Subject-Verb Agreement A short description

Agenda Definition: Finding Subjects and Verbs Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement Case1: Everybody/ Nobody Case2: “Of” Constructions Case3: Either/Neither Case4: A Common Problem Exercise

 A subject is the answer to the question “Who is doing the action in the sentence?”  A verb is the answer to the question, “What is the action in the sentence?”  The subject and the verb are placed together most of the time Definition: Finding Subjects and Verbs After the solution has etched the copper surface for 30 minutes, we are going to apply a new compound. subjectverb subject verb

The principle:  A singular subject demands a singular verb  A plural subject demands a plural verb. Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement After the solution has etched the copper surface for 30 minutes, we are going to apply a new compound. subjectverb subject verb singular plural

For a present tense sentence, you can’t have two –s endings at the same time.  Plural subject nouns have an –s at the end  Verbs in the third person present tense singular have an –s at the end. So, a plural subject can’t have a singular verb, and a singular subject can’t have a plural verb. Definition: Subject-Verb Agreement

Indefinite pronouns such as “everybody” or “nobody” feel plural to some writers  always singular, take a singular verb. Everyone associated with the project is proud to be part of the effort. Nobody feels responsible. Case1: Everybody/ Nobody

phrases that come between the subject pronoun and its verb may contain plural words. Each of the architects is responsible for writing a section of the requirements specification. None of them has replied to the yet. Subject: singular Verb: singular Case2: “Of” constructions

The verb that accompanies pronouns such as all and some will be determined by the pronoun’s countability. Some of the students in the cafeteria have voted already. Some of the lab setup was ruined by the flood. Countable: plural Not countable: singular Case2: “Of” constructions

either and neither are always singular. Neither of these choices appears to be satisfactory. The purchasing office will lend me a company car or compensate me for travel expenses. Either is fine with me. When either and neither stand with or and nor, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Neither the professor nor the students are at fault. Case3: Either and Neither

Be careful when lengthy or numerous modifying phrases come between the subject and its verb. Tim Berners-Lee, one of America’s most prominent computer scientists and —as a founder of the World Wide Web Consortium — one of the most important figures in the development of the Internet, has been working quietly at M.I.T. for many years. The fact that the plural “scientists” and “figures” appear in this sentence has no effect on our choice of a singular verb, “has.” Case4: A Common Problem

Other confusing phrase-introducers are: Case4: A Common Problem In addition to Together with As well as No less than Including Accompanied by Except Along with Smith, along with fifteen other researchers, agrees that copper is still the primary metal that, in addition to platinum and silver, produces the best circuits.

Exercise shl/quiz.pl/sv_agr_quiz.htm shl/quiz.pl/agreement_add3.htm

Subject-Verb Agreement: Quiz Please take the Subject-Verb Agreement Quiz on WebCT now. Reference: Darling, Charles. Subject-Verb Agreement. PowerPoint Presentation. Available Online. 03/01/