C or I

On the label of Heinz 57

sauce: “Its unique tangy
blend of herbs and spices
bring out the natural taste
of steak.”
 Answer - I

On the label of Heinz

57 sauce: “Its unique
tangy blend of herbs
and spices brings out
the natural taste of
steak.”
 C or I

From the Wall Street

Journal : “An army of
workers takes the
bundles of hair through
an intricate process of
combing, dyeing and
weaving…”
 Answer - C
From the Wall Street
Journal: “An army of
workers takes the
bundles of hair through
an intricate process of
combing, dyeing and
weaving…”
 C or I

The class is divided

on their plan to go
to Baguio.
 Answer - I

The class are

divided on their plan
to go to Baguio.
Subject and Verb Agreement
Singular subjects need singular verbs;
plural subjects need plural verbs.
The to-and-fro movement of the letter
“s” (or the oscillations/migrations of “s”):
When the subject is singular, the “s”
automatically rushes to the verb tail’s
end; when the subject is plural, the “s”
quickly migrates from the verb tail’s end
to the subject’s tail end.
The nouns in Filipino are impervious to
change whether they are singular or
plural.

Students write very loosely

structured essays laced with bad
spelling and generously peppered
with subject-verb agreement errors.
Pre-test
The effect of these disruptions (is, are)
incalculable.

Evaluation of rookies and free agents (is,

are) the fundamental reason for playing
these games.

Its history of domination by neighboring

countries (sharpens, sharpen) a stubborn
independence.
Barefaced defiance of morals and law (was, were)
illegal.

While the types of illness covered (varies, vary)

from one insurer to another, most pay out for heart
disease, certain types of cancer and strokes.

My favorite (is, are) top-water plugs, plastic jigs

and live green backs or shrimp.

At the same time, the democratic process and the

personal participation of the citizen in his
government (is, are) not all we want.
The late Walter Haight of sainted memory,
along with me, (was, were) phoning a play-
by-play of the scene back to the Post’s
sports department.

America’s declining ability to compete in

the global sale of automobiles and other
manufactured products, as well as its
status as the world’s leading debtor nation,
(is, are) partly the result of the declining
cognitive abilities of workers and
administrators.
RAPID DRILL ON SV AGREEMENT. Quickly
supply is or are after each. Then repeat the
exercise, using does or do, has or have.

1. He
2. You
3. We
4. The puppy
5. One of the houses
6. Either Bill or Tom
7. Bud and Dick
8. Twelve dollars
9. His choice of words
10. Every dog and cat
11. Our new Mazda
12. A number of ducks
13. The number of strike-outs
14. The price of tickets
15. Many a teacher
16. A cow and a calf
17. The colors of the flag
18. Each player on the team
19. The Last of the Mohicans
20. Mr. Nelson as well as the boys
 Rules
1. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more
nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
She and her friends are at the fair.

2. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are

connected by or or nor, use a singular verb.
The book or the pen is in the drawer.

3. When a compound subject contains both a singular and a

plural noun or pronoun joined by or or nor, the verb should
agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
The boy or his friends run every day.
His friends or the boy runs every day.
4. Doesn't is a contraction of does not and should be used
only with a singular subject. Don't is a contraction of do not
and should be used only with a plural subject. The exception to
this rule appears in the case of the first person and second
person pronouns I and you. With these pronouns, the contraction don't
should be used.
He doesn’t like it.
They don’t like it.

5. Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb.
The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.
One of the boxes is open.
The magic of the singer’s performance – her lilting voice, her
graceful dancing, her laughter and tears as she drew a standing
ovation – is something I will always remember.
The people who listen to that music are few.
The team captain, as well as his players, is anxious.
The book, including all the chapters in the first section, is
boring.
The woman with the children walks down the street.
6. The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody,
anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one are
singular and require a singular verb.
Each of these fruits is juicy.
Everybody knows Mr. Jones.
Either is correct.

Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are

singular or
plural depending on what they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to
countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such
pronouns.
Some of the beads are missing.
Some of the water is gone.
 On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun,
none, that can be either singular or plural; it often doesn't
matter
whether you use a singular or a plural verb — unless something
else in the sentence determines its number. Writers generally
think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural verb,
as in "None of the engines are working," but when something
else makes us regard none as meaning not one, we want a
singular verb, as in "None of the food is fresh.“
None of you claims responsibility for this incident?
None of you claim responsibility for this incident?
None of the students have done their homework. (In this
last example, the word their precludes the use of the
singular verb.
7. Nouns such as civics, mathematics, measles, and
news require singular verbs.
Mathematics is my waterloo.
Measles is a dangerous disease for
pregnant
women.
The news is on at six.

8. Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and

shears require plural verbs. (There are two parts
to these things.)
These scissors are dull.
Those trousers are made of wool.
9. In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject follows the
verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
There are many questions.
There is a question.

10. Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are
considered singular and take a singular verb, such as:
group, team, committee, class, and family.
The committee decides how to proceed.
The family has a long history.

In very few cases, the plural verb is used if the individuals in the group are
thought of and specifically referred to.
Her family have never been able to agree.
The class are writing letters to astronauts.
Management are divided on the subject of tuition
reimbursement.
The faculty are presenting their opinions on the new package of
benefits.
11. Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a
majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending
on the meaning. The same is true when all, any, more, most and
some act as subjects. Sums and products of mathematical
processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The
expression "more than one" (oddly enough) takes a singular verb:
"More than one student has tried this."
Some of the voters are still angry.
A large percentage of the older population is voting against her.
Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.
Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire.
Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy.
Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the
policy.
Two and two is four.
Four times four divided by two is eight.

12. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is
plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
The department members but not the chair have decided not to
teach
on Valentine's Day.
It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this
issue.
It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to
riot.
 Exercises
Either the physicians in this hospital or the
chief administrator (is, are) going to make a
decision.

(Is, Are) my boss or my sisters in the union

going to win this grievance?

Some of the votes (seems, seem) to have

been miscounted.

The tornadoes that tear through this country

every spring (is, are) more than just a
nuisance.
Everyone selected to serve on this jury (has,
have) to be willing to give up a lot of time.

Kara Wolters, together with her teammates,

(presents, present) a formidable opponent
on the basketball court.

He seems to forget that there (is, are) things to

be done before he can graduate.

Three-quarters of the students (is, are) against

the tuition hike.
Three-quarters of the student body (is,
are) against the tuition hike.

A set of fine glasses (looks, look) lovely

on the shelf.

The book, as well as the magazines, (is,

are) ruined.

Ideas, in addition to action, (requires,

require) attention.
The hours (flies, fly) quickly when you are happy.

Three bottles of beer (costs, cost) so much nowadays.

The teacher (does, do) not accept themes written in

pencil.

Neither my sisters nor my cousin (is, are) studying in

the United States.

Here (is, are) the books and papers you asked me to

bring.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona (is, are) one of

Shakespeare’s early plays.

The news of the disaster (is, are) hard to believe.