Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following nouns is considered singular despite ending in 's'?
Which of the following nouns is considered singular despite ending in 's'?
A unit of measurement is considered plural when used as the subject of a sentence.
A unit of measurement is considered plural when used as the subject of a sentence.
False
Provide an example of a sentence using a gerund as the subject.
Provide an example of a sentence using a gerund as the subject.
Swimming in the ocean is refreshing.
The twelve dollars ______ in my wallet.
The twelve dollars ______ in my wallet.
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Match the following examples with their correct grammatical topic:
Match the following examples with their correct grammatical topic:
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Which verb form should be used with the subject 'the team' when referring to it as a singular collective noun?
Which verb form should be used with the subject 'the team' when referring to it as a singular collective noun?
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The sentence 'Everyone have their own opinions' is an example of correct subject-verb agreement.
The sentence 'Everyone have their own opinions' is an example of correct subject-verb agreement.
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What verb form should follow a plural subject like 'they' in present tense?
What verb form should follow a plural subject like 'they' in present tense?
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Neither of the books _____ available at the library.
Neither of the books _____ available at the library.
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Match the subject with its correct verb form:
Match the subject with its correct verb form:
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Identify the correct verb form for the subject 'a group of students'.
Identify the correct verb form for the subject 'a group of students'.
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Collective nouns always require a plural verb form.
Collective nouns always require a plural verb form.
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If 'sleeping' is the subject of a sentence, what is the correct verb form to use with it?
If 'sleeping' is the subject of a sentence, what is the correct verb form to use with it?
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Which of the following sentences illustrates the correct use of a plural subject with 'and'?
Which of the following sentences illustrates the correct use of a plural subject with 'and'?
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Indefinite pronouns are always singular and take a verb form that ends in 's'.
Indefinite pronouns are always singular and take a verb form that ends in 's'.
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What happens when a subject is modified by 'each' or 'every'?
What happens when a subject is modified by 'each' or 'every'?
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The group of students ______ making a presentation.
The group of students ______ making a presentation.
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Match the indefinite pronouns with their usage:
Match the indefinite pronouns with their usage:
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In the sentence 'Neither the teacher nor the students ___ in the classroom', which verb form is correct?
In the sentence 'Neither the teacher nor the students ___ in the classroom', which verb form is correct?
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A subject can be found in a prepositional phrase.
A subject can be found in a prepositional phrase.
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What is the verb form that should be used with a collective noun like 'family' in a sentence?
What is the verb form that should be used with a collective noun like 'family' in a sentence?
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Study Notes
Subject-Verb Agreement
- Subjects and verbs must agree in number.
- Verbs change form to indicate time and the number of subjects.
- Singular subjects take singular verbs (e.g., "he runs").
- Plural subjects take plural verbs (e.g., "they run").
Singular Subjects
- I run
- You run
- He runs
- She runs
- The boy runs
- It runs
Plural Subjects
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We run
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You all run
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They run
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The boys run
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The girls run
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Third person singular verbs add an "s" (e.g., "runs").
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Verbs like "walk," "run," "eat," "sleep" add "s" when the subject is "he," "she," or "the cat."
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"I," and "you" do not change with these verbs.
Subject joined by "and"
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Two or more subjects joined by "and" are treated as plural.
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Example: Jan, John, and Bob walk to the store.
"Each" or "Every"
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Subjects modified by "each" or "every" are singular.
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Example: Each boy and girl walks to the store.
Subjects joined by "or" or "nor" or "but"
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The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
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Example: Either Bob or his brother walks to the store.
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Neither Bob nor his brothers walk to the store.
Indefinite Pronouns
- Indefinite pronouns are usually singular and take singular verbs.
Prepositional Phrases
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The subject of a verb is never part of a prepositional phrase.
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Find the subject outside the phrase.
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Example: The mother duck (with all her ducklings) walks to the store.
Indefinite Pronouns and Nouns
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Some indefinite pronouns and nouns can be singular or plural depending on context.
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Example: Some (of the students) are gone
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Some (of the cake) is gone.
Collective Nouns
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Collective nouns (e.g., family, group, class) are singular.
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Example: My family with all my crazy cousins always walks to the store.
Nouns ending in "s"
- Some nouns ending in "s" are singular (e.g., economics, news).
Units of Measurement
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Units of measurement are singular.
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Example: Ten pounds of chocolate is too much to eat at once.
Questions with "There" or "Here"
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In questions or sentences beginning with "there" or "here," the verb comes before the subject.
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Example: Where is my sweater?
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There are my sweaters.
Agreement with the subject
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The verb should agree in number with the subject.
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Example: The biggest problem we face is all the squirrels that have rabies around here.
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Running is the best exercise.
Gerunds
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Gerunds ("ing" words) are subjects and take singular verbs.
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Example: Running with ducks is my favorite sport.
Relative Pronouns
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When using relative pronouns (who, that, which), consider the noun they refer to.
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Example: The girl who eats cake is happy.
Words that Cause Confusion
- A list of indefinite pronouns that always take singular verbs.
- Peculiar pronouns/nouns that can be singular or plural (depending on context).
- Common prepositions (don't confuse prepositional phrases with subjects).
Pronoun Agreement
- Pronouns must agree in number and person with the nouns they replace.
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Description
Test your understanding of subject-verb agreement rules in English. This quiz covers singular and plural subjects, the use of conjunctions, and special cases. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their grammar skills.
