Rule 1. A topic precedes a sentence that begins with. This is a key rule for understanding topics. The word of is the culprit of many subject-verb errors, perhaps most. Editors, speakers, readers and listeners in a hurry might overlook the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence: The majority of samples are contaminated. Most of the sample is contaminated. One-third of participants received placebo. Another pitfall for writers is the shift from strict grammatical agreement to “fictitious agreement,” meaning that the verb coincides with the term or idea the subject is trying to convey, whether singular or plural: abbreviations and acronyms usually take on a singular verb. If you are not sure, check if the full version of the acronym or abbreviation is a singular, plural or collective noun, and refer to the rules above. It is very important to use some form of agreement consistently.
However, in both styles of English, this rule is somewhat flexible, depending on whether you want to highlight the actions of the collective as a whole or the individual actions of its members. The football team is training day and night for the Super Bowl.The Boston school board disagrees on what should be cut in the school`s budget. Shouldn`t Joe be followed by what wasn`t, since Joe is unique? But Joe isn`t really there, so let`s just say he wasn`t. The sentence demonstrates the agreement of the subjunctive used to express hypothetical, vowed, imaginary or factually contradictory things. The subjunctive associates singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs. When using numbers, percentages, or proportions, the correct form of verb matching depends exactly on what you`re referring to. It`s helpful to look beyond the numbers and find the real problem. Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors in subject-verb correspondence. “None” takes a singular verb if what it refers to is singular, and a plural verb if its referent is plural. Section 8. With words that specify parties – for example, many, a majority, some, all – Rule 1 given earlier in this section is reversed, and we orient ourselves by the name by. If the noun after is singular, use a singular verb.
If it is plural, use a plural verb. In English, subject-verb correspondence is important. This means that the characteristics of the subject must be reflected in the verb. For example, if a subject is singular, the verb form must also be singular. Often the verb does not directly follow the topic, which can lead to unification errors. Make sure you match the verb to the correct topic, especially in long sentences with sentences or clauses between the subject and the verb. In the examples above, RPM (“revolutions per minute”) refers to a separate number, so a singular verb is required. HNS (“hazardous and noxious substances”), on the other hand, is used to describe several things, so it needs a plural verb. The subject-verb correspondence sounds simple, doesn`t it? A singular subject takes the singular verb: Here is a short list of 10 propositions for the subject-verb agreement. Even better: Neither they, nor I, nor my friends go to the festival.
OR you, my friends and I don`t go to the festival. **A plural verb makes more sense here, as the emphasis is on individual employees. Examples: Three miles is too far to walk. Five years is the maximum penalty for this offence. Ten dollars is a high price. BUT ten dollars (i.e. dollar bills) were scattered on the ground. For money, if the amount is specific, use a singular verb; If the amount is vague, use a plural verb.
In recent years, the SAT testing service has not considered any of them to be strictly singular. According to Merriam-Webster`s Dictionary of English Usage: “Evidently, none since Old English has been, and still is, both singular and plural. The idea that it is only singular is a myth of unknown origin that seems to have originated in the 19th century. If this sounds singular in context, use a singular verb; If it sounds like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism. If none clearly means “not one”, a singular verb follows. Example: Neither alternative hypothesis was retained. If possible, it is best to rephrase these grammatically correct but heavy sentences.
Example: Locally produced goods have the advantage of shortening supply chains. Yet The Copyeditor`s Handbook lists no less than 25 cases that are not as clear, and Garner`s Modern American Usage devotes nearly five columns to the subject. Even the relatively small Grammar Smart devotes five pages (including quizzes) to the topic. Examples: My aunt or uncle is coming by train today. Neither Juan nor Carmen are available. Kiana or Casey help today with stage decorations. It can be difficult to determine whether collective nouns and a myriad of nouns should be treated in the singular or plural. Most indefinite pronouns are treated as singular subjects.
However, some are always treated in the plural because they refer to several articles or amounts. The boys climb the walls like caged animals. Sometimes the subject follows the verb, especially if the sentence starts there or here. In this case, there is no subject – the real subject must be identified and associated with the correct verbal form. If a subject consists of nouns that are connected by or connected, the verb corresponds to the last noun. If the compound subject contains both singular and plural nouns, the verb takes the form of the next subject. These names describe abstract concepts or masses that cannot be counted (e.g. research, energy, water, and vegetation). They take a singular verb.
In the space of a year, $5 million was spent on the construction of a new plant, and millions more were spent on training future factory workers. (“$5 million” is a certain amount. Therefore, the verb is singular.) Every year, funds are made available for medical research. (“Fund” is more of a vague term than a specific amount. Therefore, the verb is plural.) Example: Interviews were conducted with nine specifically selected participants. These refer to indeterminate people, places, and things (e.g., someone, other, someone, somebody, anything, anywhere, anyone, none). For example, what about “the color of the cars was/was examined” (each car with only one color, but all colors were examined) Rule 3. The verb in a sentence or, either / or neither nor / nor nor corresponds to the noun or pronoun that most closely approximates it. This rule can cause bumps on the road.
For example, if I am one of two (or more) topics, it could lead to this strange sentence: There are a lot of gaps in the literature. Here`s the answer. Sometimes, however, it seems a little more complicated. The word there, a contraction of there, leads to bad habits in informal sentences like There are many people here today because it is easier to say “there is” than “there is”. Be careful never to use that it is with a plural subject. The new Bed & Breakfast opens this week. Macaroni and cheese are a delicious meal. Example: The percentage of employees who reported illness and the number of employees who left their jobs within 2 years reflect the level of job satisfaction. Example: Strategies the teacher uses to encourage classroom participation include using small groups and clarifying expectations. Rule 4: Usually use a plural verb with two or more subjects when crossed and connected. Note: In this example, the object of the sentence is the pair; Therefore, the verb must correspond to it. (Because scissors are the object of the preposition, scissors do not affect the number of the verb.) A bicycle and a pedestrian were involved.
Goose and chickens eat early in the morning. Example: Interviews are a way to collect data and give researchers a thorough understanding of participants. The country`s GDP correlates with its birth rate. The speed drops rapidly. In addition to oil, HNS is a common form of cargo. If you`re referring to a specific number or quantity of something, arrange the verb with the noun, not the number. Article 5a. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as with and, alongside, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb if the subject is singular. A thousand dollars is too much. In fact, 63% is a better result than expected.
A 12-course set is all you need for dinner. Examples: Neither the plates nor the serving bowl are on this shelf.
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