SINGULAR SINGULAR
(a) The sun shines.
PLURAL PLURAL
(b) Bids sing.
SINGULAR SINGUIAR
(c) My brother live8 in Jakarta.
PLURhL PLURAL
(d) My brother and sister liw in Jakarta
(e) The gkrraeu over thae unda the windou
by the sink are clean.
(f) The -ation in those magazines
aboutVietnamese cultu~ and customs is
very interesting.
v S
(g) The is a book on the desk.
v S
01) There are some books on the desk.
(i) Eoory student is sitting down.
(j) Ewrybody/Bveryone hopos for peace.(k) PBople in my counuy are friendly.A singular subject takes a singular verb, as in (a).
A ~lural subject takes a ulural verb, as in (b).
Notice: verb + -8 = singular (shines)
noun + -s = plural (binis)Two subjects connected by and take a plural verb, as in (dl.. , .- , ~. > , <... 3' -
Sometimes phrases come between a subject and a verb.
These phrases do not a&ct the agreement of the subject
and verb.
mere + be + subjat expresses that something exists in a
particular place. The verb agrees with the noun that
follows be.Eoory is a singular word. It is used with a smgular, not
plural, noun.
INCORRBCT: 8ve7~, sdBnt3....
Subjects with euey take singular verbs, as in (i) and (0.
PBo* is a plural noun and takes a plural verb.EXERCISE 13. Subject-verb agreement. (Chart 6-7)
Directions: Underline and identify the subject (8) and the verb (v). Correct errors in
agreement.
s v- -es occd every day of the year.
. - 2. Candles bum slowly. ok (no error) - My mother speak Spanish.
- My aunt and uncle speak Spanish.
- Oscar speaks Spanish and English.
- The students in this class speaks English very well.
- Every students in my class speak English well.
- There are five student from Korea in Mr. Brown's class.
- There's a vacant aparnnent in my building.
Nouns and Pronouns 165