1. Subject-verb Concord (I)
Lecture 2
Subject-verb Concord (I)

2. Lecture 2 Subject-verb Concord (I)
Definition:
Main Points:
The agreement between subject and predicate verb in number.
2.1 Guiding principles
2.2 Problems of concord with nouns ending in –s
2.3 problems of concord with collective nouns
Quiz

3. 2.1 Guiding Principles Grammatical Concord Notional Concord Proximity
There are three principles guiding subject-verb concord:
Grammatical Concord
Notional Concord
Proximity

4. 1) Grammatical Concord Subject Verb the Rule:
The verb must match its subject in number.
Subject
plural
singular /a mass noun
Verb
plural
singular
Head word of the Phrase
Subject
The amount of Clauses
Main verb of the Simple Verb Phrase
Verb
Auxiliary of the Complex Verb Phrase

5. Examples:
Happy families _____all alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own.
His brother rather than his parents ____to blame.
Children interfering in their parents’ right to remarry ______become a social problem.
What he did and what he said ______totally different.
Because they are dead language _____no reason why they should be ignored in academic circles.
families
are
brother is
interfering
has
are
and
Because they are dead language is

6. Head part of the Subject
2) Notional Concord
the Rule:
The verb can sometimes agree with the subject according to the notion of number rather than to the actual presence of the grammatical marker for that notion.
the notion of number
actual presence
Head part of the Subject
Predicate Verb
Plural Form
singular
with singular meaning
Singular Form
plural
with plural meaning

7. Examples: The government have asked the country to decide by a vote.
Singular Form
plural
plural meaning
Fifteen miles seems like a long walk to me.
Plural Form
singular
singular meaning

8. 3) Proximity
The Rule:
the verb agrees with a closely preceding noun phrase in the subject.
closely preceding
Subject
Predicate Verb
NP +NP+···+NP Verb… NP
Verb
singular
singular
plural
plural

9. agrees with a closely preceding noun phrase in the subject
Examples:
Subject
Either my brothers or my father is coming. NP NP
agrees with a closely preceding noun phrase in the subject
Subject
No one except his own supporters agree with him. NP NP

10. Examples Neither Julia nor I am going. Neither Julia nor I
Subject:__________________________
NP close to predicate verb:__________________________ I
singular
verb form:__________________________

11. 2.2 Problems of concord with nouns ending in –s
What is ‘s’ ?

12. S What is ‘s’ ? Problems last letter in a word
inflectional affix for singular verb
inflectional affix for plural noun
Problems

13. 2.2 Problems of Concord with Nouns Ending in –s
Nouns that end in –s
A: not countable
treated as singular
plural
either singular or plural
B: countable
according to grammatical concord

14. 2.2 Problems of Concord with Nouns Ending in –s
1) Disease Names Ending in –s:
2) Game Names Ending in –s:
3) Subject Names Ending in –ics:
4) Geographical Names Ending in –s:
5) Names for Things Made of Two Parts
6) Nouns Usually Taking Plural Endings:
7) Nouns Ending in –ings
8) Nouns Ending in –s with both Singular and Plural Meaning:

15. 1) Disease Names Ending in –s:
Rules:
arthritis 关节炎 bronchitis 支气管炎 diabetes 糖尿病 measles 麻疹 mumps 腮腺炎病 phlebitis 静脉炎 rabies 狂犬病 rickets 软骨 shingles 带状疱疹
mostly treated as singular
Exception:
can be used singular / plural

16. 2) Game Names Ending in –s:
Rules:
billiards 台球 bowls 保龄球 darts 投镖游戏 draughts 国际跳棋 marbles 弹子游戏 checkers 跳棋 tiddlywinks 挑圆片 skittles 九柱戏 dominoes 多米诺骨牌
generally singular
Exception:
1. cards usually plural
2. Not for name usually plural

17. 4) Geographical Names Ending in –s:
Rules: 1.
Archipelagos mountain ranges straits falls
Plural verb 2.
country names
Singular verb
The Himalayas have a magnificent variety of plant and animal life.
eg.
The straits of Gibraltar have not lost their strategic importance.
In early January 1976, the Netherlands was hit by its worst storm since 1953.

18. 5) Names for Things Made of Two Parts
Rules:
usually plural
Exception:
determined by unit noun
The scissors are on the ground.
This pair of scissors belongs to the tailor

19. 6) Nouns Usually Taking Plural Endings:
Rules:
generally plural
Exception:
whereabouts, dramatics
plural / singular
The goods are to be exported to Canada.
The remains of an ancient city was/were found there
The late president’s remains are buried in the churchyard.

20. 7) Nouns Ending in –ings Rules: Exception: generally plural
except tidings
plural / singular
The sightings were reported 20 years ago.
were

21. 8) Nouns Ending in –s with both Singular and Plural Meanings:
Rules:
Plural meaning  Plural verb
Singular meaning  Singular verb
The species of fish______ numerous
are
This species of rose______very curious. is

22. 2.3 Problems of Concord with Collective Nouns as Subject
Feature:
Singular in Form but Plural in Meaning

23. 2.3 Problems of Concord with Collective Nouns as Subject
1) Collective nouns usually used as Plural
2) Collective nouns usually used as Singular
3) Collective nouns used either as Plural or as Singular
4) A committee of, etc + plural noun

24. 1) Collective Nouns Usually Used as Plural
Including:
people, police, cattle, militia, poultry, vermin
Domestic cattle provide us with milk, beef and hides.
The mankind long for peace.

25. 2) Collective Nouns Usually Used as Singular
Including:
foliage, machinery, equipment, furniture, merchandise
All the merchandise has arrived undamaged. All the machinery in the factory is made in china.

26. 3) Collective Nouns Used either as Plural or as Singular
Including:
Audience, committee, class, crew, family, government, public, team
The anti-crime committee is to make its report tomorrow.
committee
its
The committee are divided in opinion about this problem.
committee
divided in opinion
That group of soldiers is a top-notch fighting unit.
group a
unit
That group of soldiers have the best ratings of individual performance.
group
individual performance

27. 4) A committee of, etc + plural noun
Subject
Predicate verb
committee board panel a of
plural noun
verb
Post modifier
noun phrase
Head of noun phrase
Singular form
Singular verb
A committee of five men and three women is to consider the matter.