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Rules for Subject-Verb Rules for Subject-Verb AgreementAgreement

Report Writing

By Wang Xiang Yong

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DefinitionDefinition

Verb agreement is making the present tense verb agree in number with its 3rd person subject

EX: The student studies hard.EX: The students study hard.

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Rule 1—Ignore prepositional Rule 1—Ignore prepositional phrases when locating phrases when locating

subjectssubjectsOnly one of the company executives has

insurance.

We wonder if the invoice for the two shipments is lost.

All employees but Tom are to report early.

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Rule 2—TRule 2—Therehere and and herehere are are not subjects.not subjects.

There are four candidates for the position.

Here is the fuel oil consumption report.

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Rule 3—Beware inverted Rule 3—Beware inverted orderorder

Attending the conference are salesman from four states.

Have the product specifications been submitted?

Subject-verb-object order is not in every sentence.

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Rule 4—Subjects joined by Rule 4—Subjects joined by andand take a plural verb take a plural verb

Carolyn and her brother work at Baker’s.

The proposed law and its amendment are before the legislature.

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Rule 5—Make verbs agree Rule 5—Make verbs agree with the closest subject when with the closest subject when

joined by joined by oror or or nornor

Neither the supervisor nor the clerks know the order number.

Either Leslie or you are in charge of ordering supplies.

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Rule 6—Know which indefinite Rule 6—Know which indefinite pronouns are singular and pronouns are singular and

which are pluralwhich are pluralAlways Singular

Anyone, anybody, anything, each, either, every,

everyone, everybody, everything, many a, neither, nobody, nothing, no one，

someone, somebody, something，another ， little

Always Plural

Both

Few

Many

Several

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Indefinite pronouns that can be singular or plural depending on reference

AnyAll

MoreMostSomeNone

(后跟可数名词 C复数即为复，不可数名词 UC即为单）

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ExamplesExamples

Either of the two applicants is satisfactory.

Everybody in the lottery has an equal chance of winning.

A few of the workers are applying for stock shares.

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ExamplesExamples

Neither of the dictionaries is available.

Most of the letters are finished.

Most of the work is completed.

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Rule 7—Collective nouns may Rule 7—Collective nouns may be singular or plural be singular or plural

(depending on whether action (depending on whether action is one action or multiple is one action or multiple

actions.actions.Our faculty has approved the proposal.

The council were sharply divided over appropriations.

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Rule 8—Amounts, quantities Rule 8—Amounts, quantities and measures are singular.and measures are singular.

Twenty dollars is more than I can afford.

Three gallons of water was spilled on the floor.

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Rule 9--Individual units that Rule 9--Individual units that can be counted are pluralcan be counted are plural

Three working days are required to repair your car.

Five bushels of apples were left in the warehouse.

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Rule 10—Fractions and Rule 10—Fractions and portions may be singular or portions may be singular or

plural as subjects.plural as subjects.

Two-thirds of the cassettes are flawed.

Over half of the contract was ratified.

Part of the delegates are in favor of the plan.

Part of the proposal is ambiguous.

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Rule 11—Distinguish between Rule 11—Distinguish between “the number” and “a number”“the number” and “a number”

The number as a subject takes a singular verb.

A number takes a plural verb.

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ExamplesExamples

The number of secretaries is declining.

A number of orders were lost.