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Thursday 10 November 2011

SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT

a) When we make sentences the subject must agree with the verb
b) A singular subject takes a singular verb. The verb ends with an‘s’


Singular
Subject
Singular
Verb

He
eats
an orange
She
drives
to school
It
bites
its tail
My brother
takes
the book
Example:

c) A plural subject takes a plural verb. The verb is without an‘s’

Examples:
Plural
Subject
Plural
Verb

We
climb
the hill
They
shoot
the bear
My brothers
take
the books

d) ‘I’ and ‘You’ takes the plural verb

Examples:
Subject
Plural verb

I
go
home
you
kick
the ball


e) These words take the singular verbs:-
               
Each
Every
Anyone
Anybody
Everyone
Everybody
Someone
Something
Everything
Anything
No one
Nothing
Nobody
Somebody

Examples:
Each boy eats an apple
Every pupil in the class goes to the library



More examples:
i)        Has anyone seen my pen?
ii)      Everybody marches on the spot.
iii)     Something is in the drawer.
iv)    Everything goes well.
v)      Is there anything to eat?
vi)    No one goes to that haunted house.
vii)   Nothing is good for her.
viii) Nobody wishes to be poor.
ix)    Somebody has taken my spoon.

f) Uncountable nouns take Singular Verb



There is some water in the jug



Water quenches our thirst

More examples:
i)        Oil is for cooking.
ii)       Cement is used for building houses.
iii)     Rubbish attracts flies.
iv)     Salt gives taste to food.








g) Collective nouns in the singular takes singular verbs. Collective nouns in the plural takes plural  verbs.
The brood of chicken is under its mother’s wings.

                                      

 

 
The broods of chicken are under their mother’s wings.


More examples:
i)        The swarm of bees is flying over the tree.
ii)       The swarms of bees are flying over the trees.


TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING

FORMATIVE EXERCISE 1

Separate the subject and verb

1. She lives in Muar.
     _______________________________

2. Hassan and Han Meng are good friends.
    ________________________________

3. He has a story book.
    ________________________________

4. They do their work well.
     ________________________________





FORMATIVE EXERCISE 2

Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs in the following statement.

1. The mice __________ (run) into the holes.

2. She __________ ( stand) near the window.

3. We __________ (do) our duties.

4. My cousins ________ (go) to Singapore.

5. I __________ (shift) to a new house.









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