ENGLISH GRAMMAR (CHAPTER III)
Subject Verb Agreement
Subject Verb Agreement Class 10 English
Important Rules:
RULE NO-1
1. (a) Verbs used after an introductory there have to agree with the noun (the real subject) coming after them.
Examples :
> There is/was a book on the desk.
> There are/were four books on the desk.
(b) When It is used in the normal subject position to make a statement about time, distance or weather, the verb is always singular . VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
Examples :
> It is/was ten past twelve.
> It is/was two miles to the beach.
> It is/was raining heavily.
RULE NO-2
2. When a plural number applies to distance, time, weights, or amounts of money, and represents a single figure or quantity, it is treated as singular and it takes a singular verb;
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> Fifty kilometres is not a long distance in these days of rapid travel.
> Sixty years is a long time.
> Two kilos of tea costs six hundred rupees.
> Five rupees is not a big sum.
RULE NO-3
3. (a) If two nouns joined by and are regarded as a single object or notion, the verb is singular.
Examples :
> Bread and butter is my favorite breakfast.
> Truth and honesty is the best policy.
> Curry and rice was his favourite food.
(b) In other cases two singular or plural subjects joined by and make the total subject plural which takes a plural verb.
Examples :
> Gopal and his sister have come.
> Two boys and three girls have written their essays.
RULE NO-4
4.(a) A collective noun in the singular may take the verb in the singular if the speaker thinks of the thing as a singular whole. if individual members of the collective noun are considered, the collective noun can take a plural verb.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> The jury (i.e. the members of the jury) were divided in their opinions.
> The committee was unanimous on this issue. (single unit)
The committee were divided on this issue. (Individual members)
> The jury (i.e., as one body) has selected its chairman.
(b) Some nouns like police, people, poultry, cattle etc. usualy take plural verbs.
Examples: VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> The police have not made any arrests.
> The people of India are concerned about their spiritual welfare.
> The poultry have been fed.
> The cattle are grazing in the field.
RULE NO-5
5. The nouns clothing, food, furniture, stationery, cutlery, crockery, jewellery and scenery usually take singular verbs:
> His clothing is very attractive.
> Food is necessary for living.
> The furniture needs to be repaired.
> Stationery is sold in this shop.
RULE NO-6
6. If a clause separates the subject from the verb, it is necessary to remember the actual Subject-word, and to make the verb agree With it.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> All the books which have been placed on that table are mine. >The radio which you gave my children works perfectly.
RULE NO-7
7.(a) If a subject begins with either of, neither of, or none of followed by a plural noun or pronoun, the verb is usually singular:
Examples :
> Either of the boys has got a prize.
> Neither of them has come.
> None of the students has arrived yet.
(b) Each of, One of etc.usualiy takes singular verbs.
Examples :
> Each of students was given prize.
> One of the girls was able to answer the question correctly.
(c) If no or some is followed by a singular noun, it takes a singular verb. If it is followed by a plural noun, it takes plural verb.
Example : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> No child has done his homework.
> no children have done their homework.
> some water is left in the pot.
> Some girls have gone on a picnic.
(d) When and connects two titles or designations of the same person, the verb is singular. If the persons referred to are different, the verb is plural.
Examples :
> The Vice-President of India and Chairman of Rajya Sabha has given his consent to the bill.
> The Vice-President of India and the Chancellor of the University were invite convocation.
[To indicate that the persons talked about are two separate individuals, we use the definite article the before each person as in the second example above.]
RULE NO-8
8. If the subject bagins with a fraction, the verb agrees with the noun that follows the fraction.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> Two-thirds of the acid has evaporated.
> Two-thirds of the apples are rotten.
RULE NO-9
9.(a) If the subject begins with a good deal of, a great deal of, a lot of, plenty of, most of, some of etc. the verb agrees with the noun that follows such phrases:
Examples :
> A lot of people were present at the meeting.
> A lot of money was spent on buying clothes for the marriage ceremony.
> Some of the students were intelligent.
> Some of the music was excellent.
(b) Phrases beginning with 'a congregation of, 'a crowd of, 'a flock of, 'a group of, a herd of, and 'a regiment of, usually take a singular verb in spite of the fact that the noun after 'of’ is plural.
Examples :
> A crowd of people was shouting slogans.
> A herd of elephants was seen in the jungle
> A group of smugglers was arrested yesterday.
(c) A number of followed by a plural noun takes a plural verb. But the number of in a similar situation takes a singular verb as the real subject is the number:
Examples :
> A number of children are suffering from cold.
> The number of the sick children is increasing.
RULE NO-10
10. Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, News, Measles, Mumps, Advice, Information, Jewellery, Scenery etc. are uncountable nouns. They take singular verbs.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> Physics is my favourite subject.
> Measles is an infectious disease.
> The news was bad.
> No information is available now.
RULE NO-11
11. If the subject of a sentence is a clause, the verb is singular:
Examples :
> That she is alive is good news.
> What he does these days does not concern me.
RULE NO-12
12.(a) If two words are linked in the subject with the help of connectives like with, as well as, in addition to, together with etc., the verb agrees with the first word.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> The teacher with all her students has come.
> Rabi as well as his friends is responsible for the loss.
> Population growth in addition to many other problems has badly affected India's growth.
> This new fact together with the other pieces of evidence, proves the prisoner's innocence.
(b) When the words in the subject are connected by "not only... but also', or, "neither nor or " either.. or" and they differ in number and person, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
Examples :
> Not only the boy but also his friends are equally guilty.
> The boy or his friends have to repair the broken window.
> Neither the old man nor his sons are prepared to sell their old house.
> Either you or he has created this problem.
RULE NO-13
13. Some nouns are made up of two similar parts in a pair ike scissors, trousers, spectacles (glasses), etc. These words are treated as plural subjects and they require plural verbs, but a pair of scissors, a pair of shoes, a pair of trousers etc, a singular verb.
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> The scissors are old.
> My trousers have been cleaned.
> A pair of shoes was lying in the corner.
RULE NO-14
14. When an adjective is used as noun representing a class, it takes a plural verb:
Examples :
> The rich have a lot of responsibility towards the poor.
> The blind need escorts to cross a road.
RULE NO-15
15. When the plural noun is a proper name for some single object or for some collective unit, it requires a singular verb:
Examples : VIDEO ଦେଖିବା ପାଇଁ ଏଇଠି CLICK କରନ୍ତୁ → CLICK HERE
> Guliver's Travels was written by Jonathan Swift.
> The United States is a powerful country.
RULE NO-16
16. The verb in a relative clause is singular or plural depending on the number and person of the antecedent of the relative pronoun:
Examples :
> It is you who have wronged me.
> It is he who has tom my book.
CLICK HERE to watch the video
BEST OF LUCK
Thanks for your support
Ranjan sir
0 Comments