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Easy and Concise Rules for Subject verb Agreement

Published on Friday, June 05, 2015

#Case 1.  'and'

  • When there are two nouns and if they are separated by 'and' , then there is a case of subject verb agreement.Then noun and noun whole is treated plural, so the verb used is also  in plural                                
    subject-verb
  • When each is used before the noun  and noun is separated by 'and' then it treated as singular and the verb used singular.
          Example
subject-verb-agreement

Combinations

Combinations are always treated as singular.

Example

  • Bread and Butter are my favorite dish. [ Correct: is]                                                                                 
  • Horse and carriage are waiting for the couple outside. [ Correct: is]                                                      
  • The director and producer of the film were present in the function.                                                                                                                            [ Correct: was]           

#Case 2. 'as well as'


When there is a case of as well as , the verb will always depends upon the 1st noun or pronoun.
Other similar words on which it depends.

  • as well as      
  • together with
  • along with 
  • besides
  • like
  • unlike
  • governed by
  • headed by
  • lead by
  • controlled by
  • more than
  • and not

#Case 3. ' Each , Every '

Rules:

  1. The verb is always in singular form when used with 'each' & 'every'.                                               
  2. If 'each' is followed by 'of ' we have to use plural noun.                                                                   
  3. Verb always remains singular with 'each'                                                                                             
  4. When there is a numerical adjective of 'two' always use 'each'
Examples                                                                                                
  1. Every of the two boy is playing.              [ Rule 2 ]                                                                                                     [ Correct: Each  ] 
  2. Each / Every of the three / five / thousand boys is playing.               [ rule 2 ]                                      
  3. There were only two soldiers but each and every soldier was equals to 5 policeman.                    
  4. Every Tom , Dick , Herry drinks wine these days.                                                                              
  5. Every day and every night brings its own pleasures for every one.                                                          
  6. Ritu as well as some of her friends have fallen in love with Sonu , who is the eldest don of SDO.                                                                                    [ Correct: has  ] 
  7. He more than his parents are responsible for his bad habits.                                                                                                                                                             [ Correct: has ]
  8. Every and and women of this village have come out to see this strange child.                                                                                                                              [ Correct: has  ] 

#Case 4. ' Either , Neither , None of , One of '

  1. Either of the two boys is innocent.                                                                                                           
  2. Neither of the three boys is innocent.                                                                                                                                                                                            [ Correct: None of ]
Note: In case of either and neither
  •   numeric adjective should always be 2.                                                                                                    
  •   always use singular verb.         
   3. One of the three boys is innocent.
                                                                                                      [ Correct: None of/Any of ]                  
Example

  1. She is more garrulous than any of  her 3 sister.                                                                                       
  2. He is one of the richest man ,if not the richest man of the world.                                                                                                                                               [ Correct: Men ]
  3. None of the two principals have been looking after their collage.                                                                                                            [ Correct: Neither,has,his  ]
Note : with 'none of' and 'one of' verb used is always in plural.

#Case 5. ' Not Only......................But Also'

               ' Either...........................Or '

               ' Neither .......................Nor '

Note:
  • These phrases always come in form of combination & this combination is fix.
  • Verb is always depends upon the noun.
  1. Not only the doctor but also the nurses of the this nursing home is very kind and helpful.                                                                                                      [ Correct : are ]
  2. Not only he but also I are responsible for this loss.                                                                                                                                                                            [ Correct: am ]
  3. Not only Deepak but also Mohit can do this work.                                                                                                                                                        [ Correct: Neither,has,his  ]
  4.  He likes not only Magon fox but also Cameron Diaz.                                                                          
  5. He is going ______ not only to open a hospital but also an inn.                                                                                                                                           [ Correct : to open ]

#Case 6. ' Something , Somebody , Anything , Anybody '

Note : 
  • Always use singular verb with 'something'
Example
  1. Something is better than nothing.                                                                                                            
  2. Some things is important in life.                                                                                                                                                                                      
If Noun is countable then we have to use plural , therefore verb should as be used in plural form.

Example:

  • Some things is important in life.
  • Everybody among his friends like playing.

   #Case 7. 

' Some - Some of '
'All - All of '
' Most Of '
' A Lot Of '
' Lots Of '
' One - Third Of '
' Two - Thirds Of '
' Three - Fourth Of '

           If Noun is uncountable then singular verb is used.

Example
  1. Some money is needed.
  2. A lot of milk has been utilised.
  3. All men are mortal.
  4. Half of the hotels have been closed today.
  5. Two-thirds of the land has been ploughed.
  6. All his money is spent and all his hopes are ruined.

  ' A lot Of '  : used as singular
  'Lots Of '   : used as plural

In sentence always use ' a lot of' and 'lots of' not 'a lots of '.

Example : There are a lots of books. [ Correct : lot ]

#Patterns

Quantifier + noun

These are the possible combinations.
                                                 
               Singular                         Plural                Uncountable

 all:                                       all systems                 all music
most:                                    most systems              most music
both:                                     both systems
 either:   either system
 neither: neither system
 every:   every system
each:      each system
some:    (some system)        some systems             some music
any:       any system             any systems               any music
 no:         no system              no systems                 no music 
                                                         



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