We all know that a
singular subject goes with a singular verb and a plural subject goes with a
plural verb. However, it is sometimes not easy to
identify the subject of the verb and when the subject and verb are not matched
correctly, a grammar mistake is made. Look at each of the following examples
and see if the answer is always so straightforward for you.
Examples:
1. The list of grocery items has been recorded into my smart phone.
2. The herds of elephants are escaping from the forest fire.
3. Neither Jerrie nor Jackie knows how to swim.
4. Neither Jerrie nor her friends like
swimming. (Verb agrees with the closest noun)
5. Either Jerrie or Jackie is helping me with lunch.
6. Either of the sisters is helping me with dinner.
7. Neither of the brothers is joining us for tea.
8. Neither Moses nor I am looking forward
to going to the banquet. (Verb agrees with the closest noun)
9. Moses and I are invited to the banquet.
10. Bread and
butter is my favourite breakfast. (Bread and butter is a compound noun)
11. Bed and breakfast is my preferred kind of
accommodation for vacation. (Bed and breakfast is a compound noun)
12. Jerrie, along
with her best friends, is expected to arrive anytime.
13. Jackie, as well
as her teachers, is very excited about this event.
14. Amos, not his
parents, is to be blamed.
15. All of the cakes are gone.
16. All the cake is gone.
17. Half of the people are not showing up.
18. There are obstacles to clear.
19. There is one more obstacle to clear.
20. A lot of people are coming today.
21. Three hours is too long to wait for the doctor. (Three hours is treated as a unit.)
22. Ten dollars is too much for a pen. (Ten dollars is treated as a unit.)
23. Ten dollars were found in in the dustbin. (Ten dollars are interpreted as dollar
notes.)
24. The couple was presented a gift.
25. The
staff was in a
training this morning.
26. I wish Shaun were here. (Hypothetical/wishful statement.)
27. I wish it were Sunday. (Hypothetical/wishful statement.)
28.
I
saw him fall and break his nose. (“fall”
and “break” are 'bare' infinitives, ie infinitives without
'to'.)
29.
We all have
seen her dance. (Infinitive “dance”.)
30. We heard the bell ring. (Infinitive “ring”.)
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