Grammar: Class 8
Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Subjects and Prepositional Phrases
One (of my favourite CDs) [is / are] (by the Kings of Leon).
2. And
The cat and the dog are good friends.
Swimming and playing tennis are Tina’s favourite pastimes.
To walk and to chew gum are not great skills.
To walk and to chew gum at the same time is a remarkable feat for some people.
Bacon and eggs is on the breakfast menu.
3. Inverted Word Order
In this lesson are rules governing agreement.
Happy is the writer who has a good editor.
There is no excuse for rudeness.
4. Collective Nouns
The jury is making its decision right now.
The jury are arguing about the verdict
The jury members are arguing about the verdict.
army audience band
class club committee
crowd family group
jury party team
5. Or, Either … or and Neither … nor, But
Either the students or the teacher has your cellphone.
Either the teacher or the students have your cellphone.
The team or their coach has made an error in the last play.
Either you or I am going to have to pay the bill.
Not your idea but the ways you express it get you in trouble
Does the teacher or the students have your cellphone?
Do the students or the teacher have your cellphone?
Am either I or my friends the cause of some embarrassment?
6. In addition …
with, together with, combined with, in addition to, as well as, including
The leader, as well as the rest of his party, is voting against the bill.
Ronald, in addition to his wife and his children, was absent from the family picnic.
She, together with her team, is going to win the game.
7. Number, etc.
A number of my CDs have gone missing.
The number of people living in this building is small.
A variety of options are available with this product.
There are a host of grammar rules to learn.
8. Indefinite Pronouns
Anyone, everyone, someone, no one, and nobody always require singular verbs
Everyone enjoys having a day off work.
Nobody likes a popular guy.
Others are only plural.
Many have little opportunity to take time off.
There are a few that can be singular or plural.
All of the essays are due today.
All of the money has been spent.
None of his wealth is able to help him escape his misery.
Some of the truth you’ve spoken is worth remembering.
Either and neither normally take a singular verb.
I met both your co-workers. Neither seems very friendly.
but I have apples and oranges. Neither are ripe.
Each and every take a singular verb.
Each of you is loved by your family.
Every man and woman is required to check in.
9. Things measured
Five days is too short for a good vacation. (time is measured)
Thirty-seven litres of water makes up the human body.
Sixty dollars is too much for a DVD.
but Thousands of dollars were spent on renovations to the bathroom.
10. Relative Clauses
Karen is one of those people who are ready for anything.
It is either bigger discounts or better service that makes the store more successful.
It is not you but your ideas that alarm people.
11. Singular Words That Look Plural
& Plurals That Are Singular
Economics is important if you want a business degree.
Statistics is a dull and daunting discipline.
but Statistics are more than just data.
and Beaches is a musical comedy starring Bette Midler.
The Stars and Stripes is the name of the American flag.
Exercise: Subject-Verb Agreement
Choose the correct form of the verb in the following sentences.
1. Neither of the courses that Jim wanted to take (is / are) offered this term
2. The team (was / were) late for the game.
3. The Liberal Party (was / were) divided by serious differences of opinion.
4. The class (has / have) been studying subject-verb agreement.
5. The voters or the government (is / are) going to make a decision about this country’s direction.
6. Neither the press nor the other media (has / have) presented the issues of the Earth Summit comprehensively.
7. Meteorology, as well as a number of other sciences, (has / have) shown that global warming is a reality.
8. The British royal family, including the Queen’s children, (seem / seems) to be embroiled in an endless series of scandals.
9. A number of students (is / are) prepared for the final test.
10. I hope the number of prepared students (is / are) substantial.
11. Here (is / are) the ten dollars I owe you.
12. Be careful of the water in this area. None (is / are) drinkable.
13. Some of the salad and a number of the guests (has / have) gone off.
14. Neither the carrots nor the rice (has / have) been prepared for dinner.
15. (Is / Are) any of the punch left?
16. Fish and chips (is / are) the meal of the day at Johnny G’s.
17. There (is / are) a variety of chores to be done.
18. A variety of vegetables (is / are) good for you.
19. Each of us (has / have) a different view of the world.
20. Fries or salad—either (is / are) okay with me.
21. Canada is one of the few countries that (border / borders) the Arctic Ocean.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
1. Collective Nouns
The jury is making its decision right now.
The jury are arguing about their verdict
2. Or, Either … or and Neither … nor
Neither the students nor the teacher has found his way to the new
classroom.
Neither the teacher nor the students have found their way to the new
classroom.
3. In addition …
A pronoun referring to a singular subject followed by with, together with, combined with, in addition to, as well as, or including
The prime minister, as well as the Conservative party members, is considering
his position on climate change.
The computer, in addition to all electrical appliances in a house, should have
its plug checked for proper grounding.
4. Ambiguous Reference
You have your opinions, and I have mine.
Denying women the right to vote robbed them of a voice in government.
• ambiguous pronoun reference
The flower is a treat for the nose, so you should not pick it.
Flowers are a treat for the nose, so you should not pick them.
If you have a serious problem with your drain, you should look into it.
If you have a serious problem with your drain, you should look into the situation.
The dean told the teacher that it was time for him to retire.
The dean told the teacher, “It is time for me to retire.” or
The dean told the teacher, “It is time for you to retire.”
• lack of an antecedent
After he saw his first live football game, my son decided to become one.
After he saw his first live football game, my son wanted to become
a football player.
My brother is a geologist. It requires a lot of travel.
My brother is a geologist. His profession requires a lot of travel.
• they and it
They do not permit you chew gum in Malaysia.
Malaysians authorities do not permit you to chew gum.
Malaysian laws do not permit gum chewing.
You are not permitted to chew gum in Malaysia.
• use of a pronoun to refer to a clause
If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?
If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold that statement against me?
Flavia said that her company went bankrupt, but this was untrue.
Flavia said that her company went bankrupt, but this comment was untrue.
One of the other boys stole my tweed jacket, which suited me just fine.
One of the other boys stole tweed jacket, a loss which suited me just fine.
• A shift in person
If a person drives too fast, you should expect a speeding ticket.
If you drive too fast, you should expect a speeding ticket.
We like being in Professor Eldridge’s class because she doesn’t make you
write tests.
We like being in Professor Eldridge’s class because she doesn’t make us
write tests.
Pronoun Exercise A
In the sentences below, choose the correct word from the choices offered.
1. Neither the students nor their teacher (want/wants) to have (his/their) course run three hours without a break.
2. Canada, along with the other G8 nations, (expect/expects) to have (its/their) opinions on trade treated seriously.
3. Mr. Ignatieff noted, “The prime minister likes French fries more than (me/I).”
4. Each of us (has/have) a right to (her/our/their) privacy.
5. A number of bottles of wine from our vineyard (has/have) been sold for $80.
6. Between you and (I/me), the teachers are going on strike tomorrow.
7. The team (is/are) going to lose (its/their) fifth game in a row.
8. Most of the team (want/wants) to fire (its/their) coach.
9. Is it the winner or the losers who (is/are) having (his/their) picture printed in the Toronto Sun.
10. Either Jake or his sisters (is/are) going to make (his/their) famous potato salad.
11. Everyone (has/have) ordered (her/their) own pizza.
12. Some of the burgers or all of the chicken (need/needs) to be put back in (its/their) containers before the dogs get at (it/them).
13. I don’t like politics because (it/they) always (cause/causes) arguments.
14. The ants or their colony (need/needs) to be destroyed so that (it/they) (don’t/doesn’t) lead to a new infestation.
15. The family (is/are) going to see (its/their) relatives at the reunion.
Pronoun Exercise B
Rewrite the following sentences to correct the ambiguous pronoun references.
1. Bette told her mother that she had the breath of a rhinoceros.
2. After Canada lost the soccer game, they blamed the coach.
3. Uma likes living in Toronto because you have lots of entertainment to choose from.
4. In the geography course, they get to go on a field trip.
5. We asked for a better classroom, but it was turned down.
6. The passengers felt cramped in the jet, but there wasn’t much you could do.
7. The days are getting longer now, which signals that spring is to come.
8. They don’t let you feed the animals at the zoo.
9. When we opened the door to the cottage, you could see that someone had spent the winter in it.
10. Every student should have their own locker.
11. Manjula told his father that he needed a new car.
12. No one likes it when you intrude on their privacy.
13. The dog likes hunting for groundhogs more than me.
14. Either the city councillors or the mayor have to apologize for their error.
15. After Tom saw the Bare Naked Ladies perform, he wanted to be one.
16. Tom thought of Nick because he owed him a favour.
17. The plumber told us you should never try to flush a meatloaf down the toilet.
18. They said in the papers that the recession would be very deep.
19. When Terry told me that he had won the lottery, I knew it was a lie.
20. Last year, I invested in GM, which was a big mistake.
Indefinite Pronouns and Gender-Inclusive Language
Everyone drove their own car to the party.
Everyone drove his own car to the party.
Everyone drove his or her own car to the party.
Everyone drove his/her own car to the party.
Everyone drove a car to the party.
We all drove our own cars to the party.
All of them drove their own cars to the party.
1. Substitute a plural pronoun for the gender-exclusive noun or pronoun.
Problem sentence: Although a doctor is busy, he should always answer his patients’ questions.
Revised Sentence: Although doctors are busy, they should always answer their patients' questions.
2. Delete the gender-exclusive pronoun.
Problem sentence: A good lawyer uses his analytical ability.
Revised Sentence: A good lawyer uses analytical ability.
3. Substitute a gender neutral first or second person pronoun for a third person gender
exclusive pronoun.
Problem sentence: A careful student budgets her time.
Revised Sentence: As a careful student, you should budget your time.
4. Revise the sentence to change its subject.
Problem sentence: A good salesperson makes sure she keeps her customers happy.
Revised Sentence: Keeping customers happy is an important part of being a good salesperson.
5. Substitute an article for the masculine or feminine pronoun.
Problem sentence: Every student should bring his text to class.
Revised Sentence: Every student should bring the text to class.
6. Replace the subject with one.
Problem sentence: Everyone ought to save for his future.
Revised Sentence: One ought to save for one’s future.
Exercise: Gender-Inclusive Language
1. A member of parliament is usually required to vote with his party.
2. A driver should use his rearview mirror when backing up.
3. Everyone should spend their money to boost the economy.
4. A careful student budgets her time.
5. Every citizen is morally obligated to report a crime if they see one taking place.