The Concord

AGREEMENT OF THE VERBS WITH THE SUBJECT

1.  1.     A verb must agree with its SUBJECT in NUMBER and PERSON.

Often, by what is called “error of proximity”, the verb is made to agree in number with a noun near it instead of with its proper subject. This must be avoided as given in the following examples.

a.      The quality of the mangoes was not good.

b.     The introduction of tea and coffee and such other beverages has not been without some effect.

c.      His knowledge of Nepali vernaculars is beyond the common.

d.     The state of his affairs was such as to cause anxiety to his creditors.

e.      If it were possible to get near when one of the volcanic eruptions takes place, we should see a grand sight.

f.      The results of the recognition of this fact are seen in the gradual improvement of the diet of the poor.

2.     Two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by “and” requires a plural verb; as,

a.      Gold and silver are precious metals.

b.     Fire and water do not agree.

c.      Knowledge and wisdom have oft-times no connection.

d.     Are your father and mother at home?

e.      In him were centered their love and ambition.

f.      He and I were playing.

But if the nouns suggest one idea to the mind, or refer to the same person or t5hing, the verb to be used is a singular verb; as,

a.      Slow and steady wins the race.

b.     The horse and carriage is at the door.

c.      Bread and butter is my best food.

d.     Honour and glory is the crown of life.

e.      The rise and the fall of tide is due to lunar influence.

f.      The principal and secretary is in the office.

g.     The novelist and poet is dead.

But when the nouns are preceded by a separate determiner each, a plural verb is required; as,

a.      The principal and the secretary are in the office.

b.     A horse and a cart are standing at the door.

c.      A poet and a novelist were present at the seminar.

3.     Words joined to a singular subject by words like: with, as well as, accompanied by, together with, along with, except, except for, besides, aside, and not, no less than, in addition to, apart from, etc. are parenthetical. (Optional or Additional). The verb should therefore be put in agreement with the first subject, as,

a.      The house, with its contents, was insured.

b.     The chairperson, with the directors, is to be present.

c.      The boy, along with his parents, has arrived.

d.     Gold, as well as silver, has fallen in price.

e.      Mohan, together with his friends, was absent yesterday.

f.      Justice, as well as mercy, allows it,

g.     He, as well as I, is reading the same story.

h.     He, as well as they, is ready to go.

i.       I, as well as my parents, am fine here.

                  j.       Shiwa, in addition to Suraj and Dennis is also coming to see me today.

                  k.     Jay, apart from Diane and her friends is attending the party tonight.

4.     Two or more singular nouns joined by or, nor, either…or, neither…..nor, not only…. but also + a singular noun in both the places takes a singular verb. However, either …or and neither … nor take a verb in agreement to the nearest subject, if the subjects are different persons, as: 

a.        No nook or corner was left unexploited.

b.        Our happiness it or our sorrow is largely due to our own actions.

c.        Either the cat or the dog has been here.

d.        Neither food nor water was to be found here.

e.        Neither the boy nor the girl was punished.

f.         Either he or I am mistaken.

g.        Either you or he is to be rewarded.

h.        Neither you nor he is to blame.

i.         Not only Harry but also his friends are happy to see me.

   But when the subjects are joined by either... or, nor, neither…nor, not only...but also, the verb must agree with the nearest subject, as:

a.        Either the chairman or the directors are present.

b.        Neither my friend nor my parents listen to the liars.

c.        Not only Ram but also Harry wants to marry Mohini.

d.        Not only Gopal but also his friends want love from her.

  But it is better to avoid these constructions, and write:

b.        He is mistaken, or else I am.   b. My friend is not to blame nor am I.

5.     Either, neither, somebody, nobody, everybody, anybody, everyone, someone, each, every, many a, etc. must be followed by a singular verb; as,

b.     He asked me whether either of the applicants was suitable.

c.      Many a man has done so.

d.     Every one of the prisoners is a heinous criminal.

e.      Neither of the two men was very strong.

f.      Many a man has succumbed to his own good deeds.

g.     Each of the boys is responsible for this mistake.

h.     Is there anybody there?

i.       Someone is missing in the class.

   6. Two nouns qualified by each or every, even though connected by and, require a singular verb; as,

a.      Every boy and every girl was given a packet of sweets.

b.     Each day and each night brings its own pleasure.

c.      Every man and woman on this earth has to die a day.

   7. Some nouns, which are singular in form, but plural in meaning, take a plural verb; as,

a.      The police are doing their best to arrest the thief.

b.     As per the present market rate, twelve dozen eggs cost three hundred rupees.

c.      The rich are not always proud.

d.     A number of boys were absent yesterday. But(The number of students has risen this year)

e.      The cattle are grazing in the field.

f.      The public are against the monarch at present.

  8. In the sense of income, the word means always takes a plural verb.

a.      My means were much reduced owing to that heavy loss.

b.     His means are ample.    

   9. A compound subject joined by and takes a plural verb; as,

a.      You and I are playing.

b.     Five and five make ten. But (Five times five is twenty-five.)

 10. A collective noun usually takes a singular verb when the collection is thought of as one whole; plural verb when the individual of which it is composed are thought of; as,

a.      The committee has issued its report.

b.     The committee is divided on one minor point. But we must be consistent in using the verb and the pronoun like: …has…its

11. When the plural noun is a proper noun/name for some single object or some collective unit, it must be followed by a singular verb: as,

a.      The Arabian Nights is still a great favorite.                                

b.     The United States has a great army

12. When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity, the length of time or amount considered as a whole, the verb is usually singular; as,

a. One hundred paisa is equal to one rupee.

b. Six miles is a long distance.

 13. In relative clauses, the verb agrees in number and person to the antecedent of the relative (pronoun); as,

a. She is one of those mothers who love all the children equally.

b. I, who am your friend, would like to advise you. 

     14. Collective nouns are generally taken as singular, when they refer to a group as a whole but taken as plural when they refer to every individual in a group, as;

a.  A flock of sheep was grazing in the field.

b. The class was unanimous in their decision.

c.  The flock have dispersed to different directions.

d.  The class has been instructed to follow the rules strictly.

15. None can be treated as singular if it is followed by an uncountable noun and plural if it is followed by a plural countable noun, as;

a. None of the boys has (formal) /have (Conversational) done their jobs well.

b. None of the scenery is beautiful

16. Little, much and other determiners that refer to a mass noun or uncount noun always take a singular verb, as;

a.      Much effort is needed to revamp it.

b.     Little salt is wanted.

c.      Little knowledge is dangerous.

d.     Some food was stale and some not.

      17. Many, few and other determiners that refer to a plural count noun take a plural verb, as;

a.   Few girls were playing table tennis.

b.   Many people are still suffering from diphtheria.

    18. Sentences starting in: A number of + countable noun always take a plural verb, as;

              a)     A number of foreign visitors are surprised by tipping customs.

    19. Often sentences starting with: The number of + plural noun take a singular verb, as:

a)     The number of customers is only 75.

b)     The number of people is not enough to form a union.

20. Percent, fraction, amounts, distances, weight take a singular verb, as:

                 a)     Twenty kilometers is a long distance.

     b)     20% is preferable.
      c) One hundred thousand million dollars is a big money.

                  d)     d)100 kilograms of rice is needed for 100 people a day.

                   e)     Half is given to the busy boy.

      21. But when an ‘of phrase’ follows percentages, distances, fractions, and amounts, the verb agrees to the nearest noun; as:

                          a)     Half of the tables are already booked.             

                          b)     The majority of the customers are happy.

                           c)     20% of the books are paperback.

                           d)     50% of the population is poor.

   22.  Plural nouns followed by each take a plural verb, but not each of the + plural noun and very followed by a singular noun, as:

                              a)     The boys each have gone for the excursion.

                              b)     Each of the boys has gone to the zoo. 

 23. Sentences starting with more+ plural nouns+ than… take a plural verb, as:

                              a)     More boys than one were present in the concert.

    24. But sentences with More than + one + singular noun take a singular verb, as:

                            b)     More than one boy was present in the meeting hall.

 25. The nationality words ending in sh, ch or ese, ian, an, etc. with a definite article (the) take a plural verb, as:

                             c)     The British are good at manipulating others.

                             d)     The Chinese are very hard working.

                               e)     The French are better than the British.

                               f)      The Indian are good copycats.

    26. Words that look like plural but actually mean singular take a singular verb, as: ethics, rickets, billiards, bellows, innings, mechanics, phonetics, economics, statistics,    Wales, Naples, Athens, news, molasses, analytics, poetics, measles, tactics, classics, optics, etc.

 27. But words that look alike plural but actually mean plural take a plural verb, as:

       cattle, people, gentry, poultry, public, vermin, police, staff, clergy, swine, etc.

 28. The following words also take a plural verb:
Clothes, goods, savings, earnings, pajamas, trousers, scissors, spectacles, glasses,  the Himalayas, the Andes, the Alps, the Aravallis, etc.

 English ELT Materials (Concord)
 Sources :( Hewing Martin) Advanced English Grammar (CUP),

High School English Grammar and Composition (Wren & Martin), Oxford English Grammar (J. Eastwood)