind is important. Keeping this in mind, we have launched this series of “ENglish – VinglisH”. We have discussed some basic sentence errors and use of some basic words in English. Also, we are done with Tenses and have completed the basics of VERB as well. Now we will learn about “Subject Verb Agreement”
This is the 33rd post of ENglish – VinglisH. Hope you people like it.
So, lets start now!!
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
One of the most common grammatical problems is failure to make the subject and verb agree with each other in a sentence. Verb should always agree with the subject. So, there are some set of rules which must be followed in order to frame a correct sentence.
The basic fundamental behind every sentence is same i.e. Single subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural verbs.
Single subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural verbs.
Singular words means there is only one person or thing.
Example:
The bell rings. Amitabh plays.
Plural words mean to be more than one person or thing.
Example:
The bells ring. Amitabh and his brother play.
But there are some special cases as well. So, we are providing here some rules which will help you to place correct verb with the different subjects. We will be learning here 5 rules everyday in order to master the topics and so that they do not get messed up.
SPECIAL CASES
16. Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.
Example:
He reads.
She reads.
They read.
17. Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.
Example:The news from the front is bad.
Measles is a dangerous disease.
Measles is a dangerous disease.
On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.
Example:
Company assets are to be counted at the end of every financial year.
The average worker’s earnings have gone up dramatically.
Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.
The average worker’s earnings have gone up dramatically.
Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.
NOTE: The names of sports teams that do not end in “s” will take a plural verb.
Example:
The Royal Challengers Bangalore have been looking forward to win the match.
18. Sometimes modifiers will get between a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.
Example:
The Politician, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, is finally going to jail.
19. Fractional expressions such as a lot of, half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. Sums and products of mathematical processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs.
Example:
Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy.
Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy.
Two and two is four.
Four times four divided by two is eight.
Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy.
Two and two is four.
Four times four divided by two is eight.
**The expression “more than one” takes a singular verb.
Example: More than one student has tried this.
20. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
Example:
The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Janmashtamai.
It is not the faculty members but the principal who decides this issue.
The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Janmashtamai.
It is not the faculty members but the principal who decides this issue.
21. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
Example:
The Sultan is a movie starring Salman Khan.
22. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact.
Example:
If Amit were here, you’d be sorry.
I wish it were Saturday.
We will learn some more rules of ‘Subject Verb Agreement’ tomorrow!
Till then, study well!
