Subject verb Agreement (Concord)

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT [CONCORD]

1.     A Verb must agree with its Subject in Number and Person.

[SSPP]

The dog growls when he is angry.

The dogs growl when they are angry.

Avoid “Error of Proximity"

1.1 Subordinate clauses that come between the subject and verb don't affect their agreement."Who," "that," and "which" can be singular or plural, according to the noun directly in front of them.

• The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

1.2 Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.

• The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
• The quality of the mangoes was not good. 
• The introduction of tea and coffee and such other beverages has not been without some effect. 

• The results of the recognition of this fact are seen in the gradual improvement of the diet of the poor.

2. Two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’ require a plural verb ; as,

• Gold and silver are precious metals. 
• Fire and water do not agree. Knowledge and wisdom have of times no connection. 
• Are your father and mother at home? 
• In him were centred their love and their ambition.
• He and I were playing. 

But if the nouns suggest one idea to the mind, or refer to the same person or thing, the verb is singular ; as,

• Time and tide waits for no man. 
• The horse and carriage is at the door. 
• Bread and butter is his only food. 
• Honour and glory is his reward. 
• The rise and fall of the tide is due to lunar influence. 
• Profit and loss is important to every business.
• The novelist and poet is dead. 

If the person is a different plural verb.

• My friend and the headteacher have come.
• My father and the officer are comming. 

3.  The phrase introduced by "as well as" or "along with" modifies the earlier word, but doesn't compound the subjects.

Words joined to a singular subject by with, as well as, etc., are parenthetical. The verb should therefore be put in the singular; as,·         

• The house, with its contents, was insured. 
• The Mayor with his councillors, is to be present. 
• The ship, with its crew, was lost. 
• Silver, as well as cotton, has fallen in price. 
• Sanskrit, as well as Arabic, was taught there. 
• Justice, as well as mercy, allows it.

4. With compound subjects joined by or, verbs agree with the closer subject. “Proximity sensor”

• No nook or corner was left unexplored. 
• Our happiness or our sorrow is largely due to our own actions. 
• Either the cats or the dog has been here. 
• Neither praise nor blame seems to affect him. 
• Neither the Chairnian nor the directors are present. 

4.1 When the subjects joined by or or nor are of different persons, the verb agrees with the nearer ; as,

• Either he or I am mistaken. 
• Either you or he is mistaken. 
• Neither you nor he is to blame.
• Neither my friend not I am to blame. 

But it is better to avoid these constructions, and to write :

• He is mistaken, or else I am. 
• You are mistaken, or else he is. 
• He is not to blame, nor are you.
• My friend is not to blame, nor am I.

4.2 Either, neither, each, everyone, many a, must be followed by a singular verb ; as,

• He asked me whether either of the applicants was suitable. 
• Neither of the two men was very strong. 
• Each of these substances is found in India. 
• Every one of the prisons is full. 
• Every one of the boys loves to ride. 
• Many a man has done so.

If one of the words "each," "every," or "no" comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

•  No smoking or drinking is allowed.
• Every man and woman is required to check in.

5. Two nouns qualified by each or every, even though connected by and, require a singular verb ; as,

• Every boy and every girl was given a packet of sweets. 

6. Some nouns which are plural in form, but singular in meaning, take a singular verb; as,

• The news is true. Politics was with him the business of his life. 
• The wages of sin is death.
• Mathematics is a branch of study in every school.

7. Pains and means take either the singular or the plural verb, but the construction must be consistent ; as,

• Great pains have been taken. 
• Much pains has been taken. 
• All possible means have been tried.
• The means employed by you is sufficient. 

7.1 In the sense of income, the word means always takes a plural verb ; as,

• My means were much reduced owing to that heavy loss. 
• His means are ample.

8. Some nouns which are singular in form, but plural in meaning take a plural verb ; as,

• According to the present market rate twelve dozen cost one hundred rupees. 

9. None, though properly singular, commonly takes a plural verb as,

• None are so deaf as those who will not hear. 
• Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures ; none show more passionate tenderness to their young.

10. A Collective noun takes a singular verb when the collection is thought of as one whole; plural verb when the individuals of which it is composed are thought of; as,

• The Committee has issued its report.
• The Committee are divided on one minor point. 

But we must be consistent. Thus, we should say:

• The Committee has appended a note to its (not their) report.

11. When the plural noun is a proper name for some single object or some collective unit, it must be followed by a singular verb; as,

• The Arabian Nights is still a great favourite. 
• The United States has a big navy. 
• Gullliver's Travels was written by Swift.

12. When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity or amount considered as a whole, the verb is generally singular; as,

• Fifteen minutes is allowed to each speaker. 
• Ten kilometers is a long walk. 
• Fifty thousand rupees is a large sum. 
• Twenty kilos of wool is enough for me. 

13.When sentences start with "there" or "here," the subject will always be placed after the verb. Some care needs to be taken to identify each part correctly.

• There is a problem with the balance sheet.
• Here are the papers you requested.

These words, called “expletives,” move the subject so that it comes after, rather than before, the verb. 

In other words, it’s “Here are the boxes,” not “Here’s the boxes.” Likewise, it’s “There are three things,” not “There’s three things.”

14. The phrase the number of takes a singular verb; the phrase a number of takes a plural verb, as 

• The number of errors in this report is alarming.
• A number of our clients have complained.