NUMBER 17a A INGULAR word refers to one person, place, thing or idea. A LURAL word refers to more than one person, place, thing or idea. ingular igloo she One child Class lural igloos they Many children classes AGREEMENT OF UBJECT AND ERB 17b INGULAR subjects take INGULAR verbs. The lightning fills the sky. Jan begins her vacation today. The motor is running. LURAL subjects take LURAL verbs. Cheetahs run fast. New families move into our neighborhood often. The motors are running. HRAE BETWEEN UBJECT AND ERB 17c The number of a subject is not changed by a phrase following the subject. The hero of those folk tales is Ares. The tomatoes on that vine are ripe. That woman, sitting in the bleachers, is the coach of the team. *ALL, ANY, MORE, MOT, NONE, OME do not follow this rule see rule 17f*
INDEFINITE RONOUN 17d The following indefinite pronouns are singular. ingular Indefinite ronouns anybody each everyone nobody one omething anyone either everything no one somebody anything everybody neither nothing someone 17e The following indefinite pronouns are plural. lural Indefinite ronouns both few many several 17f The following indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural depending on their meaning in a sentence. Indefinite ronouns that can be INGULAR or LURAL All any more most None some ome of the games have been sold. ome of the food is gone. COMOUND UBJECT 17g ubjects joined by AND usually take a plural verb. Tom and Darrell win games. *A INGULAR ubject joined by AND still uses a INGULAR verb.* Macaroni and Cheese is my favorite dinner.
17h ingular subjects joined by OR or NOR usually take a singular verb. lural subjects joined by OR or NOR usually take a plural verb. Either Daniel or Cesaro is going to win. Neither the players nor the coaches are happy with the result. 17i When a INGULAR subject and a LURAL subject are joined with OR or NOR the subject closest to the verb decides the number. izza or wings are for dinner. Wings or pizza is for dinner. OTHER ROBLEM IN UBJECT ERB AGREEMENT 17j A COLLECTIE noun may be either INGULAR or LURAL depending on its use in the sentence. My family plans to attend Erin s graduation. My family are coming from all over the country for the reunion. 17k When the UBJECT follows the verb, find the UBJECT and make sure the verb agrees with it. Where was the cat? Where were the cats? HINT: You can restate the sentence in the normal subject/verb order to check yourself. The cat was where? The cats were where? 17l ome nouns that are LURAL take INGULAR verbs. Electronics is my favorite subject.
17m An amount may be INGULAR or LURAL depending on how it is used. Fifteen dollars is enough for the CD. Ten of his dollars were wasted on junk. 17n Although it might sound LURAL, the name of a creative work, organization or place is INGULAR. The atriots is my favorite team. The hilippines is an island. The Rain Dancers is a great book. 17o Don t is a contraction of Do Not. Use Don t with LURAL subjects and with the pronouns I and YOU. Doesn t is a contraction of Does Not. Use Doesn t with INGULAR subjects except I and YOU. The children don t know. I don t know. Kim doesn t know. He doesn t know. AGREEMENT OF RONOUN AND ANTECENDENT 17p A pronoun should agree in number and gender with its antecedent. Erin said that she found her book. A 17q Use a singular pronoun to refer to the following words. anybody each everyone nobody one something anyone either everything no one somebody anything everybody neither nothing someone omeone in the class left behind his or her pencil.
17r Use a plural pronoun to refer to the following words. both few many several Examples Both of the sailors asked their captain for shore leave. 17s The following pronouns can be INGULAR or LURAL All any more most none some Examples All of the pizza is gone. All of the pizzas are gone. 17t Use a INGULAR pronoun to refer to two or more INGULAR antecedents joined by OR or NOR. Either Kurt or Dave will display his collection. 17u Use a LURAL pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by AND. Melina and JADE sent letters to their cousin. *A INGULAR ubject joined by AND still uses a INGULAR verb.* Mac and Cheese is my favorite dinner. 17v A collective noun is INGULAR when the group is doing the same thing. A collective noun is LURAL when members of the group are not doing the same thing. The team is leaving today. The team are returning to their individual positions.
17w An amount may be INGULAR or LURAL depending on how it is used in the sentence. Five Dollars is the cost of the item. Five Dollars are spread out on the table. 17x Even when LURAL in form, the title of a creative work, an organization or place usually takes a INGULAR pronoun. Have you read Great Expectations? It is a great book.