SV Agreement: An Overview

by Arief Firdaus

1: Singular Subjects1. The man together with his ten children (is/are) leaving soon.2. There (have/has) been no new discoveries in that field.3. Everyone except Bambang and Tejo (have/has) a book.4. There (is/are) no dogs in this neighborhood.5. One of the most interesting presentation (was/were) given by

Joko.6. The president together with his assistants (have/has) left for

Washington.7. Here (is/are) the results of the experiments.8. There (have/has) never been so many joggers in the race.9. Here (is/are) the music as well as the words to the song.10. Algeria as well as Tunisia and Libya (have/has) sent students to

Jakarta.

2: Plural Subjects

1. Few (is/are) strong enough to finish the race.2. Many of you (is/are) going to score above 500 on the TOEFL.3. All of the medicine (is/are) gone.4. Several of the fish (appear/appears) to be dying.5. The scissors (is/are) in the bottom drawer.6. Most of the money (is/are) counterfeit.7. All of the book (have/has) been damaged.8. A number of students (was/were) missing from class.9. The number of Bataknese students in class (is/are) small.10. Neither the jewels nor the money (is/are) mine.11. Half of the furniture (is/are) in the truck.12. Neither the nurses nor the doctor (is/are) here.13. That pair of pants (is/are) dirty.14. Your thanks (is/are) enough for me.15. His pants (is/are) still at the cleaners.

3: Unusual Singular Subjects

1. Two weeks (is/are) enough time for a nice vacation in Phuket, Thailand.2. Five hundred thousand rupiahs (is/are) required as a down payment.3. Ten extra kilograms (is/are) a lot to lose in a week.4. Twenty gallons of gasoline (costs/cost) a lot of money.5. The New York Times (is/are) a good newspaper. 6. Both mathematics and physics (is/are) interesting.7. German measles (causes/cause) red spots on the chest and arms.8. There (was/were) extra copies of The New York Times in the library.9. Politics usually (attracts/attract) ambitious individual.10. News of the peace talks (has/have) not yet reached our country.11. Mumps (causes/cause) inflammation and swelling of the glands.12. Star Wars (was/were) a good movie.13. According to the weight lifter champion, 300 kg (is/are) easy to lift.14. Two hundred thousand rupiahs (is/are) not easy to get nowadays.15. Mathematics, physics, and ethics (is/are) difficult subjects.

4 : Singular & Plural Subjects with the Same Form

1. The crew (is/are) asleep in their bunks down in the hold of the ship.2. Several unusual species of birds (is/are) found in this area.3. When a young deer (is/are) motionless, its coloring will hide it well.4. The committee (is/are) ready to make its recommendation public.5. Each of those species of birds (is/are) common in West Java.6. The fish in the aquarium (is/are) waiting for their daily feeding.7. The class (has/have) its final test on Friday.8. The class (is/are) working on their individual projects today.9. The press (is/are) requested to show their credentials to the guard.10. Both apparatus (is/are) available for your use.

5 : Nationality & Foreign Words

1. Alumni of the university (is/are) invited to the graduation ceremony.

2. English (is/are) spoken all over the world.3. The Portuguese (is/are) fortunate to have such a beautiful

coastline.4. The criteria for promotion (is/are) clearly stated.5. Supernatural phenomena (is/are) of great interest to many people.6. French (is/are) a Romance language.7. The appendices are usually found at the back of the book.8. These bacteria (is/are) being studied by Indonesian scientists.9. The English (loves/love) tea.10. Many Vietnamese (is/are) now living in the United States.

Summary1. No one in this group of contenders (stand/stands) a chance of beating the current speed record.2. Neither the education library nor the psychology library (have/has) the books that the professor

recommended.3. Restricted ownership and enforced registration (is/are) two major approaches to handgun legislation.4. There (was/were) no doubt in anyone’s mind about the guilt of the defendants.5. A gray and white car (is/are) parked outside this campus building.6. Sound and Sense (was/were) written for college students just beginning serious study of poetry.7. Every success and failure (contributes/contribute) to an individual’s growth and maturity.8. The news on the local radio stations as well as newspaper accounts (confirms/confirm) that the graft case was

serious.9. It is still the women who (bears/bear) the household chores.10. Neither all of the cookies nor all of the fruit (has/have) been eaten yet.11. Unlike Americans who seem to prefer coffee, the English (drinks/drink) a great deal of tea.12. A family of mockingbirds (nests/nest) in the tree every spring.13. Outside the door (stand/stands) several rosebushes.14. Everything, including the clothes in the closets, (was/were) stolen from the apartment.15. To a do-it-yourself handyman, a pair of pliers (is/are) very useful.16. The number of days of vacation provided to university employees (remains/remain) constants from year to

year.17. For intermediate level students, Steps in Composition (provides/provide) useful reading and writing exercises.18. Despite the development of a vaccine, measles (is/are) still a serious danger to adult victims.19. Statistics as well as a course in research methodology (is/are) required of all doctoral candidates.20. In their statements to the press, the committee (is/are) expressing several surprising viewpoints.