SEM 101: Syntax and SVA Rules
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Questions and Answers

Which verb form should be used with the subject 'each of the children'?

  • were
  • be
  • is (correct)
  • are

    • What verb form is correct for the sentence 'Half of the pizza ___ gone'?

  • are
  • were
  • was
  • is (correct)

    • When referring to a collective noun as a single unit, which verb form should be used?

  • Singular (correct)
  • Both singular and plural
  • Depends on the context
  • Plural

    • What is the correct verb form when a sentence starts with 'It' followed by a plural subject?

    <p>Singular</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the subject is 'the number of students', which verb form is correct?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the sentence 'To run and to jump ___ fun', what is the correct form of the verb?

    <p>are</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How should the sentence 'A pair of scissors ___ on the table' be completed?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these sentences is correct?

    <p>Some of the milk is spoiled.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How should the title 'Moby Dick' be grammatically treated in a sentence?

    <p>As singular</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What verb form is used when referring to a measurement such as 'Five gallons of water'?

    <p>Was</p> Signup and view all the answers

    For the subject 'the athletics team', which verb form is appropriate?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sentence accurately reflects correct subject-verb agreement?

    <p>Politics is often debated.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct verb in the sentence 'The jury ___ to reach a decision'?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct verb form for 'Five pounds ___ on the scale'?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the sentence 'Standing and waiting ___ tiring', which verb form is correct?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the phrase 'The team ___ winning games' implies the team is performing well as a unit, which is correct?

    <p>is</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ensures that subjects and verbs agree in number?

    <p>A singular subject requires a singular verb.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What verb form is used with the pronoun 'you'?

    <p>Plural verb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When a sentence starts with 'There', how does the verb behave?

    <p>The verb agrees with the subject that follows.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a sentence with two singular subjects connected by 'either/or', what verb form should be used?

    <p>Singular verb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do you determine the verb form when a singular and plural subject is connected by 'neither/nor'?

    <p>The verb agrees with the last subject.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the verb agreement rule when a singular subject is followed by phrases like 'together with'?

    <p>The verb remains singular.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What verb agreement rule applies for two singular subjects joined by 'and'?

    <p>The verb is always plural.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following indefinite pronouns are always plural?

    <p>Several, few, both</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Introduction to Linguistics

    • This is a course about linguistics, a subject that studies language.
    • The course is named SEM 101

    Syntax

    • Syntax is the study of sentence structure within a language system.
    • The course will cover grammar rules for competent language learning.
    • Learners will create teaching-learning materials, for example, grammar worksheets, to fully grasp syntactic studies.

    Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA) Rules

    • Basic Rule: Subjects and verbs must agree in number.

      • A singular subject takes a singular verb.
      • A plural subject takes a plural verb.

    • Example:

      • The dog growls when he is angry. (singular)
      • The dogs growl when they are angry. (plural)

    • "You": The pronoun "you" always takes a plural verb.

      • Example: You were invited to come.

    • Here/There: If a sentence begins with "here" or "there," the verb agrees with the subject following these words.

      • Example: Here are the ways on how to preserve meat.

    • Either/Or, Neither/Nor: Two singular subjects connected by "either/or" or "neither/nor" take a singular verb.

      • Example: Either Mommy or Daddy is coming with me.

    • Intervening Phrases: A singular subject followed by phrases like "with," "as well as," or "in addition to" still takes a singular verb.

      • Example: Jake, together with his sisters, is enrolling in PNC.

    • Words between Subject and Verb: Words found between the subject and verb do not affect agreement.

    • Indefinite Pronouns:

      • SEVERAL, FEW, BOTH, MANY, OTHERS are always plural.
      • SOME, MOST, ALL, NONE are singular or plural, depending on the object of the preposition

    • Indefinite Pronouns (Singular): EVERYBODY, EACH, NO ONE, ANOTHER, ANYBODY, NOBODY, EVERY, NOTHING, EVERYTHING, ANYONE, EITHER, NEITHER, EVERYONE, SOMEBODY, SOMEONE (take a singular verb).

      • Example: Every man and woman in this hall is a member.

    • NO: If the word "no" comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

      • Example: No smoking and drinking is allowed.

    • Time, Money, Weight, Distance: Expressions of time, money, weight, and distance are singular even if the form is plural.

      • Example: Two years is a long time to wait.

    • Amount of Money: When the amount of money refers to separate units, the verb is plural.

      • Example: Five twenty-five-centavo coins were found.

    • Fractions: When fractions are used, the verb agrees with the object of the "of" phrase.

      • Example: One half of the cake was consumed.

    • Plural Nouns: Certain nouns (like pants, trousers, scissors) are always plural even if "pair" is used.

      • Example: The pants are torn into two. The pair of scissors was placed on the table.

    • Nouns with Plural Form but Singular Meaning: Some nouns, though plural in form, have singular meanings (such as mathematics, news).

      • Example: Mathematics is my favorite subject.

    • Number: If "a number of" is used, the verb is plural; if "the number of" is used, the verb is singular.

      • Example: A number of students are waiting outside. The number of students outside is not yet recorded.

    • Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (such as committee, crowd, jury) can be singular or plural, depending on whether the members act individually or collectively.

      • Example: The committee is against the plan. The committee are of different opinions.

    • Mathematical Expressions: Specific grammatical structures (like "plus," "and," "times") in mathematical expressions have specific singular/plural uses.

    • Titles (Books, Plays, etc.): Titles of books, plays, articles, movies, etc., are always singular, even if plural words appear in the title.

      • Example: "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities" is a story. "Great Expectations" is a novel.

    • Organizations: Names of organizations are singular when referring to the organization as a whole; plural when referring to the members.

      • Example: Lopez and Sons is a successful organization. Lopez and Sons are holding a meeting

    • Expletive "It": If a sentence starts with the expletive "it," the verb is singular, even if the subject after it is plural.

      • Example: It is the students who are responsible for protecting the environment.

    • Questions: In questions, subjects may not always come before the verb; carefully identify the subject to determine the correct verb form.

      • Example: Does Lefty usually eat grass? Where are the pieces of this puzzle?

    • Units of Measurement: Units of measurement (like gallons, pounds etc.) take a singular verb form.

      • Example: Four gallons of water was poured in the sink.

    • Infinitives Joined with "and": If two infinitives are linked by "and," they take a plural verb.

      • Example: To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

    • Gerunds: Gerunds (verb + -ing) as subjects are usually singular; but, if joined with "and," they are plural.

      • Example: Standing in the water was a bad idea. Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

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    Subject-Verb Agreement Rules PDF

    Description

    This quiz covers the fundamentals of syntax and subject-verb agreement rules in linguistics. Learn how sentence structure impacts language and practice creating materials that enhance grammar understanding. Test your knowledge of how subjects and verbs must agree in number and find out more about the nuances of the English language.

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