First Lesson - Subject-Verb Agreement

A Review. (Simple as it gets).

Hiya, TAers! This is your basic grammar review with subject-verb agreement. I know it’s summer, but it never hurts to learn. =)

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Rules:
1. A singular subject takes a singular verb.
Ex. The music is beautiful.
The boy is playing the piano.

2. A plural subject takes a plural verb.
Ex. Those jokes are funny.
The boys are playing soccer.

3. A coupound subject takes a plural verb. (A coupound subject is two or more subjects connected by a word).
Ex. A rabbit and sanke are not good pets to have.
The boy and girl are holding hands.

4. The following words are always plural and; therefore, require a plural verb:
*Few, both, several, many*
Ex. Few people are going on the trip the afternoon.
Both colleges have hard courses.
Several of my friends are going to the movies tonight.
Many fish do not want to be saved from drowning.

5. These words are singular, soo they take a singular verb:
*each, either, neither, no one, everyone, everybody, someone, someboody, anyone, anybody*
Ex. Each person is unique.
Someone is messing with the tthermostat.
Neither boy is eating.

6. These words may be singular or plural depending on the meaning of the sentence:
*some, any, most, all, none*
Ex. Some jokes are funny.
Some humor is crude.
Any man is subjected to questioning.
Any dogs are useful.

7. Any PHRASE or INTERUPTER between the subject and verd is omitted in determining the number of the verb.
Ex. That group of test-takers is bombaring the teacher with questions.
Those people, however, are quiet.

8. Verbs joined by neither/nor and either/or are determined by the noun closer to the verb.
Ex. Either Bob or Alice is going.
Neither Bob nor the girls are going.

9. Collective nouns look plural but are singular and need a singular verb.
*group, public, club, collection,ect.*
Ex. The public is comstantly exposed to harm.
The club is not helping.

10. Title of a book is singular.
Ex. A Tale Of Two Cities is a good book.

*RANDOMNESS*
Measles, mumps, civics, and economics are singular.
Scissors are plural.
Trousers are plural.
THERE IS NO SUCH NOUN AS PANT. It is pants. Pants are plural.
Athletics, acoustics, gymnastics, and tactics are plural.
Measurements are usually singular.
Some nouns have irregularsigular and plural forms.
Criterion/criteria
Datum/data
Medium/media
Phenomenon/phenomena
Bacterium/bacteria

Get it? Got it? GOOD. =)

Hope you enjoyed it!

Go Mace! Stopping bad grammar one internet-class at a time <3