Subject verb agreement

Subject verb agreement

The basic rule of subject verb agreements is singular subject singular verb plural subject plural verbs.

The singular verbs: is, has. V5, does, was 

The plural verbs: are, have, V1,do, are were

Common verbs: all past verbs (V2) and modal 

1. An uncountable noun, though in the plural sense, takes singular verbs: my hair is grey.

2.  The +adjectives to denote group takes plural verbs: The poor are kind.

3. Two or more singular subjects connected by and take a verb in plural. When and is followed by a negative word as no or not, the verb agrees with word preceding no or not. Imran and Irfan are two brothers. Only boys and not the girl are guilty. The boy and not girls is guilty. 

4. Only one definite article the is used and joined by and takes singular verb. The scriptwriter and director is very famous.

5. Titles and names of plural form also take singular verb when they refer to one thing: Seven Dwarfs was a famous movie.

6. A phrase of measurement, though plural in forms takes a singular verbs. Two hours is long time to wait.

7.  We use singular verbs after a subject with every each any no some, but John Eastwood, the writer of Oxford Guide to English Grammar opines that each takes plural verb when it follows plural subject. Each boy is responsible. The pupils each have to take test. 

8. The subject with each and every joined by and, takes singular verb. Each boy and each girl is in discipline.

9. When two subjects are joined by or, nor, either…or, neither… nor takes verbs according to second subject. Either he or I am guilty. Either boy or girls are responsible. Note the placing of pronoun is 231.

10. A collective noun takes singular verb when it is thought of a whole, but takes plural verb when individuals are separately thought of. The jury has ordered to hang the man. The jury are divided in their opinion.

11. A number/ A group of/ A lot of takes plural verb when it is used at the beginning of the sentence. If there is ‘the’ in place of a we can use singular verb. The number of participants is remarkable in meeting. A number of boys were standing in the street. 

12. Some nouns, which are singular in the form but plural in meaning, take plural verb. Police people staff dozen etc. The police are running after the thief.

13. Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning take singular verb. The news is true.

14. When subject of a sentence is phrase, the verb must agree with main noun in subject group. The only excuse that he gave for his action was that he was tired.

15. When a plural noun is placed with a real singular subject one or each with help of the verb must be singular. One of the boys was ill.

16. When words are joined with: together with, or as well as, the verbs agree with first subject. The Prime minister with his ministers has arrived.

17. Many a/many an before a singular noun is form and verb is usually singular. However, a great many/ a good many/ too many is used instead of these words can take plural verbs. 

Complete the sentences by choosing the correct verbs from the brackets. 

a. Everyone …… (has/have) problems in their life. Countries also …… (has/have) problems, and so …… (do/does) the world. One of the greatest problems …… (is/are) the growing population. The population in some countries …… ( is/are) huge. 

b. A number of my friends …… (love/loves) riding bicycles, but neither my brother nor my sister …… (own/owns) a cycle. At 4 o’clock, either my mother or father …… (is/are) coming to pick me up in a car. c. The pair of shoes on the floor …… (is/are) mine.          The shoes …… (was/ were) made in China. The three thousand rupees I spent on them …….. (was/were) worth it. 

Are the following sentences correct? If not, correct them. 

a. Every one of the workers receives the same benefits. 

b. There are two gerbils in my bathroom. 

c. Both of my friends live in Kathmandu. 

d. Scissors is used to have our hair cut. 

e. You and your friends are welcome to join us 

f. Are the news on at five or six? 

g. The man with all his children live in the city. 

h. Mathematics are Prem's favorite subject, while Economics is Alina's favorite subject.

Voice

Voice 

Voice refers to the form of verb, which indicates whether the subject does the work or something has been done to it. Active voice deals it with the doer of the subject. Passive refers to a sentence acted upon.

Basic rules: 

The subject of active voice becomes object of the passive voice.

The object of the active voice becomes subject of the passive voice.

There is use of be verb and past participle.

1. He reads a book. Ans: A book is read by him. Present simple passive structure is obj+is/am/ are+ V3….

2. He is reading a book. A book is being read by him. Present continuous tense structure: obj+ is/am/are+ being+ V3…

3. He has read a book. A book has been read by him. Passive structure of present perfect: obj+ has/have+been+V3+…

4. He read a book. A book was read by him. Passive structure of past simple is: Obj+ was/ were+ V3…

5. He was reading a book. A book was being read by him. Passive structure of past continuous tense: obj+ was/ were+ being+V3..

6. He had read a book. A book had been read by him. Passive structure of past perfect is: obj+had been+V3..

7. Modal+ v1 is changed into model+ be+v3. I shall read a book. A book will be read by me.

8. Model+ have+ V3 is changed into modal+ have+ been+v3, I will have done it. It will have been done by me.

9. If sentences have the meaning of the order, request and advice, let +obj+ be +v3. Do this work. Let this work be done. It can be made with should be+V3. This work should be done. If sentence begins with please, you are requested to+V1+….

10. Sentences that begin with let can be made passive with let+ object+ be+ v3.  Let him buy a camera. Let a camera be bought by him. 

11. Yes/ no questions and Wh questions are made in the same pattern. The rules of the tenses should be followed properly. Do you see the bird? Is the bird seen by you? What do you want? What is wanted by you?

12. Passive with factitive object: The object of a transitive verb with complement. They made him king. He was made king by them. King was made him by them is a wrong passive. If a sentence has factitive object, the passive sentence must begins with factitive object.

13. The sentence with reflexive pronoun remains same in passive voice. He hurt himself. He was hurt himself. 

14. Quasi passive voice: quasi passive voice is active in form but passive in sense. Honey tastes sweet. Honey is sweet when it is tasted. 

The uses of the passive voice:

1. For describing  a process: First the orange are brought from the market.

2. For narrating an incident or events: The old man was knocked down by the bus.

3. For defining

4. For impersonal scientific writing:

5. For writing a notice:

6. For describing historical and social incidents:

7. For making announcement:

8. For classifying:

9. For making requests and invitation.

Reporting/ Narration

Reporting/ Narration

Harry said, “I am very busy”.

Said is  reporting verb and I am very busy is reported speech. 

Normally we use linker (that, to, if/whether, wh words) before reported speech.

The pronouns of reported speech are changed. 

SON

123 First person according to subject of reporting verb, second person according to object of reporting verb and third person no change.

Eg. Arnold said to me, I didn’t like your my comment on his writing.

Arnold told me that I he hadn’t liked my comment on his writing.

Change of tenses of reported speech

If reporting verb is in past tense

1. Present indefinite becomes past indefinite. It means root and present verbs change into past verb.

2. Present continuous changes into past continuous.

3. Present perfect becomes past perfect.

4. Present perfect continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

5. Past simple changes into past perfect.

6. Past continuous changes  into past perfect continuous.

7. Past perfect and past perfect continuous remains unchanged.

8. Shall and will changes into would. But shall changes into should if it talks about rules.

9. May changes into might, can into could, must into had to. Ought to no change must not into was/ were not to V1

Changes of time and place expression in past tense.

Now into then, ago into before, today into that day, tomorrow into the next day, yesterday into previous day, here into there, hence into thence, this into that, these into those, thus into that way, come into go(sometimes)

He says to me, “ I am good”.

He tells me that he is good.

Narration of assertive sentence:

1. In assertive ( svo) sentence, linker is that,

2. If the reporting verb is in present or future, the tense of reported speech is not changed. Eg. He says to me, “you are good.” He tells me that I am good.

3. In  case of habitual truth or eternal truth, there will not be the change of the tense. The teacher said, “ The sun rises from the east.” The teacher said that the sun rises from the east.

Report the following sentence into indirect speech.

1. The teacher said to the boy. “You have forgotten the lesson.”

The teacher told the boy that he had forgotten the lesson.

2. The boy said, “I shall go out and play.”

The boy said that he would go out and play.

3. He said, “I am happy to be here today.”

He said that he was happy to be there thatday.

4. They said, “We shall play the game again tomorrow.”

They said that they would play the game again the next day.

5. The boy said, “Two and two make four.”

6. The princess says, “I have lost my way.”

The princess says that she has lost her way.

7. They say, “We must keep our locality clean.”

They say that they must keep their locality clean.

Narration of interrogative sentences:

1. The reporting verb changes into ask, enquire, want to know question.

2. Yes/ no questions have if/whether, as a linker and Wh questions have same Wh words as linker.

3. The order of the sentences changes into assertive from the interrogative.

Eg. He said to me, “What are you doing?”

He asked me what I was doing.

Change following sentences into indirect speech:

Subject verb agreement

Subject verb agreement

The basic rule of subject verb agreements is singular subject singular verb plural subject plural verbs.

The singular verbs: is, has. V5 , does, was 

The plural verbs: are, have, V1,do, are were

Common verbs: all past verbs (V2) and modal 

1. An uncountable noun, though in the plural sense, takes singular verbs: my hair is gray.

2.  The +adjectives to denote group takes plural verbs: The poor are kind.

3. Two or more singular subjects connected by and take a verb in plural. When and is followed by a negative word as no or not, the verb agrees with word preceding no or not. Imran and Irfan are two brothers. Only boys and not the girl are guilty. The boy and not girls is guilty. 

4. Only one definite article the is used and joined by and takes singular verb. The scriptwriter and director is very famous.

5. Titles and names of plural form also take singular verb when they refer to one thing: Seven Dwarfs was a famous movie.

6. A phrase of measurement, though plural in forms takes a singular verbs. Two hours is long time to wait.

7.  We use singular verbs after a subject with every each any no some, but John Eastwood, the writer of Oxford Guide to English Grammar opines that each takes plural verb when it follows plural subject. Each boy is responsible. The pupils each have to take test. 

8. The subject with each and every joined by and, takes singular verb. Each boy and each girl is in discipline.

9. When two subjects are joined by or, nor, either…or, neither… nor takes verbs according to second subject. Either he or I am guilty. Either boy or girls are responsible. Note the placing of pronoun is 231.

10. A collective noun takes singular verb when it is thought of a whole, but takes plural verb when individuals are separately thought of. The jury has ordered to hang the man. The jury are divided in their opinion.

11. A number/ A group of/ A lot of takes plural verb when it is used at the beginning of the sentence. If there is ‘the’ in place of a we can use singular verb. The number of participants is remarkable in meeting. A number of boys were standing in the street. 

12. Some nouns, which are singular in the form but plural in meaning, take plural verb. Police people staff dozen etc. The police are running after the thief.

13. Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning take singular verb. The news is true.

14. When subject of a sentence is phrase, the verb must agree with main noun in subject group. The only excuse that he gave for his action was that he was tired.

15. When a plural noun is placed with a real singular subject one or each with help of the verb must be singular. One of the boys was ill.

16. When words are joined with: together with, or as well as, the verbs agree with first subject. The Prime minister with his ministers has arrived.

17. Many a/many an before a singular noun is form and verb is usually singular. However, a great many/ a good many/ too many is used instead of these words can take plural verbs. 

A Respectable Woman

 The story The Respectable woman presents the woman psychology and inner thought process. The main character Mrs. Baroda is not as happy as she came to know that her husband’s friend Gouvernail is planning to spend a week or two at their house. She had planned to spend a period of rest with her husband as they had been busy all the winter. In fact, she has never met Gouvernail, though she had heard about him so often, as her husband Gaston and Gouvernail were college friend. She came to know that he is a journalist at the present. She pictured him as. a tall, slim, cynical man and did not like the mental image, but when she met the slim but neither tall nor cynical Gouvernail, she finds that she actually likes him.

        Mrs. Baroda cannot discern why she likes Gouvernail, since she does not see all of the positive traits described by Gaston. He does not seem brilliant, but he does seem quiet and courteous in response to her eagerness to welcome him and her husband's hospitality. He makes no particular attempt to impress her otherwise, and he enjoys sitting on the portico and listening to Gaston describe sugar planting, although he does not like to fish or hunt.

        Although Gouvernail puzzles Mrs. Baroda, he is lovable and inoffensive. She leaves him alone with her husband at first but soon begins to accompany him on walks as she attempts to overcome his reticence. Her husband tells her that he will stay for another week and asks why she does not wish him to stay. She responds that she would prefer him to be more demanding, which amuses Gaston.

        Gaston tells Mrs. Baroda that Gouvernail does not expect a commotion over his presence and that he simply wishes for a break from his busy life, although she declares that she expected him to be more interesting. Later that night, she sits by herself on a bench, feeling confused and wanting to leave the plantation for a while, having told her husband that she might go to the city in the morning and stay with her aunt. While she sits, Gouvernail sees her and sits next to her, not knowing her displeasure at his presence.

        Gouvernail hands her a scarf on Gaston's behalf and murmurs about the night, and his silence disappears as he becomes talkative for the first time. He speaks to her of the old days and of his desire for a peaceful existence. She does not listen to his words so much as his voice, and she thinks of drawing him closer, although she resists because she is "a respectable woman." Eventually, she leaves, and Gouvernail remains behind, finishing his address to the night.

        Mrs. Baroda wants to tell Gaston of her strange folly, but she realizes sensibly that she must handle this feeling by herself. The next morning, she leaves for the city and does not return until Gouvernail departs. Gaston wants Gouvernail to return the next summer, but she refuses. She later changes her mind, delighting her husband, who tells her that Gouvernail did not deserve her dislike. She kisses her husband and tells him that she has "overcome everything" and that she will now treat him more nicely.

Analysis

It is a story which investigates the psychology of Mrs. Baroda. It presents the failure of the central character her instant wants and struggles to overcome her self-imposed limitation of her identity as a respectable woman. The development of her character goes in two different radical paths. She has never faced any true emotional test in her comfortable life and gaining the strength to triumph over her emotion. She tells him, "I have overcome everything! You will see. This time I shall be very nice to him." At first glance, this statement seems to suggest that Mrs. Baroda has regained control of her emotions. Overcoming "everything" seems to mean that she has overcome not only her displeasure about Gouvernail, but also her unrespectable romantic feelings. As she says she will be very nice to him on his next visit means that she has overcome her doubt and decided to satisfy her desires of having affair. It depicts she would resist the ethical standards of her society and discovers more about her needs. It takes the story as advocating for female independence. It reclaims a stronger individual identity and sense of self. It can be termed as self-actualization.

 

Class 11 New course