Subject-Verb Agreement

October 1996

To Marjorie

I am not surprise or wander (are you lost?
San ka pupunta?) why Dennis leave you. Why?
What reason you can think about but you're
very fat body. I thought before that Dennis
only use me to his toy but sooner and(di ba
dapat or?) later I'm realize that he really
can't not beared (nose bleed ako dito.
Cant na may not pa.) or stomached to be with
you anymoe (eenie meeny miney moe!)
because at first, Dennis say he could not stand
you're habit of making paki-alam all his walks
[lakad] (at least dinifine pa niya baka kasi daw
gumagapang.)and always calling to their
house what he go home or this or that (I
didnt get this or that). And then he say he get
ashame to met iether in school or in his family
(owkaaaykayo nalang umintindi) and then
asking you to exercise you're very, very, very,
very fat body. But you hate it.
Thoughth your the most preetiest girls he
know about (he know about?ay tink male
ispeleng mo day.). What do you think you are
"Beautiful Girl" of Jose Marie Chan(baka
who kamo and no, shes the beautiful girl of
Dennis, sinabi mo yun!hahaha)?

Even you are beautiful face (to your
think)(to your think daw!) you do not have the
right to called me whatsoever or else different
name one time or the other for the real
purposed to insults my personality
(now my head really does hurt.) because I'm
never call you names iether in the front or in
the backs of Dennis (wow! Dami yatang likod
si Dennis!), but if you start already to calling
me different name, I don't have any other
choice but to call you other different name
too(palaban si inday!).

Like you are a PIG, FAT, OBESSED(I think
she combined obese and obsessed),
OVERWIGHT (uh-huh), AND YOU UGLY SHAPE
girl.
Shame to you're body that is to a
BUDING(now what the hell are you talking
about?). You can't not blame Dennis for
exchanging you to me because I am the more
sexier(apparently, what you dont have is a
brain.) than you when you look to us in the
mirror (wow! Nasa mirro sila ni Dennis? Ayos!
Magic mirror?). I'm repeat again that you are
like Ike Lozada when she is a girl (nandamay
pa!).


Love,(naks! Love pa talaga ang panapos!)

The Sexiest Girl of D.M.(yeah! And apparently,
also the dumbest!)

P.S. You say that I'm the bad breath but who is
Dennis(di mo kilala si Dennis??) want to
kissed. Me or you? You or me? And the final is
me. There you go.(There you go! hahaha)
Basic Rule
The basic rule states that a singular subject
takes a singular verb while a plural subject
takes a plural verb.
The trick is in knowing whether the subject is
singular or plural. The next trick is recognizing
a singular or plural verb.
Hint
Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an
s as nouns do. In order to determine which
verb is singular and which one is plural, think
of which verb you would use with he or she
and which verb you would use with they.

talks, talks
I are on the bus.
Jamie and Tom am with me.
Rule #1
Use a singular verb after each, neither,
everyone, everybody, nobody, and someone.

Nobody is here.
Everybody helps when there is a crisis.
Somebody wants to speak to you.


Rule #2
If you use either-or, look at the subject closest
to the verb. If the subject closest to the verb
is singular, use a singular verb; likewise, if the
subject is plural, use a plural verb.

Either Miss Brown or Jane writes on the blackboard.
Either the teacher or the students write on the
blackboard.

This also applies to not only. . .but also, and
neither. . .nor. The subject closest to the verb
determines whether the verb is singular or
plural.

Not only Julie but also Georgette wants to visit
grandma.
Not only Julie but also all of the grandchildren want
to visit grandma.
Neither Miss Brown nor Jane writes on the
blackboard.
Neither the teacher nor the students write on the
blackboard.

Rule #3
When using as well as, except, in addition to,
no less than, and with, the noun before these
phrases determines the number.

My problem with you is you don't listen!
Ford in addition to Mercedes Benz is lowering its car
prices to encourage better sales.
The students in addition to the teacher are all
receiving special recognition for their excellent
research.
Rule #4
Measurements of money, time, and distance
usually require a singular verb.

One hundred dollars is a lot of money for a bottle of
wine.
Two hours is a long time to wait to see a doctor.
93,000,000 miles is the distance from the sun to the
earth.

Rule #5
The following words almost always use the
plural form of verbs: all, both, few, many,
several, and some.

Some people in my office are very annoying
Few mountain climbers have successfully reached
the peak of Mt. Everest.

Rule #6
The word none needs special attention. Sometimes it
uses a singular verb, and at other times, it uses a plural
verb. When none means no one or not one, use the
singular form of the verb.

None of them is able to do that job.

When none means or suggests more than one thing or
person, use the plural form of the verb.

None are helpless because they can always try.
Rule #7
Here and there CANNOT be subjects.
Therefore, if a sentence begins with here or
there, look for the subject and write the
correct form of the verb.
Here is my jacket. (jacket is singular)
Here are my shoes. (shoes is plural)
Rule #8
When the word number is preceded with the
article a, use a plural verb. When the word
number is preceded with the article the, use a
singular verb.

A number of people are waiting to see you.
The number of stars in the sky seems countless.
Some people is/are/am very good at math.

Somebody have/has the winning lottery ticket.

The doctor who has visited dozens of countries and
has helped thousands of patients all around the
world is/are/am over there.

There is/are/am two sides to every argument.

5,280 feet is/are/am a mile.

Jill as well as Jack is/are/am up the hill.

Either Heather or I go/goes .

A: There is/are/am a lot of people here.
B: Yeah. Everybody is/are/am here for you. All of
them is/are/am waiting to listen to your speech.

Ten dollars is/are/am a nice raise. I need the extra
money.

Rice is/are/am a common food all over the
world. It is/are/am very cheap.

Two bags of rice cost/costs only P750.
Either the bus driver or the motorcycle rider is/are/am
responsible for the accident.

Neither the 23 children in the class nor Tony
seem/seems to be upset about failing the spelling
bee.

A large number of countries is/are/am members of the
United Nations.

Not only the fans but also the team's head coach
was/were shocked to be in the championship game.

The number of computer advances is/are/am increasing
every year.