English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

Student: Lê Việt Anh – 10E1

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT
* Conceptions: Singular verbs: Verbs go with the third person singular in the simple present tense.
Eg: My friend lives in Boston.
That book on political parties is interesting.
Plural verbs: Verbs go with the first, the second person or the third person plural
in the simple present tense.
Eg: I like watching action films.
Many long-tem prisoners come to regard prison as their home.
1. Groups of people:
* In British English, singular words like family, team, government, which refer to groups of people,
can be used with either singular or plural verbs and pronouns.
Eg: This team is/are going to lose.
* Plural verbs are common when the group is considered as a collection of people doing personal things
like deciding, hoping or wanting; and in these cases we use who, not which, as a relative pronoun.
Singular verbs are more common when the group is seen as an impersonal unit.
Eg: My family have decided to move to London. They think it’s a better place to live.
The average British family has 3.6 members. It is smaller and richer than 50 years ago.
The government, who are hoping to ease export restriction soon, ............
The government, which is elected by a simple majority, ..................
* The following is group nouns which can be used with both singular and plural verbs in British
English:
bank department class committee family firm government
jury ministry orchestra party public staff team
audience crowd public population university association press
and the names of specific organizations such as The Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony.
* In American English singular verbs are normally used with most of these nouns in all cases. Plural
pronouns can be used.
Eg: The team is in Paris this weekend. They have a good chance of winning.
2. Quantifying expressions:
* Many singular quantifying expressions can be used with plural nouns and pronouns; plural verbs are
normally used in these cases: a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of), some (of)
Eg: A number of people have tried to find the treasure, but they have all failed.
A group of us are going to take a boat through the French canals.
A couple of my friends are going to open a travel agency.
Half of his students don’t understand a word he says.
Some of these people are friends of mine and the rest are people from the office.
* However, singular verbs are normally used in the case of “The number of”
Eg: The number of students in class is small.
3. Amounts and quantities:
* When we talk about amounts and quantities we usually use singular verbs and pronouns, even if
the noun is plural.
Eg: Twenty miles is a long way to walk.
Three years in a strange land seems like a long time.
* With fraction we can use either singular or plural verbs basing on the subject of the verb.
Eg: Two-third of the money is yours. Four-fifth of these oranges are mine.
* Singular verbs are possible after plural number subjects in spoken calculations.
Eg: Two and two is/are four. Ten times five is/ are fifty.
* The expression more than one is generally used with a singular noun and verb.
Eg: If things don’t get better, more than one person is going to find a new job.

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

4. Countries and organizations: Plural names of countries and organizations usually have singular
verbs and pronouns.
Eg: The United States is anxious to improve its image in Latin America.
The Philippines consists of more than 7,000 islands.
The United Nations has its headquarters in New York City.
Sears is a department store.
5. Determiners:
* When none, neither, either, one, each, every one and any are followed by of + plural
noun/pronoun, they are normally used with singular verbs in a formal style in British English.
Eg: None of the cures really works.
Neither of my brothers has been outside England.
Every one of my friends is here.
* Plural verbs are common in informal British usage and generally in American English.
Eg: Have either of them been seen recently?
If any of the children get hungry, they can have an orange.
6. Structures:
* With OR, EITHER...OR and NEITHER...NOR the verb will agree with the nearest subject.
Eg: Is Tom or you going? He or his friends run every day.
Neither I nor my friend knows the answer.
Either my brother or my parents are going to the party.
* With AS WELL AS, ALONG WITH, TOGETHER WITH, ACCOMPANIED BY, the verb will
agree with the first subject.
Eg: The captain, as well as the coaches, was disappointed with the team.
His three sons, along with Mr. Charles, have gone fishing.
* With THERE +BE, to be will agree with its nearest noun.
Eg: There is a blue pen and some green pencils on the table.
There are some green pencils and a blue pen on the table.
7. The + nationality/ adjective is used as a plural noun to refer to people, therefore the verb is used in
plural form.
Eg: The Chinese have an interesting history.
The poor are helped by government programs.
8. A gerund used as the subject of a sentence takes a singular verb.
Eg: Growing flowers is her hobby.
9. If the sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular,
the verb should agree with the positive subject.
Eg: The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.
It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.
It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.
10. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and,
use a plural verb. If the subject is composed of only one singular noun with and, use a singular verb.
Eg: She and her friend are at the fair. The orange and black bird is singing beautifully.
11. Notes:
* Some nouns are usually plural and takes a plural verb. These include belongings, clothes,
congratulations, earnings, goods, outskirts, particulars (= information), premises (= building), riches,
savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks.
Eg: The company’s earnings have increased for the last five years.
* Some nouns always end in –s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subject of a
sentence they have a singular verb such as: means (= method, money), economics, politics, physics,
mathematics), measles, rabies…..
PRACTICE ON SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT
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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

I. Choose the correct answer in parentheses.

1. The extent of Jane’s knowledge on various complex subjects (astounds / astound) me.  astounds
2. The subjects you will be studying in this course (is / are) listed in the syllabus.  are
3. Only the black widow spider, of all the spiders in the US, (has / have) caused death among human beings.
 has
4. The professor and the student (agrees / agree) on that point.  agree
5. Almost every professor and student at the university (approves / approve) of the choice of Dr. Brown
as the new president.  apprroves
6. Making pies and cakes (is / are) Mrs. Reed’s specialty.  is
7. Sensitivity to other people’s feelings (makes /make) him a kind and understanding person.  makes
8. The economic and cultural center of the US (is /are) New York City.  is
9. An orange and black bird (is /are) sitting in that tree.  is
10. Fifty minutes (is /are) the maximum length of time allowed for the test.  is
11. Every day there (is / are) more than a dozen traffic accidents in the city.  are
12. The number of human skeletons found at the archaeological site (is / are) seven.  is
13. One of my friends (keeps / keep) a goldfish bowl on her kitchen table.  keeps
14. John, along with his friends, (is /are) preparing for the party.  is
15. The quality of these recordings (is /are) not very good.  is
16. Your glasses (is /are) on the table.  are
17. The picture of the soldiers (brings /bring) back many memories.  brings
18. Neither Bill nor his brothers (is /are) going to the party tonight.  are (the nearest subject)
19. The only excuse that he gave for his action (was / were) that he was tired.  was
20. The committee usually (raises/ raise) their hands to vote.  raise
21. Goods in that supermarket (is / are) cheaper than in other ones.  is
22. The issues which have been considered in the previous section (allows / allow) us to speculate on
problems that learners might encounter.  allow
23. Smuggling illegal immigrants out of Mexico (is / are) against the law. is
24. The country’s first general election since it won independence (is / are) to be held next month. is
25. The only people who (is / are) interested in the book (seems/ seem) to be lawyers.  are, seem
26. An early analysis of the results (shows/ show) that the Socialists (has / have) won.  shows, have
27. The view of the manufacturing and tourist industries (is / are) that the economy (is / are) improving.
 is, is
28. Reliance only on written tests of English to measure language ability (appears/ appear) to be a cheap option.
 appears
29. Most of the news on the front pages of both daily newspapers (concerns / concern) the progress of peace.
 concerns
II. Correct any mistakes in these sentences.
1. The island’s politics is complex, with over twelve parties competing for power.  are
 “Politics” here is “view”
2. Gymnasts from over 40 countries are competing in Madrid this weekend.
3. Economics has become an increasingly popular course at university.
4. The latest news of the earthquake survivors are very disturbing.  is
5. Jim’s politics has changed considerably since he was in his twenties.  have (Politics=views)
6. Diabetes are an illness caused by too much sugar in the blood.  is
7. Recent government statistics show a sharp decline in crime.  government’s
8. Women’s gymnastics are no longer dominated by eastern Europeans.  is
9. Statistics are now compulsory for all students taking a course in engineering.  is
10. Most years, over three hundred athletes competes in the games.  compete

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

11. The economics of the plan is worrying investor.  investors

* IS  ARE (The economics = The problems)
12. Measles is still a fairy serious childhood disease in some country.  countries
13. The climbers on the sheer face of the mountain needs to be rescued. need
14. The interrogation, conducted by three police officers, have lasted for several hours.  has
15. The tenants in the apartment next to mine is giving a party this evening.  are
III. Choose the most suitable name for each description of eight trips, and then decide which place
would be the most suitable for each person or group of people.
A. Marine Life, France B. French Hypermarket day trip C. Amsterdamer
D. Ireland by Car E. A Taste of the Good Life in France F. Shop Till You drop
G. Belgium by Hydrofoil H. Sea and Mountains in Northern Ireland
1. A four-day trip. From England you cross to Belgium in just 100 minutes by hydrofoil! You are served
food and drinks during the crossing, then continue your journey to Brussels, or another beautiful city, on
the fast Belgian railway network.
2. The chance to experience the oceans of the world. Children will love the observatory, with water all
around them and enormous fish swimming above their heads! Afterwards you eat at a world-famous local
restaurant before boarding the ferry at 9 p.m. Not cheap, but a great day out!
3. Once you arrive in Ireland you’re quickly on beautiful country roads, with friendly villagers where you
can stop for a delicious bite to eat. The special price allows you to take your car and up to five people
away for 48 hours, and two nights’ hotel accommodations can be arranged for a little extra.
4. After a relaxing voyage, you visit a beautiful area which is famous for its good things to eat. There you
can enjoy some sightseeing and choose from a number of wonderful restaurants. Sail back on the night
crossing. Sorry, adults only.
5. Explore the North Ireland countryside, including the amazing mountains of Mourner and the small
seaside holiday town of Newcastle. The ferry leaves the port in Scotland at 7:30 and arrives back at
22:20. Transport in Northern Ireland is by air-conditioned coach.
6. Sail out in the evening and enjoy over 12 hours in the Netherlands, returning the following night. After
a good Dutch breakfast you travel by train direct to the heart of the wonderful city of Amsterdam. The
sightseeing and places to shop will make this a day to remember. Weekends only.
7. Whether you want to buy or just look, you’ll love this tour. The enormous Darney shopping centre is a
shopper’s dream! You will find a great number of local goods on sale, and clothes and kitchen goods are
excellent value. Free children’s entertainment all day. Leaves 10:00, back at 19:00.
8. For good value shopping, take our newest cruise-ferry and you needn’t even get off! Leaving at 11 am,
our duty-free shopping centre, more a floating department store than an on-board shop, opens at 4 p.m.
sorry, only four people per ticket.
Ray and three of his friends would like to spend a whole weekend driving around in nice scenery and
enjoying some of the local food.
Phil and Adam want to go on a comfortable trip which takes them quickly to an interesting city. Then
they want to enjoy at least two days of sightseeing.
Mike, Kathy and their three children don’t have much money but they want a special day out this
Saturday. They must be back home by 9 p.m.
Kristen is a Dutch student who is studying in Scotland. She doesn’t drive, but wants a day trip to see
some beautiful scenery and spend a little time by the sea.
Clare and Robert want to enjoy some good food, but would also like to give their two young children a
day to remember. They don’t mind if they spend a lot of money.
IV. Fill each of numbered blanks with one suitable word.

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

My father waved me to goodbye and the bus set off. The person sitting (1) next to me was a
government engineer going to Peshawar (2) ____________ inspect the roads. He said that travelling by
bus was (3) an excellent way to test the roads.
We passed many villages (4) ________ the way and stopped once or (5) ____________ to buy cold
drinks, (6) ___________ it was very hot and dusty. The countryside was brown and dry and (7)
________ were long stretches (8) ___________ no people or villages in sight. We (9) ___________ to
stop once at some road works, too, (10) ___________ made my travelling companion (11) __________
happy.
Most of (12) _______, were dozing in the afternoon heat when we were woken by a sudden noise,
which (13) ________ like a shot from a gun. As the bus swerved and then stopped at the side of the road,
I remembered all the stories I (14) ______ heard about bands of robbers who used to attack travellers on
deserted roads (15) __________ this. Many of the other passengers looked as bewildered and frightened
as I must have looked.
My neighbor, however, reassured me: “Nothing to worry (16) __________. Only a burst tyre. But we
shall have to wait (17) ____________ he changes the wheel.”
My cousin Anwar met me at the bus (18) ___________. “Well, there you (19) ________,” he said. “I
was beginning to wonder what had (20) _____________ to you.”
V. Indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I) and correct the incorrect sentences.
_____ 1. It is impossible to believe that somebody actually admire that man.
_____ 2. Each of the doctors in the building needs to have a separate reception area.
_____ 3. The president felt that no one were better suited for the position of chief staff advisor.
_____ 4. Everybody participating in the fund-raiser are to turn in the tickets by 8:00.
_____ 5. Because of the low number of orders, nothing has to be done now.
_____ 6. Every time someone take unnecessary breaks, precious moments of production time are lost.
_____ 7. Anybody who goes to the top of the Empire State Building is impressed with the view.
_____ 8. Every man, woman, and child in this line are required to sign the forms in order to complete
the registration process.
_____ 9. It is nice to believe that anything is possible if a person tries hard enough.
_____ 10. The company reiterated to reporters that nobody have been dismissed because of the incident.
_____ 11. The contracts signed by the company has been voided because some stipulations were not met.
_____ 12. Ten miles beyond the river was the farmlands that they had purchased with their life savings.
_____ 13. Each package that is not properly wrapped have to be returned to the sender.
_____ 14. She would not have to enter the house through the bedroom window were the keys where
they were supposed to be.
_____ 15. The proposal brought so much new work to the partnership that there was not enough hours
to complete all of it.
_____ 16. Only once have there been more excitement in this city about a sporting event.
_____ 17. The climbers on the sheer face of the mountain need to be rescued.
_____ 18. The interrogation, conducted by three police officers, have lasted for several hours.
_____ 19. The tenants in the apartment next to mine is giving a party this evening.
_____ 20. The president, surrounded by Secret Service agents, is trying to make his way to the podium.
VI. Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the sentence.
1. Among bees ____________ a highly elaborate form of communication.
A. occur B. occurs C. it occurs D. they occur
2. __________ heated by solar energy have special collectors on the roofs to trap sunlight.
A. A home is B. Homes are C. A home D. Homes
3. __________ several unsuccessful attempts, Robert Peary reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909.
A. After B. He made C. When D. His
4. The musical instrument ____________ is six feet long.
A. is called the bass B. it is called the bass C. called the bass D. calls the bass
5. One problem with all languages _________ they are full of irregularities.
A. when B. so C. is that D. in case

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement
6. __________ of economic cycles been helpful in predicting turning points in cycles, they would have
been used more consistently.
A. Psychological theories B. Psychological theories have
C. Had psychological theories D. Psychologists have theories
7. Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood is neither journalistically accurate ___________.
A. a piece of fiction B. nor a fictitious work
C. or written in a fictitious way D. nor completely fictitious
8. Vitamin C is necessary for the prevention and __________ of scurvy.
A. it cures B. cures C. cure D. for curing
9. A baby’s development is influenced by both heredity and _______________.
A. by environmental factors B. environmentally
C. the influence of the environment D. environment
10. Because bone loss occurs earlier in women than ___________, the effects of osteoporosis are more
apparent in women.
A. men do B. in men C. as men D. similar to men
11. The growth of hair ___________ cyclical process, with phases of activity and inactivity.
A. it is B. is a C. which is D. a regular
12. The fire ____________ to have started in the furnace under the house.
A. is believed B. that is believed C. they believe D. that they believe
13. In Roman numerals, ______________ symbols for numeric values.
A. are letters of the alphabet B. letters of the alphabet are
C. which use letters of the alphabet D. in which letters of the alphabet are
14. The legal systems of most countries can be classified _____________ common law or civil law.
A. as either B. either as C. either to D. to either
15. One difference between mathematics and language is that mathematics is precise ____________.
A. language is not B. while language is not
C. but language not D. while is language
16. Your criticism of the three short stories should not be less than 2,000 words, nor _____ more than 3,000.
A. should it be B. it should be C. it is D. should be it
VII. Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.
1. Each number in a binary system are formed from only two symbols.
A B C D
2. Scientists at the medical center is trying to determine if there is a relationship between saccharine and cancer.
A B C D
3. On the rim of the Kilauea volcano in the Hawaiian Islands are a hotel called the Volcano Hotel.
A B C D
4. There are many frequently mentioned reasons why one out of four arrests involve a juvenile.
A B C D
5. Kepler’s Laws, principles outlining planetary movement, was formulated based on observations made
A B C D
without a telescope.
6. Only with a two-thirds vote by both houses are the U.S. Congress able to override a presidential veto.
A B C D
7. Of all the evidence that has piled up since Webster’s paper was published, there is no new ideas to
A B C
contradict his original theory.
D
8. Five miles beyond the hills were a fire with its flames reaching up to the sky.
A B C D
9. Kettledrums, what were first played on horseback, were incorporated into the orchestra in the 18th century.
A B C D
10. The museum of the Confederation in Richmond hosts an exhibition which documenting the origins and
A B
history of the banner that most Americans think of as the Confederate flag.
C D
11. The great digital advances of the electronic age, such as integrated circuitry and a microcomputer, has
A B C
been planted in tiny chips.
D

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

VIII. Underline the correct item.

1. All of his belongings was/were in one small suitcase. were
2. Soccer is/are a popular game in England.  is
3. Aerobics do/does you a lot of good.  does
4. Chocolate makes/make you put on weight.  makes
5. Most people enjoy/enjoys Christmas.  enjoy
6. The money he makes is/are enough to live on.  is
7. The police is looking/are looking for the murderer.  are looking
8. Her good looks always gets/get her what she wants.  get
9. The young couple is getting/are getting married next year.  is getting
10. My advice is/are to stop smoking immediately.  is
11. Measles, which is/are a children’s disease, is/are dangerous for adults. is
12. The audience was/were given free tickets to the next show.  were
13. The economics I learnt at school is/are out of date now.  is
14. Her grandparents’ death in a car accident was/were a great shock.  was
15. Fish is/are easy to look after as pets.  are
16. Television news gives/give you more information than radio news.  gives
17. The stairs to the first floor is/are over there.  are
18. The information I got was/were very helpful.  was
19. Every man, woman, and child is/are protected under the law.  is
20. Washing dishes is/are the children’s job.  is
21. At least three-quarters of that book on famous Americans is/are about people who lived in the
nineteenth century.  is
22. Some of the cities I would like to visit is/are Rome and Venice.  are
23. Each of the students has/have a notebook.  has
24. The number of students in this room right now is/are twenty.  is
25. The United States is/are located in North America.  is
26. Ten minutes is/are Dan’s favorite subject.  is
27. Japanese is/are very difficult for English speakers to learn.  is
28. My cousin, along with my aunt and uncle, works/work in my grandpa’s hardware store.
29. Anna, as well as her two older sisters, is/are in college.  works
30. Cattle is/are considered sacred in India.  are
IX. Write the correct form of the nouns in brackets.
1. I met some interesting ________________ at the meeting last night. (man)
2. I need some ________________ to light the fire. (match)
3. The baby got two new ________________. (tooth)
4. The farmer loaded his cart with ________________ of fresh vegetables to take to market. His cart
was pulled by two ________________. (box, ox)
5. Alex saw some ________________ running across the floor. (mouse)
6. The north side of the island has no ________________. There are only steep ________________. No
one can climb these steep walls of rock. (beach, cliff)
7. If a houseplant is given too much water, its lower ________________ turn yellow. (leaf)
8. Before Marie signed the contract, she talked to two ________________. (attorney)
9. New scientific ________________ are made every day in ________________ throughout the world.
(discovery, laboratory)
10. I caught several ________________ in the lake. (fish)
11. On our trip in the mountainous countryside, we saw some ________________, ________________,
and wild ________________. (wolf, fox, deer, sheep)
12. When we spoke in the cave, we could hear ________________ of our voices. (echo)
13. The music building at the university has 27 ________________. Students need to sign up for practice
times. (piano)
14. Thunder and lightning are ________________ of nature. (phenomenon)
X. Write the masculine or feminine of the following if there is a difference.
1. husband ____________ 6. nephew ____________ 11. doctor ____________
2. politician ____________ 7. policeman ____________ 12. monk ____________
3. brother ____________ 8. lawyer ____________ 13. duke ____________
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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

4. uncle ____________ 9. waiter ____________ 14. clerk ____________

5. student ____________ 10. actor ____________ 15. shop assistant ____________
XI. Write (C) countable or (U) uncountable.
1. sugar ____ 11. house ____ 21. car ____ 31. music ____
2. bird ____ 12. luggage ____ 22. work ____ 32. flower ____
3. pen ____ 13. boy ____ 23. news ____ 33. money ____
4. transport ____ 14. fruit ____ 24. meat ____ 34. ship ____
5. housework ____ 15. chess ____ 25. photo ____ 35. advice ____
6. ball ____ 16. food ____ 26. golf ____ 36. love ____
7. soap ____ 17. dog ____ 27. banana ____ 37. electricity ____
8. bridge ____ 18. furniture ____ 28. rice ____ 38. meal ____
9. water ____ 19. weather ____ 29. song ____ 39. metal ____
10. news ____ 20. sausage ____ 30. minute ____ 40. coffee ____
XII. Make the following uncountable nouns plural as in the example.
1. ice two __ice cubes__ 8. advice two ____________ 15. paper two ___________
2. toast three ___________ 9. sugar two ____________ 16. hockey two ___________
3. soap two ____________ 10. yoghurt two ____________ 17. chocolate three ___________
4. tea two ____________ 11. wood three ___________ 18. spectacles two ____________
5. lamb three ___________ 12. news two ____________ 19. toothpaste three ___________
6. ink two ____________ 13. jam three ___________ 20. information two ___________
7. cola two ____________ 14. beef three ___________ 21. spaghetti three ___________
XIII. Complete the sentences, using one of the following words. Use a/an where necessary.
accident luck cheese apple blood milk letter coat
moment sugar music key interview sand electricity
1. It wasn’t your fault. It was ____________________.
2. You’d better drink hot ____________________ before going to bed.
3. I couldn’t get into the house because I didn’t have ____________________.
4. Do you take ____________________ in your tea?
5. The heart pumps _________________ through the body.
6. John has got _______________________ for job tomorrow morning.
7. I didn’t phone you. I wrote ______________________ instead.
8. I’m not ready yet. Can you wait _______________________, please?
9. It’s very warm today. Why are you wearing _______________________?
10. Good _______________________ in your new job.
11. Listen! Can you hear _______________________?
12. Power station produces _______________________?
13. Are you hungry? Would you like _____________________?
14. Is there _______________________ in this soup?
15. Wait! There’s ________________________ in my shoes.
XIV. Complete the postcard. Circle the correct form.
The island is very peaceful. (1) Life/ A life is good here. Everybody moves at a nice slow pace.
People have (2) time/ a time to stop and talk. It’s (3) experience/ an experience I won’t forget a long time.
There aren’t many shops, so I can’t spend all my money, although I did buy (4) painting/ a painting
yesterday. Now I’m sitting on the beach reading (5) paper/ a paper. The hotel breakfast is so enormous
that I don’t need to have lunch. I’ve just bought (6) orange/ an orange with me to eat later. I’ve been
trying all the different (7) fruit/ fruits grown in this part of the world, and they’re all delicious.
XV. Write the plural of the following nouns.
1. city _____________ 8. dish _____________ 15. knife _____________
2. brother-in-law _____________ 9. tray _____________ 16. potato _____________
3. headline _____________ 10. roof _____________ 17. sleeping pill _____________
4. photo _____________ 11. sit-in _____________ 18. calf _____________

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

5. bank robbery _____________ 12. hold-up _____________ 19. water-bottle _____________

6. stepfather _____________ 13. mouse _____________ 20. sunshade _____________
7. couch _____________ 14. tooth _____________ 21. trout _____________
XVI. Fill in: is or are.
1. Where ______ your trousers? 10. My luggage ______ too heavy to carry.
2. Could you tell me where the scissors ______? 11. My advice to you ______ to stay in bed.
3. Tonight, there ______ athletics on TV. 12. Physics ______ my favorite subject.
4. Money _____ easy to spend and difficult to save. 13. Measles ______ a common illness.
5. Gloves ______ worn in cold weather. 14. The glasses ______ in the cupboard.
6. This student’s knowledge ______ amazing. 15. My mum’s hair ______ really long.
7. Love ____ the reason for much happiness in the 16. Our bathroom scales ______ quite accurate.
world. 17. Darts ______ a popular game in England.
8. This bread ______ stale. 18. This work ______ too hard for me.
9. Your pyjamas ______ on the bed. 19. People _____ unhappy with the new tax system.
XVII. Choose the correct answer.
1. Call an ambulance. There has been ___________.
A. accident B. an accident C. some accident D. a accident
2. ‘Where are you going?’ ‘I’m going to buy __________.’
A. a bread B. loaf of bread C. some breads D. some bread
3. Laura is __________. She works at a big hospital.
A. a nurse B. the nurse C. nurse D. an nurse
4. There are millions of stars in __________.
A. space B. a space C. the space D. spaces
5. Every day __________ begins at 9 and finishes at 3.30.
A. school B. the school C. a school D. schools
6. _________ a problem in most big cities.
A. Crime is B. The crime is C. The crimes are D. A crime is
7. When __________ invented?
A. was telephone B. were telephones C. was the telephone D. were the telephones
8. We visited __________.
A. Canada and United States B. the Canada and the United States
C. Canada and the United States D. the Canada and United States
9. Michael is a student at ___________.
A. the Boston University B. Boston University
C. A Boston University D. An Boston University
10. What time _________ on television?
A. is the news B. are the news C. is news D. are news
11. Where is _________?
A. the manager office B. the manager’s office
C. the office of the manager D. the office of the manager’s
12. I don’t get ________.
A. many mail B. much mail C. many mails D. much mails
13. The science classes at this _________ difficult.
A. schools are B. school is C. school are D. school’s is
14. _________ to support the case against Lisa?
A. Is there any proof B. Is there any proofs C. Are there any proof D. Are there any proofs
15. You have to pay extra if you take too _________ with you.
A. much luggages B. many luggages C. much luggage D. many luggage
16. ________ in your class have tickets for the lecture series?
A. Do any of the student B. Do any of the students
C. Does any of the student D. Does any of the students
17. There _________ available in his area of specialization.
A. isn’t a lot of job B. isn’t a lot of jobs C. aren’t a lot of jobs D. aren’t a lot of job

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

18. Many of the _________ not expect to win.

A. participants in the race do B. participants in the race does
C. participant in the races does D. participant in the races do
19. The English ________ strong traditions.
A. has many B. have much C. have many D. has much
20. Each of the reference __________ available in the school library.
A. books on that list is B. book on that list is C. books on that list are D. book on that list are
21. Several ________ sleeping under the tree.
A. of lions were B. lion was C. of the lions was D. lions were
22. Many of the __________ not used today. They are remnants of the past.
A. railroad tracks around here are B. railroad’s tracks around here is
C. railroad tracks around here is D. railroads’ tracks around here are
23. As we walked through the jungle, the _________ unusually quiet.
A. monkeys were B. monkeys was C. monkies were D. monkies was
24. Mrs. Baker has a __________ son.
A. seven years old B. seven-years–old C. seven–year–old D. seven years olds
25. There ________ in the world today.
A. is many new computer company B. are many new computers companies
C. is many new computer companies D. are many new computer companies
26. What _________ you used in picking a winner in the art contest?
A. is the criteria B. are the criteria C. are the criterion D. are the criterions
27. Snow and rain _________ of nature.
A. are phenomenon B. are phenomena C. is phenomena D. is phenomenon
28. I accidentally broke the _________ by stepping on it. I apologized to them for my carelessness.
A. child’s toy B. child’s toys C. children’s toy D. childrens’ toys
29. Our weather is cloudy in the winter. We don’t have __________.
A. many sunshines B. many sunshine C. much sunshines D. much sunshine
30. Several of my friends are _________ reporters.
A. newspaper B. newspapers C. newspaper’s D. newspapers’
31. Construction workers need _________ to build a highway.
A. an heavy equipment B. a heavy equipment C. heavy equipments D. heavy equipment
32. Knowing several _________ helpful if you work for an international corporation.
A. languages are B. language is C. languages is D. language are
33. Two – thirds of my _______ from Asia.
A. classmates is B. classmate are C. classmate is D. classmates are
34. There ________ in every country.
A. are a lot of problem B. is a lot of problems C. are a lot of problems D. is a lot of problem
35. Winning a lottery is rare occurrence. ________ very small.
A. A number of winners is B. The number of winners is
C. A number of winners are D. The number of winners are
36. I really need _______. Can we talk?
A. some advice B. an advice C. some advices D. advices
37. Every _______ a license plate.
A. cars have B. cars has C. car has D. car have
38. The swimming team has done well this year. All of _______ have trained very hard.
A. their members B. its members C. its member D. their member
39. Next week, we are going to take a ________.
A. six day trips B. six – day trip C. six days trip D. six days’ trip
40. No sooner _______ home than the phone rang.
A. I arrived B. did I arrive C. I had arrived D. had I arrived
41. In an armchair _______.
A. sat his brother B. his brother sat C. did he brother sit D. his brother is sitting
42. So _______ that it was hardly worth hiring such a large hall.
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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

A. poorly was the meeting attended B. poorly the meeting was attended
C. was the meeting poorly attended D. was attended the meeting poorly
43. ________ the fire alarm, leave the building at once.
A. Should you hear B. Should you have heard C. If you heard D. Shall you hear
44. Hardly _______ the station, when ________ an explosion.
A. the train left- there was B. did the train leave- there had been
C. the train had left- was there D. had the train left- there was
45. This sentence is _______ last sentence in this exercise. This is _______ end of the exercise.
A. the / the B. a / an C. a / the D. the / an

XVIII. Make the nouns plural where necessary. Do not change any other words.
1. Bacterium are the smallest living thing. They are simple organism that consist of one cell.
2. Bacterium exist almost everywhere. They are in the air, water, and soil, as well as in the body of

all living creature.

3. There are thousand of kind of bacterium. Most of them are harmless to human beings, but some

cause diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.

4. Virus are also microscopic organism, but virus live in the cell of other living thing. By

themselves, they are lifeless particle that cannot reproduce, but inside a living cell they become

active and can multiply hundred of time.

5. Virus cause many disease. They infect human being with such illness as influenza, the common

cold, measles, and AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).

6. Virus are tiny. The virus that causes AIDS is so small that 230 million of them could fit on the

period at the end of this sentence.

7. Today health official are expressing great concern about our health in the future. They feel that

today there is an epidemic of infectious condition that are difficult or impossible to treat, such as AIDS.

8. In addition to this concern about new life-threatening viral infections, health official have

discovered that bacterial infection that were once easily handled by antibiotics now pose a serious

threat to our health. Many common bacterium have developed resistance to antibiotics and are

evolving into form that are unaffected by all known medications.

9. In a world where antibiotics don’t work, the simplest infection are capable of escalating into fatal

illnesses. Every year more people are dying of infection that resist every drug doctor try. The

potential ineffectiveness of antibiotics is a frightening prospect.

XIX. What do we call these things and people? Use the structure noun + noun.
1. A station from which trains leave is a ____________________.
2. Shoes made of leather are ____________________.
3. A boy who is five years old is ____________________.
4. Clothes for working in are ____________________.
5. Somebody whose job is to inspect factories is ____________________.

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

6. The carpet in the dining room is ____________________.

7. The Director of Marketing is ____________________.
8. A bottle containing medicine and made of glass is ____________________.
9. Shops that sell shoes are ____________________.
10. A card that gives you credit is ____________________.

XX. Answer the questions using two of the following words each time.
accident belt card credit editor frying forecast newspaper
number pan road room seat shop weather window
1. This can be caused by bad driving. A ____________________
2. If you’re staying at a hotel, you need to remember this. Your ____________________
3. You should wear this when you’re in a car. A ____________________
4. You can sometimes use this to pay for things instead of cash. A ____________________
5. If you want to know if it’s going to rain, you can read or listen to this. The
____________________
6. This person is a top journalist. A ____________________
7. You might stop to look in this when you’re walking along a street. A ____________________
8. This can be used for cooking. A ____________________
XXI. Complete the sentences, using one of the following. Sometimes you need the singular
(day/page …) and sometimes the plural (days/pages …).
15 minute(s) two hour(s) five day(s) 60 minute(s) six mile(s) 500 year(s)
20 pound(s) ten page(s) 450 page(s) two year(s) five course(s) 15 year(s) old
1. It’s quite a long book. There are ____________________.
2. A few days ago I received a ____________________ letter.
3. I didn’t have any change. I only had a ____________________ note.
4. At work in the morning I usually have a ____________________ break for coffee.
5. There are ____________________ in an hour.
6. It’s only a ____________________ flight from London to Madrid.
7. It was a big meal. There were ____________________.
8. Mary has just started a new job. She’s got a ____________________ contact.
9. The oldest building in the city is the ____________________ old castle.
10. I work ____________________ a week. Saturday and Sunday are free.
11. We went for a ____________________ walk in the country.
12. I teach English for two ____________________ girls.
XXII. Join the two (or three) nouns. Sometimes you have to use ’s or ’; and sometimes you have to use of.
1. the mistake/ the policeman 11. the money/ the gangsters
2. the bottom/ the bottle 12. the tail/ the horse
3. the daughter/ Mr. Hill 13. the house/ the people we met in Spain
4. the name/ this street 14. the arm/ the chair
5. the gardens/ our neighbours 15. the monthly meeting/ the club
6. the children/ Don and Mary 16. the work/ last year
7. the wedding/ the friend/ Helen 17. the death/ someone important
8. the ground floor/ the building 18. the middle/ the night
9. the car/ the parents/ Mike 19. the room/ my sisters
10. the economic policy/ the government 20. the door/ the garage
XXIII. Join the two (or three) nouns. Sometimes you have to use ’s or ’; and sometimes you have to use of.
1. the mistake/ the policeman 11. the money/ the gangsters
2. the bottom/ the bottle 12. the tail/ the horse
3. the daughter/ Mr. Hill 13. the house/ the people we met in Spain

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English Parts of Speech: Subject and Verb Agreement

4. the name/ this street 14. the arm/ the chair

5. the gardens/ our neighbours 15. the monthly meeting/ the club
6. the children/ Don and Mary 16. the work/ last year
7. the wedding/ the friend/ Helen 17. the death/ someone important
8. the ground floor/ the building 18. the middle/ the night
9. the car/ the parents/ Mike 19. the room/ my sisters
10. the economic policy/ the government 20. the door/ the garage

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