MUET - Grammar

Subject Verb Agreement

EVERY VERB MUST AGREE WITH ITS SUBJECT

Plural Subject

Singular Subject

Singular Verb

Plural Verb

The Stupidity of English Grammar

To make a noun plural, we add -s - Singular : girl - Plural : girls To make a verb plural, we take away -s. - Singular : he talks - Plural : they talk

Watch the Verb Endings!

Singular I walk You walk He/She/It walk s Joe walk s The girl walk s Plural We walk You walk They walk Joe and Maria walk The girls walk

Remember the THREE irregular verbs:

DO Singular
He does

Plural
They do

HAVE
She has They have

BE
He is She was They are They were

Tip for Subject-Verb Agreement

Generally, if the subject doesnt end in S, the verb will.

If the subject does end in S, the verb wont.

No -s on subject -s on verb

The

girl

dances.

-s on subject

The

girls dance.
No -s on verb

Compound subjects joined by and

If there are two or more subjects joined by and, the subject must be plural, so the verb will not get an s. Example The boy and the girl dance. (= They dance.)
No -s on verb

Compound subjects joined by or

If there are two or more subjects joined by or, the verb agrees with the part of the subject closest to it.
Examples: The professor or the students walk the halls. The students or the professor walks the halls.

Watch out for Everybody

Everybody loves grammar!

Everybody understands subjectverb agreement.

Possible Pitfalls
Sometimes, several words come between the subject and the verb.

The student, though she had lots of problems in other schools, finds/find (?) her new class easy. The student, though she had lots of problems in other schools, finds her new class easy. The student finds her new class easy.

Possible Pitfalls
Sometimes, the subject will come after the verb, in questions or when sentence begins with there.
Examples Why is he falling asleep? Why are they falling asleep? There is no excuse for such behavior. There are no excuses for such behavior.

Possible Pitfalls
Relative Pronouns (who / which/ that) can be either singular or plural, depending on the word they refer to.
The student who works hard will succeed.
The students who work hard will succeed.

How do I get this right?

First, identify whether or not you have problems with subject/verb agreement. If you dont have any problems with this, dont worry about it! If you do have problems
Identify the verb. Ask who or what is doing it. This will identify the subject. Say them together and make sure that they match in terms of number.

The subject and the verb are the skeleton of every sentence. Make sure you fit those two important parts together correctly!

In the sentences below, do the subjects & verbs agree?

1. They goes to the gym after class to work out. 2. Harry and his friends wants to see the new movie coming out this weekend. 3. The cat who is meowing at my door wants in. 4. Neither the cat nor the dogs likes the new food. 5. The mayor as well as his brothers are going to jail. 6. Nobody wants to dance. 7. The paper or the ruler are in the desk.

Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose No change is necessary.

Show me what you know.

Item 1
In the cabinet is is the are the the tools tools tools that that that you you you will will will need need need to toto A A unclog the bathroom sink; I have have found found that that a a B plunger and a prayer often do do the the trick. trick. C A.are A.are B.has C.does D.No change is necessary.

Item 2
Here are the books that Thomas and Darlene A need for their research, and here is is the are the the earplugs earplugs earplugs B B that youll require once they both doze doze off off in in C boredom and start snoring.

A.is B.are B.are C.dozes D.No change is necessary.

Item 3
Jasmine and Rodney have have decided decided to to double double the the A number of cupcakes that they are baking since B everyone love love moist loves moist moist cake cake cake and and and chocolate chocolate chocolate frosting. frosting. frosting. C C A.has B.is C.loves C.loves D.No change is necessary.

Item 4
Not only those students but also their professor looks look look forward forward forward to to to the the the final final final exam; exam; exam; everyone everyone everyone has has has A A BB exciting vacation plans that start start next next Monday. Monday. C A.looks A.looks B.have C.starts D.No change is necessary.

Item 5
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil tries try try to toto climb climb climb the the the walls walls walls of ofof its itsits glass glass glass cage cage cage while while while AA humans hover hover outside outside like like giant giant predators predators who who are are B C ready to strike.

A.tries A.tries B.hovers C.is D.No change is necessary.

Item 6
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hope hope that hopes that that Grandma Grandma Grandma A A brings her brings herfamous famousbrownies browniesand andpeach peachpie piethat that B drip with drip with generous generous scoops scoops of of vanilla vanilla ice ice cream. cream. C A.hopes A.hopes B.bring C.drips D.No change is necessary.

Item 7
Either the dogs or the cat sleep sleep on sleeps on on the the the bed bed bed while while while A A everyone is is out; out; Lorraine Lorraine always always finds findsan an B C indentation in the center of her comforter. A.sleeps A.sleeps B.are C.find D.No change is necessary.

Item 8
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne, plans a plans a daily daily trip trip for for ice ice cream, cream, for for these these women women A have discovered have discovered that that the the calories calories is is worth are worth worth seeing seeing seeing B C C Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.

A.plan B.has C.are D.No change is necessary.

Item 9
The scissors are sharp, so neither the cousins nor A Timmy is is allowed allowed to to play play with with them, them, even even when when the the B boys need needs needsto to to finish finish finish aa a school school school project. project. project. C C A.is B.are C.need C.need D.No change is necessary.

Item 10
Each fork, spoon, and knife are is scarred scarred from from the the A A disposal since Drew refuses refusesto tocheck checkthe thedrain drain B before he throws throwsthe theswitch. switch. C

A.is A.is B.refuse C.throw D.No change is necessary.

The End.
kitty!
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