Subject-Verb Agreement
The verb of the sentence must agree with the number of the subject.
That is, a single subject needs a single verb and the plural subject needs a plural verb.
1. The following Indefinite pronouns, when used as subjects in sentences, take a singular verb:
Anybody Anyone Anything
Everybody Everyone Everything
Somebody Someone Something
Nobody No one Nothing
Each Either Neither
Examples: Anybody is free to visit my office.
Everybody was present last exam.
2. When words each and every comes before a singular subject joined by and, use a singular verb.
Examples : Every man and woman has the freedom to love.
Each man and woman is given a right to decide.
3. Intervening words or prepositional phrases that come between the subject and the verb do not affect the subject.
Examples : The teacher as well as the students are excited to watch Hamlet.
My friends together with my cousin waits for me at the Mall.
Intervening words/ prepositional phrases that appear in a sentence:
along with
together with
as well as
except
in addition to
4. When a sentence starts with HERE or THERE, the verb agrees with the subject (that comes after the verb).
Examples: There goes my wife.
Here are my books.
5. Subjects joined by AND take a plural verb.
Examples: Apples and Grapes are my favorite fruits.
The man and his dog stroll inthe park.
Exception: My mother and friend is always there for me. (here, only one person is referred to, his mother is also his friend)
His bread and butter is farming.
6. Words such as SEVERAL, BOTH, MANY, FEW always take a plural verb.
Examples: Many are called but few are chosen.
Both are glad to see their exam results.
7. Words like NONE, ANY, ALL, MOST, MORE, SOME, MAJORITY, HALF, may take either a singular or plural verb depending on the meaning.
Examples: All of the students know the answer.
Some of the cake is eaten.
8. In subjects joined by NEITHER and EITHER, the verb agrees with the closer subject.
Examples: Neither the man nor his children believe the story.
Either the teachers or the principal believes the news.
9. These nouns are always plural and therefore take a plural verb:
trousers, pants, slacks, jeans, shorts, briefs, shoes, thongs, glasses, sunglasses, pliers, scissors, tweezers
Examples: The scissors are missing. (When you say the scissor is missing, it's only one blade)
My glasses are broken.
Exception: Using A PAIR OF will make the verb singular.
A pair of shoes is newly bought.
10. Collective nouns take a singular verb when regarded as a unit.
Examples: My family plans to go to Palawan this summer.
The class is silent when I arrive.
However, when taken individually, collective nouns take a plural verb.
Examples: The team are working hard to win the games.(Team members)
The class are busy in their practice.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, July 7, 2008
NOUN
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite nouns
Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite nouns
Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite nouns
When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite nouns
And then I don't feel so bad.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
THE EIGHT PARTS OF SPEECH
A NOUN names anything,
Like: school or garden, toy, or swing.
A PRONOUN replaces any noun
Like: he, she, you, I, It
Like: he, she, you, I, It
An ADJECTIVE tell the kind of noun,
Like: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
VERBS tell of something being done:
Like: read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
Like: read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
Like: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
CONJUNCTION joins the words together,
Like: men and women, wind or weather.
The PREPOSITION stands before a noun,
Like: in, before, along, beside.
The INTERJECTION shows surprise
Like: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
The whole are called the PARTS of SPEECH,
Which reading, writing, and speaking teach.
Friday, July 4, 2008
history of english
Welcome to my page.I really love learning the English language and I find it challenging and interesting. now let me bring you back to the history about it.
English is a Germanic Language of the Indo-European Family. It is the second most spoken language in the world.
It is estimated that there are 300 million native speakers and 300 million who use English as a second language and a further 100 million use it as a foreign language. It is the language of science, aviation, computing, diplomacy, and tourism. It is listed as the official or co-official language of over 45 countries and is spoken extensively in other countries where it has no official status. The English language plays a vital part in the cultural, political or economic life many countries.
The are more than 60 countries that use English as a second language or as a foreign language compare to 27 for French, 20 for Spanish and 17 for Arabic. This domination is unique in history. Speakers of languages like French, Spanish and Arabic may disagree, but English is on its way to becoming the world's unofficial international language. Mandarin (Chinese) is spoken by more people, but English is now the most widespread of the world's languages.
Half of all business deals are conducted in English. Two thirds of all scientific papers are written in English. Most movies are in English. Over 70% of all post / mail is written and addressed in English. Most international tourism, aviation and diplomacy is conducted in English.
What more, in the Philippines, English is used as a medium of instruction in the schools, starting from pre-school to coPost Optionsllege.
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