ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Several of the fielders regularly run four or five

1 - SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT kilometer a day.
RULE NO 1. RULE NO 9.
Singular subject must have singular verb & A singular subject and a plural subject joined
Plural subject must have plural verb. by ‘or’, ‘either-or’, ‘neither- nor’, ‘none but’,
He writes. They write. ‘not only but also’; will take a singular or
She plays. We play. plural verb depending on, which subject is
near the verb:
RULE NO 2.
Neither Deepak nor his friends are joining the tour.
Two subjects joined by ‘and’ will always take a
Neither his friends nor Deepak is joining the tour.
plural verb.
None but the leaders of our country are responsible
The doctor and nurse work together.
for this.
RULE NO 3.
RULE NO 10.
When two nouns are joined by 'and', if first
Title of the books needs singular verbs:
noun is preceded by an article and second is
‘Great expectations’ is a good book.
not, this means both nouns represent the
‘Gulliver Travels’ is an interesting book.
same person, so a singular verb is used.
The Chairman and Director is arriving. RULE NO 11.
A friend and colleague is getting married. The subject ‘Many a’ …… is always followed by
the singular verb.
RULE NO 4.
Many a man was drowned in the sea.
If two subjects are joined together by ‘as well
Many a student has not done his homework.
as’, ‘with’, ‘along with’, ‘together with’,
‘besides’, ‘in addition to’, ‘and not’, ‘rather RULE NO 12.
than’, the verb will act according to the main If the subject is ‘The number of’..…use a
subject: singular verb. :
Students as well as the teacher are playing. The number of books is very small.
He as well as his brothers is sitting there. The number of boys in this team is ten.
I as well as he am going out of station for a week.
RULE NO 13.
RULE NO 5. If the subject begins with ‘A number of’, (A
Two singular subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ large number of, A Great number of, many)
will take a singular verb. use a plural verb:
A doctor or a nurse is working in the hospital. A number of books are missing.
RULE NO 6. RULE NO. 14.
If sentence begins with 'each, everyone, Some nouns in the plural form represent an
everybody, someone, somebody, no one, amount, a fraction or an element of time (sum,
nobody, anyone, anybody, none and one', a distance, quantity, and time period) are considered
singular verb is used. singular and hence take singular verbs.
Each of the students is present. Sixty minutes is enough to finish this work.
One of the participants is missing.
RULE NO 15.
RULE NO 7. If two subjects express one idea, use a
Indefinite pronouns such as someone, singular verb.
somebody, no body, one, no one, everyone, Bread and butter is a wholesome food.
everybody, either, neither, etc. always take a Soup and salad is too light a lunch.
singular verb.
Each of my friends calls me once a month. RULE NO 16.
Each boy and each girl has come. In relative sentences, second verb is decided
One must tolerate one‘s friend as well as enemy. by the noun preceding the conjunction
India is the country which is developing very fast.
RULE NO 8. India is one of the countries which are developing
Indefinite plural pronouns (all, some, part, very fast.
majority, percentage, fraction, several, few,
both and many) always take plural verbs:
Both of the books require careful reading.

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 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

EXERCISE 36. Your car as well as mine _______ at the door.

EXERCISE – 1 (is, are)
1. Suraj and her brothers (is, are) at school. 37. Neither of them ______ proper etiquette. (know,
2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming knows)
to the meeting. 38. Gulliver Travels____ prescribed for our
3. The dog or the cows (is, are) outside. examination. (is, are)
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always 39. The price of these articles ____ gone very high.
on the floor. (has, have)
5. George and Tanya (doesn't, don't) want to see 40. ________ civics a difficult subject? (is, are)
that movie. 41. The host and the hostess ____ kind to me.
6. Ben (doesn't, don't) know the answer. (was, were)
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to 42. Nothing but trees and fields ____ before our
France. gaze. (lies, lie)
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my 43. The Principal and Director____ on leave. (is,
street. are)
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, 44. He is one of the cleverest boys who ____ taken
takes) about two hours to watch. the test. (has, have)
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, 45. This is the only one of his poems that _________
wants) to win. interesting to read. (is/are)
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable. 46. Sara and Desmond _______ organizing the
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction. food. (is/are)
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen. 47. Many of my classmates along with their
14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six? parents _________ arriving early to decorate
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, the party room. (is/are)
while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite subject. 48. The party _______ at 8:00. (start/starts)
16. Eight pounds (is, are) the price of a movie 49. Each of us _______bringing a big gift that cost
these days. less than $100 for another person. (is/are)
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer? 50. John, like many other students, _______ been
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's. trying to decide on the best gift to buy.
19. There (was, were) fifteen toffees in that bag. (has/have)
Now there (is, are) only one left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these ANSWERS
questions carefully.
21. The committee (leads, lead) very different 1)are 2) is 3) are
lives in private. 4)is 5) don’t 6) doesn’t
22. The President, together with his wife, (greets, 7)is 8) lives 9) takes
greet) the press cordially. 10) want 11) is 12) is
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) 13) knows 14) is 15) is; is
in this case. 16) is 17) are 18) are
24. Two-thirds of country (is, are) in the favour of 19) were; is 20) debates 21) lead
FDI. 22) greets 23) are 24) is
25. One-third of persons (is, are) reluctant to vote. 25) are 26) was 27) wins
26. The voice of the singers ________ sweet. (was, 28) are 29) is 30) was
were) 31) was 32) was 33)
27. Slow and steady _______ the race. (win, wins) has
28. A white and a black horse _________ grazing in 34) was 35) is 36) is
the field. (is, are) 37) knows 38) is 39) has
29. Rita, like you, _______ tall for her age, (is, are) 40) is 41) were 42) lies
30. The package, with all its contents,_____ stolen. 43) is 44) have 45) is
(was, were) 46)Are 47)Are 48)Starts
31. Many a brave deed ______ done. (was, were) 49)Is 50)has
32. A summons ____ served on him. (was, were)
33. The first innings _____ been played. (has, have)
34. The military ______ called out. (was, were)
35. Eight furlongs ____ equal to a mile. (is, are)
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