Page 111 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A g r e e m e n t b e t w e e n s u b j e c t a n d v e r b ( 1 )
and
(1)
subject
between
Agreement
verb
and
verb,
singular
by
subject
has
sentence
followed
is
it
has
if
plural
it
If
If aa sentence has a a singularsingular subject it is followed by a a singular verb, and if it has aa plural subjectsubject
it is followed by a a plural verb; that is, the verb agrees with the subject. Compare:
agrees
verb;
plural
it
verb
is,
that
the
by
the
is
subject.
Compare:
followed
with
• ¢ She lives in China. andand • ¢ More people live in Asia than in any other continent.
China.
than
She
any
in
/ive
continent.
Asia
in
other
in
/ives
More
people
When the subjectsubject of the sentence is complex the following verb must agree with the main noun
main
with
following
noun
agree
verb
must
the
sentence
of
the
is
the
the
complex
When
in the subject. In the examples below the subject is underlinedunderlined and the main noun is circled.
In
and
subject
in
circled.
the
subject.
below
noun
is
examples
the
is
the
the
main
Notice how the verb, in italics, agrees with the main noun:
noun:
verb,
main
how
in
agrees
the
with
Notice
italics,
the
leadingCfnemEersX)f the
justify the
to
decision.
tried
have
Many
g • * Many leadinggnemberSof the oppositionopposition partyparty have tried to justify the decision.
• * The onl<excuie)that he gave for his actions was that he was tired.
his
was
onlyéxcusethat
The
for
he
tired.
was
that
he
gave
actions
Some nouns with a a singular form can be treated eithereither as singular (with a a singular verb) oror
nouns
singular
be
form
verb)
with
singular
as
singular
(with
can
treated
Some
plural (with a a plural verb):
plural
plural
(with
verb):
• ¢ The council has (or have) postponed a a decision on the new road.
postponed
road.
(or
on
council
the
The
decision
has
have)
new
Other words like this include association, audience, class, club, college, committee, community,
this
community,
college,
committee,
words
association,
audience,
Other
class,
club,
include
like
company, crowd, department, electorate, enemy, family, firm, generation, government, group,
department,
firm,
enemy,
generation,
crowd,
electorate,
government,
group,
family,
company,
jury, orchestra, population, press, public, school, staff, team, university, and the names ofof
school,
jury,
team,
orchestra,
press,
university,
names
the
public,
and
staff,
population,
specific organisations such as the Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony. We use a singular verb
England,
BBC,
Bank
the
of
specific
the
as
IBM,
Sony.
organisations
singular
We
a
verb
such
use
if we see the institution or organisationorganisation as a whole unit, and a plural verb if we see it as a a
if
see
and
whole
the
a
unit,
plural
if
we
institution
see
we
as
or
verb
a
as
it
collection of individuals. Often you can use either with very little difference in meaning,
can use
individuals.
meaning,
little
in
either
of
you
difference
very
Often
collection
with
although in formal writing (such as academic writing) it is more common to use a a singular verb.
verb.
in
more
as
writing)
academic
although
singular
to
it
(such
is
formal
use
common
writing
In some contexts a plural form of the verb is needed. We would say:
plural
verb
would
some
We
contexts
In
the
a
of
form
needed.
is
say:
• ¢ The committee usually raise their hands to vote “Yes”. (not ...raises its hands...)
'Yes',
vote
its
...raises
usually
The
hands
raise
committee
their
hands...)
to
(not
as this is something that the individuals do, not the committee as a whole. In others, a a singularsingular
as
do,
the
this
not
whole.
that
a
something
others,
individuals
In
as
the
is
committee
form is preferred. We would say:
form
would
preferred.
We
say:
is
• ¢ The school is to close next year, (not The school are...)
The
school
school
close
is
to
(not
are...)
year.
The
next
as we are talking about something which happens to the school as a a building or institution, notnot
as
to
about
talking
something
building
institution,
we
or
are
as
school
which
the
happens
it.
to the individuals usually plural and take a plural verb. These include belongings, clothes,
that comprise
to
the
individuals
that
it.
comprise
congratulations, earnings, goods, outskirts, particulars (= information), premises (= building),
are
Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb. These include belongings, clothes,
Some nouns
(=
building),
particulars
congratulations,
information),
premises
earnings,
goods,
outskirts,
(=
riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks:
savings,
riches,
thanks:
stairs,
surroundings,
The company's earnings
have increased for the
•
last five years.
¢
five
increased
have
company's
earnings
the
years.
The
for
last
be
The nouns
used
a plural verb.
police and people also always have
people
nouns
and
plural
police
always
have
he
whereabouts
noun
verb.
_
The
can
used
also
The noun whereabouts can be
a
verb.
a
singular or plural
or
singular
verb.
plural
iwith eitherEwith either
a
Some nouns always end in -s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subjectsubject
them
they
in
nouns
when
-s
end
and
plural,
as
look
Some
are
the
use
as
we
but
if
always
they
52C):
have
also
(see
of aa sentence they have aa singular verb (see also Unit 52C):
verb
Unit
sentence
singular
of
• ¢ The news from the Middle East seems very encouraging.
encouraging.
from
news
the
Middle
East
The
very
seems
Other words like this include means (= 'method' or 'money'); some academic disciplines, e.g.
some
this
Other
'method'
'money');
(=
means
disciplines,
include
e.g.
words
academic
or
like
economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, politics, statistics, physics; some sports, e.g.
e.g.
statistics,
phonetics,
economics,
sports,
physics;
mathematics,
linguistics,
some
politics,
gymnastics, athletics; and some diseases, e.g. diabetes, measles, rabies. However, compare:
athletics;
compare:
some
rabies.
However,
and
gymnastics,
e.g.
diabetes,
measles,
diseases,
academic disciplines general use
use
academic.
disciplines
general
Politics is popular at this
bordering on the
university.
• ¢ Politics is popular at this university. • ¢ Her politics are bordering on the fascist.
politics
Her
fascist.
are
(= political belief)
political
(=
belief)
• ¢ Statistics was always my worstworst subject. • ¢ Statistics are able to prove anything you
you
anything
Statistics
to
Statistics
subject.
always
my
able
are
was
prove
want them to. (= numerical information)
information)
want
to.
numerical
them
(=
been
Economics
recognised
has
only recently
are
policies
economics
their
• ¢ Economics has only recently been recognised • ¢ The economics behind their policies are
The
behind
the
as scientific study. unreasonable. (= the financial system)
as a a scientific study.
unreasonable.
system)
financial
(=
Agreement (2) =
Agearert@)=