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 )

If a sentence has a singular subject it is followed by a singular verb, and if it has a plural subject
it is followed by a plural verb; that is, the verb agrees with the subject. Compare:
• She lives in China. and • More people live in Asia than in any other continent.
When the subject of the sentence is complex the following verb must agree with the main noun
in the subject. In the examples below the subject is underlined and the main noun is circled.
Notice how the verb, in italics, agrees with the main noun:
• Many leadingCfnemEersX)f the opposition party have tried to justify the decision.
• The onl<excuie)that he gave for his actions was that he was tired.

Some nouns with a singular form can be treated either as singular (with a singular verb) or
plural (with a plural verb):
• The council has (or have) postponed a decision on the new road.
Other words like this include association, audience, class, club, college, committee, community,
company, crowd, department, electorate, enemy, family, firm, generation, government, group,
jury, orchestra, population, press, public, school, staff, team, university, and the names of
specific organisations such as the Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony. We use a singular verb
if we see the institution or organisation as a whole unit, and a plural verb if we see it as a
collection of individuals. Often you can use either with very little difference in meaning,
although in formal writing (such as academic writing) it is more common to use a singular verb.
In some contexts a plural form of the verb is needed. We would say:
• The committee usually raise their hands to vote 'Yes', (not ...raises its hands...)
as this is something that the individuals do, not the committee as a whole. In others, a singular
form is preferred. We would say:
• The school is to close next year, (not The school are...)
as we are talking about something which happens to the school as a building or institution, not
to the individuals that comprise it.

Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb. These include belongings, clothes,
congratulations, earnings, goods, outskirts, particulars (= information), premises (= building),
riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks:
• The company's earnings have increased for the last five years.
The nouns police and people also always have a plural verb. The noun whereabouts can be used
iwith either a singular or plural verb.

Some nouns always end in -s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subject
of a sentence they have a singular verb (see also Unit 52C):
• The news from the Middle East seems very encouraging.
Other words like this include means (= 'method' or 'money'); some academic disciplines, e.g.
economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, politics, statistics, physics; some sports, e.g.
gymnastics, athletics; and some diseases, e.g. diabetes, measles, rabies. However, compare:
academic disciplines general use
• Politics is popular at this university. • Her politics are bordering on the fascist.
(= political belief)
• Statistics was always my worst subject. • Statistics are able to prove anything you
want them to. (= numerical information)
• Economics has only recently been recognised • The economics behind their policies are
as a scientific study. unreasonable. (= the financial system)

Agreement (2) =