7. Comment on the verb and subject agreement.

Agreement between subject and verb

It is natural that nouns in the singular agree with the singular verb and nouns in the plural take a plural verb.

e.g. She lives in China.

More people live in Asia than in any other continent.

1. When the subject of the sentence is complex, the following verb must agree with the main noun in the

sentence.

e.g. The only excuse that he gave for his actions was that he was tired.

2. We have difficulties with collective nouns:

a) Some of them always have a singular form and take a singular verb: the aristocracy, the bourgeoisie, the peasantry, furniture, machinery, linen.

e.g. The aristocracy is proud of having blue blood.

b) Other collective nouns also have the singular form, but agree with a plural verb (nouns of multitude). Here belong: the public, police, people, the gentry, the clergy, infantry, cattle, poultry.

e.g. The police have arrested a criminal.

c) Still other collective nouns may have either the singular or the plural form. Here belong: family, crew, group, team, staff, company, party, band etc. When these nouns are used in the plural, they agree with a plural verb.

e.g. All the families in our neighbourhood were alike.

These nouns in the singular form may take either a singular or a plural verb.

We use a singular verb if we see the institution or organization as a whole unit, a collective body.

e.g. The team has won the game.

Their family is very happy.

But if we see it as a collection of individuals (members are thought of individually) we use a plural verb.

e.g. The team are now resting.

My family keep a close eye on me.

d) Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb. These include: belongings, clothes, goods, outskirts etc.

e.g. There were clothes scattered about the room.

3. Some nouns always end in –s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subject of a sentence they have a singular verb. Here belong: news, means, some sports, some diseases, some academic disciplines (the latter agree with a plural verb when denote general use of a science, but not the science itself).

e.g. Statistics was always my worst subject .

Statistics are able to prove anything you want them to (= numerical information).

4. After per cent (also percent and %) we use a singular verb.

e.g. Around 10 per cent of the forest is destroyed each year.

Note: In phrases where we can use of + plural noun we use a plural verb.

e.g. I would say that about 50 per cent of the houses need major repairs.

But where we use a singular noun that can be thought of either as a whole unit or a collection of individuals, we can use a singular or plural verb.

e.g. Some 80 per cent of the electorate is expected to vote (or “are expected).

5. With e.g. two thirds of and a plural noun we use a plural verb, with a singular noun we use a singular verb.

e.g. Two thirds of the food was eaten immediately.

e.g. Two thirds of the books were mine.

6. With any of, either of, neither of, none of” and a plural noun, we can use a singular or plural verb (However, we prefer a singular verb in careful written English).

e.g. I don’t think any of them knows (or know) where the money is hidden.

Neither of the French athletics has (or have) won this year.

But with one of, each of, every one of and a plural noun, we use a singular verb.

e.g. Each of the boys in the class has his own notebook.

7. With a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, a variety of, plenty of, all (of), some (of), a couple of, a group of, a percentage of and a plural noun we use a plural verb.

But if we say the number of, the variety of, the percentage of we use a singular verb.

e.g. A number of refugees have been turned back at the border

The number of books in the library has risen to over 5 million.

8. With any of, none of, the majority of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of), some (of) and an uncountable noun, we use a singular verb.

e.g. All the furniture was destroyed in the fire.

9. With each and every and a singular noun we use a singular verb.

e.g. Every room has its own bathroom

But: The boys have each drawn a picture.

10. With everyone, everybody, everything (and similar words beginning any-, some- and no-) we use a singular verb.

e.g. Practically everyone thinks that Judith should be given the job.

11.When a subject has two or more items joined by and, we use a plural verb:

e.g. Jean and David are moving back to Australia.

However phrases connected by and can also be followed by singular verbs if we think of them as making up a single item.

e.g. Meat pie and peas is Tom’s favourite at the moment (or meat pie and peas are…)

12. When a subject is made up of two or more items joined by: either …. or or neither ….. nor, not only … but (also), we use a singular verb if the last item is singular (although a plural verb is sometimes used in informal English), and a plural verb if it is plural.

e.g. Either the station or the cinema is a good place to meet (are).

Neither the President nor his representatives are to attend the meeting.

If the last item is singular and the previous item plural, we can use a singular or plural verb.

e.g. Either the teachers or the principal is (are) to blame for the accidents.

13. When two subjects in the singular are connected by the conjunctions as well as, together with the predicate is in the singular.

e.g. Activity, as well as cell structure, is an essential condition of life.

If the subjects are of different person or number, the predicate agrees with the subject that stands first.

e.g. The Volga, as well as its affluents , is very picturesque.

14. If the subject is expressed by the word-group many a.., the predicate is in the singular.

e.g. The banks of the Avon are beautiful in these parts. Many an artist comes there.

15. With expressions of duration, distance or money meaning “a whole amount” we use a singular verb.

e.g. Two weeks isn’t long to wait.

Ten miles is a long way to ride.

Two thousand pounds is to much to spend on this house.

16. When the predicate-verb precedes a number of subjects, it is often in the singular especially if the sentence begins with here or there.

e.g. And here was a man, was experience and culture

If the subjects are of different. number, the predicate agrees with the subject that stands first.

e.g. There was much traffic at night and many mules on the roads.

17. If the subject is expressed by an interrogative pronoun (who, what), the predicate is usually in the singular.

e.g. Who is to apply to her for permission?

If the question refers to more than one person, the predicate may be used in the plural.

e.g. Who are his parents?

18. Plural names of countries and organizations have a singular verb.

e.g. The USA is smaller than Canada.

19. Compound nouns joined by more than one and a singular noun have a singular verb.

e.g. More than one person disagrees.

20. After one of and a plural noun we use a singular verb

e.g. One of your children has lost a shoe.

When it is followed by a relative clause we use a plural verb.

e.g. She is one of the women who have climbed Everest.

One of the things that really make me angry is people who don’t answer letters.

( In informal English singular verb is possible).

21. A subject whose main word is an –ing or to-form requires a singular verb.

e.g. Writing good letters takes a long time. 8. Comment on the classification of nouns according to their lexical meaning

According to their lexical meaning nouns fall under two classes: common nouns and proper nouns.

Proper nouns are individual names given to separate persons or things. Here belong:

1. personal names: Peter, Brown;

2. geographical names: the Crimea, Ukraine, London;

3. the names of the month and the days of the week: Sunday, August;

4. the name of ships, hotels, clubs, periodicals, etc.

Proper nouns may change their meaning and become common nouns.

E.g. He took a sandwich and a glass of champagne.

Common nouns are subdivided into: class nouns, collective nouns, material nouns, abstract nouns.

1. Class nouns denote persons or things belonging to a class: parka, beret.

2. Collective nouns denote a number or collection of similar individuals or things regarded as a single unit. They fall under the following groups:

a) nouns used only in the singular: money, linen, furniture, machinery.

b) nouns used only in the plural: clothes, belongings, sweepings.

c) nouns that may be both singular and plural: family, crowd, party, staff.

d) nouns of multitude; they are singular in form though plural in meaning: police, cattle, poultry, people.

3. Nouns of material denote material: iron, silk, leather, wool, water. They are uncountables and are generally used without any article. They may turn into class nouns: glass – a glass.

4. Abstract nouns denote

some qualities: beauty, courage, humor;

notions: idea, information;

states: life, death, peace;

actions: fight;

feelings and emotions: love, joy, hatred, anger.

Abstract nouns may change their meaning and become class nouns. This change is marked by the use of the article and of the plural number:

beauty – a beauty – beauties; youth – a youth – youths.