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If we look back at the chart, we will see that the following patterns emerge:
1. Indefinite pronouns that end in -body are always singular. These words include anybody,
somebody, nobody.
2. Indefinite pronouns that end in -one are always singular. These words include anyone,
everyone, someone, and one.
3. The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, others, and several are always plural.
4. The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some can be singular or plural,
depending on how they are used. Here are some examples:
a) One of the gerbils is missing (sing. subject sing. verb). The singular subject one requires
the singular verb is.
b) Both of the gerbils are missing (plural subject plural verb). The plural subject both
requires the plural verb are.
c) All of the beef stew was devoured (sing. subject sing. verb). In this instance, all is being
used to indicate one unit. As a result, it requires the singular verb was.
d) Many of the guests are sick of Tedious Teds endless chatter (plural subject plural verb).
The plural subject many requires the plural verb are.
5. None can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it:
a) None + of the + non-count noun + singular verb:
E.g.: None of the counterfeit money has been found.
b) None + of the + plural count noun + plural verb:
E.g.: None of the students have finished the exam yet.
6. No can take either singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it:
{
a) No + singular noun } + singular verb
non-count noun
E.g.: No example is relevant to this case.
b) No + plural noun + plural verb
E.g.: No examples are relevant to this case.
B. A wife are complaining about her husband spending all his time at the local tavern, so one
night he take her along with him. Whatll ya have? he ask. Oh, I dont know. The same as you, I
suppose, she reply. So the husband order a couple of Jack Daniels and gulp his down in one go.
His wife watch him, then take a sip from her glass and immediately spit it out. Yuck, it tastes
awful, worse than awful! she splutter. I dont know how you can drink this stuff! Well, there
you goes, cry the husband. And you thinks Im out enjoying myself every night!
Exercise 3. From the choices provided after each sentence, select a word that would
correctly complete the sentence.
1. The piano as well as the pipe organ ____________ to be tuned for the big concert (has,
have).
2. The mayor together with his two brothers ____________ going to be indicted for
accepting bribes (are, is).
3. Neither of my two suitcases ____________ adequate for this trip (is, are).
4. There ____________ a list of committee members on the head-table ( are, is).
5. Everybody in the class ____________ done the homework well in advance ( has, have).
6. The jury ____________ their seats in the courtroom (take, takes).
7. Neither the teacher nor the students ____________ to understand this assignment (seem,
seems).
8. ____________ either my father or my brothers made a down-payment on the house?
(has, have).
9. Hartford is one of those cities that ____________ working hard to reclaim a riverfront
(is, are).
hint: try starting the sentence with "of those cities that . . . ."
10. Some of the grain ____________ gone bad ( have, has).
11. John or his brother ____________ going to be responsible for this (are, is).
12. A few of the students ____________ doing so well they can skip the next course (are,
is).
13. Either the committee on course design or the committee on college operations
____________ these matters (decide, decides).
14. One of my instructors ____________ written a letter of recommendation for me (have,
has).
14. Neither of us ________ able to predict the outcome of today's game (was, were).
15. Macaroni and cheese ________ my favourite dish (is, are).
16. At the foot of the mountain ________ two enormous vineyards, both owned by the same
woman (was, were).
17. A small percentage of the grain _______ ruined by the prolonged rain (was, were).
18. Most parents mistakenly think that mumps _______ been eliminated as a childhood
disease (has, have).
19. Our college should change _______ policy about withdrawals (its, their).
20. Coaches Espinoza and Calhoun coach different sports. Neither Espinoza nor Calhoun
scheduled ________ team for the gym this afternoon (her, their).
21. No one has offered to let us use _______ home for the department meeting (her, their,
his or her).
22. If I ever find my glasses, I think I'll have ________ replaced (it, them).
23. General Motors will probably recall most of _________ four-wheel-drive vehicles (its,
their).
Exercise 4. Identify the subject and choose the correct verb in each of the following
sentence.
1. The citizens of this town (demand, demands) police protection.
2. Glenville's Glee Club always (give, gives) a fine concert.
3. Either Kathy or Dorothy (is, are) going.
4. Both Ruth and I (go, goes) to bed early.
5. The man, along with the two women, (was, were) delayed.
6. We (was, were) passed by six cars.
7. Few of the students (live, lives) in the dormitory.
8. The ice cream (melt, melts) at room temperature.
9. No one (has, have) stolen my secret ideas!
10. The first baseman and the catcher (has, have) made many errors.
11. Mrs. Laird (speak, speaks) with authority.
12. The guitar, accompanied by the bass viol, (play, plays) the tune.
13. Joe and his brother always (drink, drinks) too fast.
14. Thelma, as well as her sister, (is, are) good at sports.
15. Neither of my parents (is, are) home tonight.
16. The captain of the two teams (is, are) Dan.
17. Where (do, does) the Chester family live?
18. The golf team and the tennis team (win, wins) every match.
19. Why (do, does) Lisa and Tony disagree so much?
20. Mrs. Stum, together with her neighbors, (has, have) a sewing club.
Exercise 7. How similar or different are the guidelines for the agreement of pronouns
and their antecedents?
Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses in the following sentences. Explain:
1. John, along with twenty friends, (is / are) planning a party.
2. The quality of these recordings (is / are) not very good.
3. If the duties of the officers (isnt / arent) reduced, there will not be enough time to
finish the project.
4. The effects of cigarette smoking (have / has) been proven to be extremely harmful.
5. Livings expenses in this country, as well as in many others, (is / are) at an all-time
high.
6. Neither Bob nor Mary (is / are) going to the play tonight.
7. A number of reporters (was / were) at the conference yesterday.
8. Everybody who (has / have) a fever must go home immediately.
9. The committee (has / have) already reached a decision.
10. A pack of wild dogs (has / have) frightened all the ducks away.
11. Rice and beans, my favourite dish, (remind / reminds) me of my native Puerto Rico.
12. Four years (is / are) a long time to spend away from your friends and family.
13. Politics (is / are) sometimes a dirty business.
14. None of my friends (was / were) there.
15. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is / are) going to have
to make a decision.
16. (Has / Have) either Luis or his parents written to Angela?
17. The number of students who have withdrawn from class this term (is / are) appalling.
Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses in the following sentences. Explain:
18. John, along with twenty friends, (is / are) planning a party.
19. The quality of these recordings (is / are) not very good.
20. If the duties of the officers (isnt / arent) reduced, there will not be enough time to
finish the project.
21. The effects of cigarette smoking (have / has) been proven to be extremely harmful.
22. Livings expenses in this country, as well as in many others, (is / are) at an all-time
high.
23. Neither Bob nor Mary (is / are) going to the play tonight.
24. A number of reporters (was / were) at the conference yesterday.
25. Everybody who (has / have) a fever must go home immediately.
26. The committee (has / have) already reached a decision.
27. A pack of wild dogs (has / have) frightened all the ducks away.
28. Rice and beans, my favourite dish, (remind / reminds) me of my native Puerto Rico.
29. Four years (is / are) a long time to spend away from your friends and family.
30. Politics (is / are) sometimes a dirty business.
31. None of my friends (was / were) there.
32. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is / are) going to have
to make a decision.
33. (Has / Have) either Luis or his parents written to Angela?
34. The number of students who have withdrawn from class this term (is / are) appalling.