5 Questions
A singular subject takes a ______ verb
singular
If the collective noun is considered as a single unit, use a ______ verb
singular
The verb 'be' in the present tense has the forms ______ (singular) and are (plural)
is
The collective noun 'family' is an example of a ______ noun
group
The verb 'do' in the present tense has the forms ______ (singular) and do (plural)
does
Study Notes
Singular/Plural Agreement
- A singular subject takes a singular verb (e.g., cat → is)
- A plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g., cats → are)
- If the subject is a singular noun that ends in -s, it still takes a singular verb (e.g., physics → is)
Collective Nouns
- Collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context
- If the collective noun is considered as a single unit, use a singular verb (e.g., the team is playing well)
- If the collective noun is considered as individual members, use a plural verb (e.g., the team are arguing among themselves)
- Common collective nouns include:
- Group nouns: family, team, committee
- Animal groups: herd, flock, pack
Irregular Verbs
- Irregular verbs do not follow the usual pattern of adding -s or -es to form the third person singular present tense
- Examples of irregular verbs:
- Be: is (singular), are (plural)
- Have: has (singular), have (plural)
- Do: does (singular), do (plural)
- Go: goes (singular), go (plural)
- Learn the irregular verb forms to ensure subject-verb agreement
Singular and Plural Subjects
- A singular subject takes a singular verb (e.g., cat → is)
- A plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g., cats → are)
- Singular nouns that end in -s still take a singular verb (e.g., physics → is)
Collective Nouns
- Can be singular or plural depending on context
- If considered as a single unit, use a singular verb (e.g., the team is playing well)
- If considered as individual members, use a plural verb (e.g., the team are arguing among themselves)
- Examples of collective nouns include:
- Group nouns: family, team, committee
- Animal groups: herd, flock, pack
Irregular Verbs
- Do not follow the usual pattern of adding -s or -es to form the third person singular present tense
- Examples of irregular verbs:
- Be: is (singular), are (plural)
- Have: has (singular), have (plural)
- Do: does (singular), do (plural)
- Go: goes (singular), go (plural)
- Learn irregular verb forms to ensure subject-verb agreement
Test your understanding of singular and plural agreement rules, including collective nouns, in English grammar. Learn how to use the correct verb forms with different subjects.
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