1. Subject-Verb Agreement & Parallel Structure
Unit 10 Grammar Forms & Functions 3

2. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 1
Click on the correct sentence.
Correct -- Use the base form of verb with “I” & “you.”
I will run to the store.
I will runs to the store.
Try again.
She run every morning.
Try again.
Correct -- Use the base verb + “-s” with “he,” “she,” & “it.”
She runs every morning.
John and Alice are lawyers.
Correct -- Use plural verbs with plural subjects.
Try again.
John and Alice is lawyers.
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3. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 1
Click on the correct sentence.
Correct – If two or more subjects are connected with the word “and,” then it is a plural subject.
The lab and the library are on the first floor.
Try again.
The lab and the library is on the first floor.
Mathematics is not my favorite subject.
Correct – Some nouns end in “-s” BUT are singular and need singular verbs.
Mathematics are not my favorite subject.
Try again.
Correct – “Mathematics” is an adjective. “Teachers” is the plural subject, so you need a plural verb.
Mathematics teachers are not my favorite people.
Mathematics teachers is not my favorite people.
Try again.
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4. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 1
Click on the correct sentence.
Swimming are my favorite sport.
Try again.
Swimming is my favorite sport.
Correct – Use singular verbs with gerund subjects (verb + ing used as a subject)
Swimming and biking are popular sports in California.
Correct – Two or more gerund subjects become a plural subject.
Swimming and biking is popular sports in California.
Try again.
Mathematics teachers are not my favorite people.
Correct – “Mathematics” is an adjective. “Teachers” is the plural subject, so you need a plural verb.
Try again.
Mathematics teachers is not my favorite people.
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5. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 1
Click on the correct sentence.
Try again.
Each of the subjects in a sentence have to agree with its verb.
Correct – Use singular verbs with “each,” “every,” or “any” (“has” is singular, “have” is plural)
Each of the subjects in a sentence has to agree with its verb.
Try again.
Everyone want something from us.
Everyone wants something from us.
Correct – Use a singular verb with indefinite pronouns like “everyone,” “anything,” and “everything.”
Try again.
All of the teachers prepares for class.
Correct – Use a plural verb with “all,” “almost all,” “most” or “some”
All of the teachers prepare for class.
All of the teachers want something from us.
Both are correct. “All” uses a plural verb.
Everyone prepares for class.
Both are correct. “Everyone” uses a singular verb.
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6. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 1
Click on the correct sentence.
Correct – Two singular subjects combined with “or” need a singular verb (different rule for “either…or.”
Thursday or Friday is the best day to go.
Thursday or Friday are the best days to go.
Try again.
Dogs or cats is good pets.
Try again.
Dogs or cats are good pets.
Correct – Two plural subjects joined by “or” need a plural verb.
I think that the potatoes or the chicken is burning.
Both are correct. Verb agrees with subject closest to it when subjects combined by “or.”
Both are correct. Verb agrees with subject closest to it when subjects combined by “or.”
I think that the chicken or the potatoes are burning.
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7. S-V Agreement: General Rules Part 2
Click on the correct sentence.
Correct – Prepositional phrases do not affect the verb “of his investments.” The subject is “value.”
The value of his investments is dropping every day.
Try again.
The value of his investments are dropping every day.
Correct – Phrases with “along with,” “together with,” “accompanied by,” “as well as,” and “in addition to” do not affect the verb.
My parents, along with my brother, are going to visit me tomorrow.
My parents, along with my brother, is going to visit me tomorrow.
Try again.
Try again.
There is many students in class today.
Correct – “there” or “here” can be singular or plural depending upon the noun that follows it.
There are many students in class today.
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8. S-V Agreement with Quantity Words
Click on the correct sentence.
Ten dollars are all the money I have.
Try again.
Correct – Use a singular verb with expressions of time, money, distance, weight and measurement even if they look plural.
Ten dollars is all the money I have.
The number of students in our class is 28.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “the number of.”
The number of students in our class are 28.
Try again.
A number of important people are here today.
Correct – Use a plural verb with “a number of.”
A number of important people is here today.
Try again.
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9. S-V Agreement with Quantity Words
Click on the correct sentence.
Some of the orange are still good.
Try again.
Correct – With “some of,” “a lot of,” and “three-quarters of” the verb agrees with the noun/pronoun after “of.”
Some of the orange is still good.
Some of them is still good.
Try again.
Some of them are still good.
Correct – With “some of,” “a lot of,” and “three-quarters of” the verb agrees with the noun/pronoun after “of.”
One of the students is sick.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “one of the.”
One of the students are sick.
Try again.
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10. S-V Agreement with Quantity Words
Click on the correct sentence.
One of the students is sick.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “one of the.”
One of the students are sick.
Try again.
Every one of the dogs are well-trained.
Try again.
Every one of the dogs is well-trained.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “every one of the.”
Each of the umbrellas are broken.
Try again.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “each of the.”
Each of the umbrellas is broken.
Correct – Use a singular verb with “none of the.” At least in formal grammar.
None of the students is late.
None of the students are late.
Incorrect for written grammar. Will hear it with informal spoken grammar.
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11. Parallel Structure Click on the correct sentence.
Correct – “Grammar” is a noun; “organization” is a noun. Therefore, the nouns are parallel.
The essay had mistakes in grammar and organization.
The essay had mistakes in grammar and organize.
Try again. “Grammar” is a noun; “organize” is a verb. Therefore, the nouns are not parallel.
His speech was neither interesting nor helpful.
Correct – “Interesting” is a gerund adjective; “helpful” is an adjective. Therefore, the adjectives are parallel.
Try again. “Interesting” is an adjective (gerund); “helping” is a verb because “helpful” is the adjective of “help.” Therefore, the adjectives are not parallel.
His speech was neither interesting nor helping.
Correct – “Arrives” is a simple present verb; “leaves” is a simple present verb. Therefore, the verbs are parallel.
She arrives at seven and leaves at nine.
Try again. “Arrives” is a simple present verb; “left” is a simple past verb. Therefore, the verbs are not parallel.
She arrives at seven and left at nine.
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12. Parallel Structure Click on the correct sentence.
Incorrect – “Slow” is an adjective; “quickly” is an adverb. Therefore, the adverbs are NOT parallel.
Does she work slow or quickly?
Does she work slowly or quickly?
Correct. “Slowly” is an adverb; “quickly” is an adverb. Therefore, the adverbs are parallel.
Dancing and biking are my favorite activities.
Correct – “Dancing” is a gerund subject; “biking” is a gerund subject. Therefore, the subjects are parallel.
Dancing and bikes are my favorite activities.
Try again. “Dancing” is a gerund subject; “bikes” is a noun subject. Therefore, the subjects are NOT parallel.
I like to swim but not to fishing.
Try again – “To swim” is an infinitive; “to fishing” is incorrect grammar (“to” + gerund). Therefore, the infinitive objects are NOT parallel.
I like to swim but not to fish.
Correct. “To swim” is an infinitive; “to fish” is an infinitive. Therefore, the infinitive objects are parallel.
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13. Parallel Structure
Click on the correct sentence finished April 13, 2010
The instructor expects students to attend every class, to do all the assignments and to hand in homework on time.
Both are correct. Separate a series with commas, but you do not have to put the comma before “and” in the series.
The instructor expects students to attend every class, to do all the assignments, and to hand in homework on time.
Both are correct. Separate a series with commas, but you do not have to put the comma before “and” in the series.
I can speak Chinese, and English.
Try again.
I can speak Chinese and English.
Correct – When there are only two items, you do not use a comma.
Bonus comma question -- Not a parallel structure question
Try again.
I will graduate in June, because I have taken all my required courses.
Correct – Do not use a comma in front of because.
I will graduate in June because I have taken all my required courses.
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14. Parallel Structure – Coordinate Conjunctions
Click on the correct sentence.
A. Susan has many problems, but she always looks happy.
Correct. Need a comma in front of the coordinate conjunction.
B. Susan has many problems but she always looks happy
Incorrect. Need a comma in front of a coordinate conjunction.
I bought it for you.
Correct. “For” in this sentence is a preposition and does not connect two independent clauses.
I bought it, for you.
Incorrect.
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15. Parallel Structure—Correlative Conjunctions
Click on the correct sentence.
Ben both studies and slept.
Incorrect.
Ben both studies and sleeps.
Correct. Need the verbs to be parallel in tense.
Both his brother and sister is in town.
Try again.
Both his brother and sister are in town.
Correct – When two subjects are connected with “both…and…,” then the verb is plural.
Correct. Use the subject closest to the verb to determine singular or plural.
Neither the doctor nor the nurse is with the patient.
Neither the doctor nor the nurse are with the patient.
Incorrect.
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