MissionIBPSExam:RulesofSubjectVerb

Agreement
DearReaders,
Many of our readers were demanding rules for Grammar, considering this
here, we are providing rules of Subject Verb Agreement, which is crux of
entire Grammar. We are providing you quiz of English which is one of the
mostimportantsectionsofbankingexams,inwhichyoucanscoremaximum
with ease if you are practicing on very regular basis, It is crucial for all the
upcomingbankingexams,IBPS/RRBetc.
Subject Verb Agreement relates to number agreement (singular or
plural)betweenthesubjectandtheverbthatfollowsit
e.g.Thegirlplaysallday.(singularsubject)
Thegirlsplayallday.(pluralsubject)
There are two important exceptions to subject verb agreement.
Firstly, agreement only applies when the verb is in the present
tense.Inthepasttense,thereisnoovertagreementbetweenthe
subjectandtheverb.
e.g.Thegirlplayedallday.
Thegirlsplayedallday.
And secondly, agreement applies only to third person subjects.
Thereisnodistinctionbetweenafirstpersonsingularsubjectand
afirstpersonpluralsubject.
e.g.Iplayallday.
Weplayallday.
The main principle is : Singular subjects need singular verbs : plural
subjectsneedpluralsubjectsneedpluralverbs.Somebasicrules:
1.When subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or
pronounsconnectedbyand,weuseapluralverb.
Heandhisfriendsareatthefair.
Thisruleisnotfollowwhentwonounsrefertothesameobject.
ThewicketkeeperandCaptainwasgiventhemanofthematchaward.
2.Whentwoormoresingularnounsorpronounsareconnectedbyorornor,
weuseasingularverb.
e.g.Thepaperorthepencilisinthedesk.
3.When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or
pronounjoinedbyorornor,theverbshouldagreewiththepartofthesubject
thatisnearertotheverb.
e.g.Shivinorhisfriendsruneveryday.
HisfriendsorShivinrunseveryday.
4.Doesntiscontractionofdoesnotandshouldbeusedonlywithasingular
subject.Dontisacontractionofdonotandshouldbeusedonlywithaplural
subject.Theexceptiontothisruleappearsinthecaseofthefirstpersonand
secondpersonpronounsIandyou.Withthesepronounsthecontractiondont
shouldbeused.
e.g.Shedoesntlikeit.
Theydontlikeit.
5.A phrase between the subject and the verb should not be misleading, the
verbagreeswiththesubject,notwithanounorpronouninthephrase.
e.g.Thecaptain,aswellashisplayers,isanxious.
Thebook,inparts,isboring.
Thebuilding,withallitscontents,isinsured.
6.Each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, nobody,
somebody,someoneandnoonearesingularandrequireasingularverb.
e.g.Eachofthesebooksisgood.
Everybodyknowshim.
Eitheriscorrect.
7.Nouns such as civics, mathematics, rupees and news require singular
verbs.

9.In sentences beginning with there is, there are, the subject follows the
verb.Sincethereisnotthesubject,theverbagreeswithwhatfollows.
e.g.Therearemanyquestions
Thereisaquestion.
10.Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but are
considered singular and take a singular verb, such as : group, team,
committee,classandfamily.
e.g.Thefamilyhasalonghistoryofwriters.
Thecommitteehaspreparedtheagenda.
11.With, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well
donotchangethenumberofthesubject.Ifthesubjectissingular,theverbis
too.
e.g.TheChairman,includinghisteam,istravellingtoChina.
Theboys,togetherwiththeirfriends,aregoingforapicnic.
12.Therelativepronouns(who,whom,which,andthat)areeithersingularor
plural,dependingonthewordstheyreferto.
e.g.The sales manager is good researcher who spends a great amount of
timesurfingtheWebforinformation.
Subject:ThesalesmanagerVerbs:is,spends
13.A few nouns can be either plural or singular, depending on whether they
meanagrouporSeparateindividuals.Thesewordsarerarelyusedasplurals
inmodernwriting.
e.g.1.Thejuryhasdecidedunanimously.
Subject:juryVerb:is
2.Thejuryarehavinganargument.
Subject:juryVerb:arehaving
14.Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the
verb.Theagreeswiththe
subject,notwithanounorpronouninthephrase.
e.g.Oneoftheboxesisopen.
Thepeoplewholistentomusicarefew.
15.Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a
singularverbasinRule1.
e.g.NeitherJohnnorAbrahamisavailable.
EitherBipashaorneelamishelpingtodaywithstagedecoration.
16.When/isoneofthetwosubjectsconnectedbyeither/ororneither/nor,put
itsecondandfollowitwiththesingularverbam.
e.g.NeithershenorIamgoingtothefestival
17.With words that indicate portionspercent, fraction, part, majority, some,
all,none,remainder,andsoforthlookatthenouninyourofphrase(object
ofthepreposition)todeterminewhethertouseasingularofpluralverb.Ifthe
object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the
prepositionisplural,useapluralverb.
e.g.1.Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared. (Pie is the object of the
prepositionof.)
2.Fiftypercentofthepieshavedisappeared.
3.Onethirdofthecityisunemployed.
4.Onethirdofthepeopleareunemployed.

NOTE:Hyphenateallspelledoutfractions.
5.Allofthepieisgone.
6.Allofthepiesaregone.
7.Someofthepieismissing.
8.Someofthepiesaremissing.
18.Useasingularverbwithsumsofmoneyorperiodsoftime.
e.g.Tendollarsisahighpricetopay.
Fiveyearsisthemaximumsentenceforthatoffense.
Identifyingthesubject
Word groups often come between the subject and the verb. These word
groupsmaycontainanounthatatfirstappearstobethesubject.Identifythe
wordgroupbetweenthesubjectandtheverbinordertoisolatethenoun.
e.g.Thegirlplaysallday.(singularsubject)
e.g.Theslaughterofpandasfortheirpeltshavecausedpandapopulationto
declineDrastically.(Incorrect)

Questions:
Directions:Findouttheerror,ifanyinquestionsgivenineachpractice
set.Ifthereisnoerror,theansweris(e),i.eNoerror(ignoretheerrors
ofpunctuation,ifany.)
1.Afewkilometersbeyond(a)/thatvillawasseentwoaliens(b)/along
with(c)/afewAmericansandRussianscientists(d)/Noerror(e).
2. It is well known fact that (a)/the upper middle class have no soft (b)/
cornerforthepoorandtheoppressedwhoarethe(c)/realvictimsofthis
socialsystem(d)/Noerror(e).
3.Sheetalaswellas(a)/someofherfriends(b)/havefalleninlovewith
ahunkyfellow,who(c)/istheeldestsonofanI.A.S.officer(d)/Noerror
(e).
4.Morethanonesuccessfulcandidateofthisinstitute(a)/havetakenthe
interview for one (b)/of the most popular dailies (c)/being published
fromLosAngels(d)/Noerror(e).
5. More than one book on life style (a)/ and motivation by this writer
(b)/havebeenpublishedsofarand(c)/allaresellinglikeahotcake(d)/
Noerror(e).
6. Many a man along with (a)/a few friends of mine are going (b)/to
DevGhartoofferflowersand(c)/milktoLordShiva(d)/Noerror(e).
7. Many an employee of this company (a)/ are supposed to be
transferred (b)/ to some other company (c)/ of the same category
becauseofrecession(d)/Noerror(e).
8.Thepoliticalleaderaswellas(a)/hisretinuesaregoingonahunger
(b)/Striketoprotestthis(c)/unnecessarypricehike(d)/Noerror(e).
9. Although this book as well as those (a)/ books of yours are similar
(b)/inmanyways,minehas(c)/anedgeovermanyabookofyours(d)/
Noerror(e).
10. The prime minister along with his (a)/ attendants are coming
tomorrow(b)/toaddressthesensational(c)/andcontroversialissuesof
terrorism(d)/Noerror(e).
Answers..
1.b
2.b
3.c
4.b
5.c
6.b
7.a
8.b
9.b
10.b