subject and verb agreement

Subject and verb Agreement

Có nhiều nguyên tắc hòa hợp trong điểm ngữ pháp này, tuy nhiên tôi chỉ chọn lựa một số nguyên tắc cơ bản và phổ biến nhất để các em học sinh dễ nắm bắt và vận dụng.

1. A.                                                                                        Nguyên tắc chung:

- Hình thức của động từ số ít: is/was/has/động từ có s hoặc es.

- Hình thức của động từ số nhiều: are/were/have/động từ có hình thức giống như nguyên mẫu.

B. Một số nguyên tắc hoà hợp cơ bản:

1. Chủ ngữ gồm hai hoặc nhiều phần nối với nhau bằng and à V số nhiều

Eg: My brother and sister live in Boston.

2. Chủ ngữ gồm 2 phần nối với nhau bằng either… or, neither… nor, not only…but also à V hòa hợp với phần gần nó nhất.

Eg: Either Thursday or Friday is ok.

3. Chủ ngữ có thêm phần as well as, with, together with, along with à V vẫn chỉ hòa hợp với phần S đầu tiên.

Eg: George, together with his friends, is buying a race horse.

4. Chủ ngữ là cụm từ chỉ sự đo lường (được xem như là một tổng thể) à V là số ít.

Eg: Thirty pounds seems a reasonable price.

5. Nếu có 1 cụm từ hay mệnh đề theo sau một danh từ làm chủ ngữ à V chỉ hòa hợp với danh từ đầu tiên.

Eg: The house between the two bungalows is empty.

The house they used to live in is now empty.

6. Chủ ngữ là 1 cụm từ hay 1 mệnh đề à V số ít.

Eg: Through the trees is the nearest way.

Opening my presents was exciting.

7. Every one of, each of, one of + danh từ số nhiều à V số ít.

Eg: One of these letters is for you.

8. A (large) number of, the majority of, a lot of, some of + danh từ số nhiều à V số nhiều.

Eg: The majority of people have complained.

* The number of à V số ít

9. Each, every + danh từ số ít à V số ít             Eg: Each book and magazin is listed in the card catolog

10. None of, neither of, either of + danh từ số nhiều à V số ít.

Eg: None of  the students has failed the test

* Có thể dùng V số nhiều nhưng không trang trọng (informal English)

11. Đại từ bất định như Something, everything, nothing… à V số ít

Eg: Someone was waiting at the door

12. Danh từ không đếm được à V số ít.                   Eg: This water is not safe enough to drink.

13. Một số danh từ có hình thức số nhiều nhưng mang nghĩa số ít à V số ít.

Eg: Mathematics is one of my core subjects

14. There is/was + danh từ số ít.

There are/were + danh từ số nhiều.

Eg: There are  twenty five students in my class

There was  an accident last night.

15. Một số danh từ có hình thức số ít nhưng mang nghĩa số nhiều à V số nhiều.

Eg: The police are investigating the crime.

16. The + tính từ làm chủ ngữ à V số nhiều.            Eg: The sick are well cared in the hospital

Subject and verb Agreement

Exercise 1: Circle the best answer.

1. One of ____________ a goldfish bowl on her kitchen table.

        a. my friend keep             c. my friend keeps       b. my friends keep      d. my friends keeps

2. Every ____________ love.

        a. man, woman and child needs                             c. man, woman and child need

        b. men, women and children needs                       d. men, women and children need

3. One of the girls who ____________ in this office  ____________ my niece

        a. works / is                b. works / are              c. work / is                     d. work / are

4. Neither Lan nor her parents ____________ the film.

        a. like                          b. likes                        c. is like                         d. are like

5. Each ____________ the same as the day before.

        a. days was                 b. day was                  c. days were                  d. day were

6. More men than ____________ left handed.

        a. woman are              b. woman is                c. women are                 d. women is

7. Every one of the students ____________ on time for class

        a. is                             b. are                           c. were                           d. have been

8. There ____________ some money on the table.

        a. are                           b. were                        c. have been                  d. is

9. This information about taxes ____________ helpful

        a. were                        b. have been               c. is                                d. are

10. The vegetables in the bowl on the table ____________ fresh.

        a. looks                       b. smells                      c. are                              d. is

11. Writing  ____________ her happy

        a. letter makes            b. letters makes           c. letter make                 d. letters make

12. None of the money robbed from the banks last year ____________ yet.

        a. has been found       b. have been found     c. has found                  d. have found

13. My father and mother ____________ for the same company.

        a. works                      b. work                       c. is working                  d. has worked

14. The elderly ____________ this kind of music, but the young ____________.

        a. don’t like / does      b. doesn’t like / does      c. don’t like / do        d. doesn’t like / do

Exercise 2: Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. The news about Mr Hogan (be) ___________surprising.

2. Fifty minutes (be)___________the maximum length of the time allowed for the exam.

3. Many people in the world (not have) ___________enough food to eat.

4. The poor (need)___________ help from the community.

5. Listening to loud music at rock concerts  (cause)_______ hearing loss in some teenagers these days.

6. There (be) ___________a lot of sheep in the field.

7. Ten miles (be) ___________ too far to walk.

8. Not only John but also his friends (want) ___________ to buy this race horse.

9. A number of students (recently participate) ___________ in intensive language programs abroad.

10. Sarah, along with 20 students, (plan) ___________a party now.

11. The number of students who (withdraw) ___________from class since the term began (be) ___________quite high.

12. There (be) at least one window in every room.

13. A lot of students in my class (speak) ___________ and (undrstand) ___________ Spanish.

14. The trousers Lan’s bought (not, go) ___________ best with her shirt.

15. The information she gave me (be not) ___________valuable.

16. The number of days in a week (be) ___________seven.

17. Either you or he (have) ___________to do the task.

18. Two years without a job (be) ___________too long to be.

19. Every girl and boy (be) ___________required to have certain immunizations before enrolling in public school.

20. Neither of John’s parents (be)___________ English.

21. Mary (get)___________ up early.
22.  Mary and Daisy always (get)___________ up early
23. The secretary and the treasurer (be)___________ present.
24. Oil and water (do)___________ not mix.
25. The singer and doctor (be) ___________coming.
26. Bacon and egg (be)___________ my favorite dish.
27. Many a teacher and many a student (have)___________ attended the lecture.
28. Nobody (come) ___________the party.
29. Everything (be)___________ ready.
30. The study of languages (require)___________ time.
31. The president, together with his advisors, (be)___________ coming.
32. They, no less than Tom, (be)___________ eager to start.
33. The manager, as well as his assistant, (have)___________ arrived.
34. The number of students (be) ___________40.
35. Either you or I (be)___________ wrong.

36. Neither he nor his friends (be) ___________able to come.
37. Twenty dollars (be)___________ too much to pay for this book.
38. All (be)___________ calm.
39. All (be) ___________Vietnamese.
40. Half of the money (be) ___________stolen.
41. Half of the students (be)___________ English.
42. None of the money (be)___________ mine.
43. The majority of students (speak)___________ English.
44. The news (be)___________ goods.
45. Mathematics (be)___________ an important subject.
46. There (be)___________ much traffic during rush hours.
47. "Gulliver's Travels" (be)___________ an amusing book.
48. Cattle (be)___________ grazing.
49. The English (be)___________ used to driving on the left.
50. His family (be)___________ rich.

51. His family (be)___________ having dinner.
52. It is I who (be)___________ to go. 

51. John, along with twenty friends, (is/are) planning a party.
52. The picture of the soldiers (bring/brings) back many memories.
53. The quality of this recordings (is/are) not very good.
54. The effects of cigarette smoking (have/has) been proven to be extremely harmful.
55. The use of credit cards in place of cash (have/has) increased rapidly in recent years.
56. Neither Bill nor Mary (is/are) going to the play tonight.
57. Anything (is/are) better than going to another movie tonight.
58. A number of reporters (was/were) at the conference yesterday.
59. Your glasses (was/were) on the bureau last night.
60. The committee (has/have) already reached a decision.
61. Each student (has/have) answered the first three questions.
62. The crowd at the basketball game (was/were) wild with excitement.

Exercise 3: Find the incorrect part  A, B, C and D.

1. Each of the rooms have its own bathroom.

             A           B       C    D

2. Everybody who have  a fever must go home immediately

                        A      B                   C                          D

3. Twenty five dollars  are  all I can afford to pay for this recorder

                           A         B                     C        D

4. All of the windows in my house was broken in  the  earthquake.

        A                          B                  C                     D

5. The actress, along with her manager and some friends, are going to the party.

                                           A                               B              C             D

6. Living  expenses  in  this country  are high.

        A            B         C                       D