Subject Verb Agreement | Rules In English Grammar With Examples | Subject Verb Concord | ChetChat

Summary

This video script offers an in-depth exploration of subject-verb agreement, a fundamental grammar rule. It covers basic concepts and advances to more complex scenarios, ensuring viewers are well-prepared for exams like GMAT, SAT, and CAT. The presenter explains various rules, such as the 'jumping s' rule, the 'and' rule, and the impact of collective nouns and indefinite pronouns on verb form. The script is designed to clarify common pitfalls and equip learners with the skills to tackle subject-verb agreement in all its forms.

Takeaways

• 📚 Subject-verb agreement, or concord, is a fundamental grammar rule where the verb form must match the subject's number (singular or plural).
• 🔄 The 'Jumping S Rule' explains that in common nouns, an 's' or 'es' makes them plural, but in verbs, it makes them singular, and this 's' or 'es' can 'jump' between the noun and verb.
• ✍️ The 'And Rule' states that when two nouns are connected by 'and', they form a plural subject and require a plural verb, unless they represent a single entity.
• 📖 Proper nouns, like names of bands or movies, are treated as singular even if they sound plural, such as 'The Beatles' or 'Star Wars'.
• 🏠 Collective nouns like 'team' or 'family' are usually singular, but the verb form can change based on whether the group is acting as one unit or as individual members.
• 📈 Uncountable nouns, such as 'information' or 'advice', are always singular and require singular verbs, despite ending in 's'.
• 👥 Plural nouns that end in 's' but are countable, like 'surroundings' or 'earnings', always take a plural verb.
• 🔢 The phrases 'more than one' and 'a number of' are used with singular nouns and thus require singular verbs, while 'more than two' and 'many a' are used with plural nouns and take plural verbs.
• 💰 Sums of money, periods of time, and measurements are considered singular and take singular verbs, regardless of their size or quantity.
• 🎭 Gerunds (verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns) are singular and take singular verbs, even when the action involves multiple activities.
• 🎉 The video script also covers various pronouns, conjunctions, and adjectives that affect subject-verb agreement, emphasizing the importance of understanding their usage in different contexts.

Q & A

What does 'subject-verb agreement' refer to in English grammar?

Subject-verb agreement, also known as subject-verb concord, refers to the rule that the verb must agree with its subject in number, meaning a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.

What is the 'jumping s rule' mentioned in the script?

The 'jumping s rule' is a concept where the 's' or 'es' that indicates plurality either stays with the noun or moves to the verb, but it does not stay with both at the same time. For example, 'the girls sing' is correct, not 'the girls sings'.

How does the 'and rule' work in subject-verb agreement?

The 'and rule' states that when two nouns are joined by 'and', the subject is considered plural, and a plural verb form is used, unless the nouns represent the same idea, in which case a singular verb is used.

What is the difference between 'the Smith family' and 'The Smiths' as per the script?

The phrase 'the Smith family' is treated as a singular entity, so the verb is singular. In contrast, 'The Smiths' implies multiple people from the Smith family, making it plural and requiring a plural verb.

How should uncountable nouns be treated in terms of subject-verb agreement?

Uncountable nouns are treated as singular in subject-verb agreement, regardless of the quantity, and therefore require singular verbs. Examples include 'information', 'advice', and 'equipment'.

What is the rule for using verbs with collective nouns?

Collective nouns are usually considered as single entities, so they are treated as singular and require singular verbs. However, if the collective noun refers to individual members acting separately, a plural verb may be used.

What are singular indefinite pronouns, and how should they be used with verbs?

Singular indefinite pronouns, such as 'everyone', 'anyone', 'someone', 'no one', 'everybody', 'nobody', 'somebody', 'nothing', 'something', and 'everything', are used with singular verbs because they refer to one person or thing at a time.

How does the 'rule of proximity' apply to sentences with 'either...or' or 'neither...nor'?

The 'rule of proximity' states that the verb should agree with the noun closest to it in sentences using 'either...or' or 'neither...nor'. For example, 'neither the shoes nor the bag matches' uses 'matches' because 'bag' is closer to the verb.

What are plural indefinite pronouns, and how should they be used with verbs?

Plural indefinite pronouns, such as 'several', 'few', 'many', 'others', 'both', 'various', and 'multiple', require plural verbs because they imply more than one entity.

How should the word 'data' be treated in terms of subject-verb agreement?

Although 'data' is a plural noun in Latin, in English, it is often treated as an uncountable noun and thus requires a singular verb. However, when referring to individual pieces of data, a plural verb may be used.

What is the correct way to use verbs with phrases starting with 'more than'?

When using 'more than', the verb should agree with the noun closest to it. If 'more than' is followed by a singular noun, use a singular verb; if followed by a plural noun, use a plural verb.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Subject-Verb Agreement

The script begins with an introduction to the concept of subject-verb agreement, emphasizing its importance in various exams including banking, board, school, and competitive exams like GMAT, SAT, and CAT. The basic rule is explained: a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb. Examples are provided to illustrate the rule, and the audience is encouraged to participate by sharing what book they are reading. The presenter then outlines the structure of the lesson, promising to cover basic rules and different types of subjects that affect verb agreement.

05:01

📘 Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

This paragraph delves into the basic rules governing subject-verb agreement, starting with the 'Jumping S' rule, which explains the transformation of nouns and verbs from singular to plural forms. The 'and' rule is introduced, explaining how two singular or two plural nouns joined by 'and' take a plural verb form, except when they represent a single entity. The 'and plus article' rule is also discussed, highlighting the difference between sentences where 'and' is followed by an article, indicating separate entities, and thus requiring a plural verb.

10:03

📙 Types of Nouns and Subject-Verb Agreement

The script continues with a discussion on proper nouns, uncountable and countable nouns, and their impact on subject-verb agreement. Proper nouns, such as names of places or bands, are always singular. Uncountable nouns, like news or information, are also treated as singular and take singular verbs. Countable nouns can be either singular or plural, and the script points out that some countable nouns, like 'earnings' or 'surroundings,' are always plural and require plural verbs. The explanation includes examples to clarify each type of noun and its corresponding verb form.

15:05

📒 Collective Nouns and Indefinite Pronouns

The paragraph explores collective nouns, which are often treated as singular unless the members of the group are considered individually, in which case they take a plural verb. It also covers indefinite pronouns, which can be either singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to. Singular indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' or 'nothing' take singular verbs, while plural indefinite pronouns like 'several' or 'many' take plural verbs. The script provides examples to illustrate the correct usage of these pronouns in sentences.

20:06

📕 Special Cases in Subject-Verb Agreement

This section addresses special cases in subject-verb agreement, such as the use of 'each' with singular and plural nouns, the rule of proximity with 'either/or' and 'neither/nor' constructions, and the treatment of pronouns like 'all,' 'any,' 'more,' and 'some' that can be either singular or plural. The explanation includes the importance of the nearest noun to the verb determining the verb's number, and examples are provided to demonstrate these rules in context.

25:08

📖 Advanced Concepts in Subject-Verb Agreement

The script introduces advanced concepts like the use of 'one of the' with plural nouns, the difference between 'a number of' and 'the number of' in terms of verb agreement, and the treatment of 'more than' and 'many a' with singular and plural nouns. It also discusses the use of 'much' and 'many' with uncountable and countable nouns, respectively, and the correct verb forms to use with them. The paragraph concludes with a look at how to handle collective nouns like 'majority' and 'minority' in sentences.

30:10

📔 Conjunctions, Gerunds, and Other Considerations

The final paragraph of the script discusses the effect of conjunctions like 'but,' 'besides,' and 'as well as' on subject-verb agreement, noting that the first noun is the main subject and dictates the verb form. Gerunds are also covered, explaining that they are treated as singular even when joined by 'and.' The script touches on the use of 'here' and 'there' to introduce sentences and the importance of identifying the true subject that follows these expressions. It concludes with a brief mention of adjectives preceded by 'the,' which are treated as plural, and ends with a summary of the key points covered in the video.

Keywords

💡Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement, also known as subject-verb concord, is a fundamental grammatical concept that dictates that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means if the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural. The video script emphasizes this rule as essential for English grammar, providing examples such as 'The book was interesting' versus 'The books were interesting' to illustrate the point.

💡Jumping 'S' Rule

The 'Jumping S' rule is a specific grammatical principle discussed in the video that explains the behavior of the plural 's' or 'es' in verbs and nouns. It states that the 's' or 'es' can either be with the noun to indicate plurality or with the verb to indicate singularity, but it cannot be with both at the same time. The script uses this rule to clarify the correct formation of sentences, such as 'The girls sing' instead of 'The girls sings'.

💡The AND Rule

The AND rule is another key concept in subject-verb agreement. It explains that when two nouns are joined by 'and', the subject is considered plural, and a plural verb form should be used. The video script provides examples like 'Apples and oranges are fruits' to demonstrate this rule, indicating that when multiple nouns are combined, the verb agrees with the collective plurality of the subjects.

💡Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be counted or do not have a plural form, such as 'information', 'advice', or 'equipment'. In the video, it is explained that uncountable nouns are always treated as singular and therefore require a singular verb. Examples from the script include 'The news is interesting' and 'The information is valuable', where 'news' and 'information' are uncountable and take singular verbs.

💡Collective Nouns

Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of people or things considered as a single unit. The video script explains that collective nouns can be tricky because they are usually considered singular and take a singular verb, as in 'The team is celebrating'. However, when the members of the group are emphasized as individuals, a plural verb may be used, such as 'The team were tired', indicating that the group members are being considered separately.

💡Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Singular indefinite pronouns are pronouns that refer to a non-specific singular entity and require a singular verb. The video script identifies pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', 'no one', and 'nothing' as singular indefinite pronouns. It uses examples such as 'Everyone loves Raymond' to illustrate that even though 'everyone' implies multiple people, it is treated as singular in terms of verb agreement.

💡Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Plural indefinite pronouns refer to an unspecified but plural number of entities and require a plural verb. The script mentions 'several', 'few', 'many', 'others', 'both', 'various', and 'multiple' as examples of plural indefinite pronouns. It explains that these pronouns take plural verbs, as in 'Several students are participating in the event', where 'several' implies multiple students, hence the plural verb 'are'.

💡Pronouns with Uncountable and Countable Nouns

The script discusses how certain pronouns can function as either singular or plural depending on whether they are paired with uncountable or countable nouns. For example, 'all', 'any', 'more', 'most', and 'some' take a singular verb when paired with uncountable nouns and a plural verb with countable nouns. The script illustrates this with 'All the cake is over' versus 'All the cupcakes are over', showing the verb agreement based on the noun type.

💡Nouns in Pairs

Nouns in pairs refer to items that naturally come in twos, such as 'scissors', 'trousers', or 'goggles'. The video script explains that when referring to one complete pair, the noun is treated as singular, as in 'The gray trousers are looking good on you', where 'trousers', despite implying two legs, is considered one pair and thus takes a plural verb.

💡Conjunctions with Subjects

The script addresses the impact of conjunctions like 'but', 'besides', 'as well as', and 'along with' on subject-verb agreement. It clarifies that these conjunctions often act like prepositions, and the verb agreement depends on the first noun following the conjunction. For example, 'Mr. Roy as well as his children is buying some sweets' uses 'is' because 'Mr. Roy', the first noun, is singular.

Highlights

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule stating that the verb should match the subject in number, either singular or plural.

The 'Jumping S' rule explains the shift of the 's' or 'es' between the noun and the verb to indicate plurality.

The 'and' rule clarifies that when two nouns are joined by 'and', the subject is considered plural, unless they represent a single entity.

The 'and plus article' rule states that when 'and' is followed by an article, it indicates two separate entities, thus requiring a plural verb.

Proper nouns or names are always singular, despite potentially sounding plural.

Uncountable nouns, such as news, information, and advice, are always treated as singular and require singular verbs.

Some countable nouns, like earnings and surroundings, are always used in plural form and require plural verbs.

Nouns in pairs, such as trousers and scissors, are considered plural, but a pair of them is singular.

Collective nouns are usually singular, but when referring to individual members of the group, a plural verb is used.

Singular indefinite pronouns, like everyone and something, are used with singular verbs.

The rule of proximity is used with 'either/or', 'neither/nor', and 'not only/but also' to determine verb agreement based on the nearest noun.

Plural indefinite pronouns, such as several, many, and others, require plural verbs.

Pronouns like all, any, more, most, and some can be either singular or plural depending on the noun they are paired with.

When using 'one of the' followed by a plural noun and a relative pronoun, a singular verb is used due to the rule of proximity.

The phrases 'more than one' and 'a number of' are used with singular nouns and require singular verbs.

Conjunctions like 'but', 'as well as', and 'together with' do not change the number of the main subject's verb.

Gerunds, like growing and meeting, are always singular, even when joined by 'and' with another gerund.

Wishes are always plural, even if the subject is singular, as in 'I wish I were a queen'.

The use of 'here is' and 'there are' depends on the true subject following these phrases, determining the verb agreement.

Adjectives preceded by 'the', such as 'the rich' and 'the poor', are treated as plural nouns and take plural verbs.

When a single subject has multiple verbs, all verbs must agree with the subject in number.

Transcripts

hey there wonderful Chad Chatters today

we are talking about subject verb

agreement or subject verb Concord and I

will take you through the entire chapter

concept by concept from basic to

Advanced in this one short class this

one single video is going to help you in

all your exams whether you're sitting

for your banking exams your board exams

your school exams maybe you're writing

GMAT sat cat or any competitive exam

that tests your English grammar skills

so are you ready with your pens and

notebooks and let's get going hey this

is cha and you're on catchat so it's a

Friday and this content by the way is

also available as a podcast on skill up

chat chat on Spotify now subject verb

agreement or subject verb Concord

basically means if the subject is

singular the verb should be singular and

if the subject is plural the verb should

should be plural it's a simple rule now

we can have different types of subjects

in a sentence so we're going to go over

a few basic rules and then one by one

we'll go through different types of

words that can be used in subjects to

determine whether singular or plural

verbs should be used along with them

okay example the book that I got from my

friend was interesting the books that I

bought at the bookstore were interesting

the book was and the books were simple

by the way tell me which book are you

reading these days and let's move on to

the few basic rules the jumping s Rule

now take a look at these words and

notice what's happening to the s or ES

one book two books she goes they go he

dances he does dance now in common nouns

like Book car video when we add an s

they become plural nouns but in verbs

like go read listen when we add an s or

an es they become singular the s or the

es jumps either the noun will have it or

the verb will have it or none of them

will have it but not both together take

a look at these example the girls sings

is wrong it's either the girl sings or

the girls sing and if there is an

auxiliary verb like do then the do takes

on the es and become does and the verb

goes to its basic form like dance I call

this the jumping s rule the s or the es

is either with the noun or the auxiliary

verb or the main verb or with none it

jumps from one to the other but it

doesn't stay with all of them at the

same time the and Rule okay this is an

easy one take a look at these sentences

my friend and I are going to walk in the

evening by the way I love walking and

talking with with my friends but what do

we have here singular noun plus singular

noun uses a plural subject now next

apples and oranges are fruits but my

favorite fruit is mango so plural noun

plus plural noun also uses plural

subjects when two nouns are joined by

and the subject is plural and we use a

plural verb form how about this sentence

idly and somber

my favorite dish H yummy is or are pause

the video and tell me idly and sber is

or are my favorite dish in this sentence

idly and sber are two nouns but we are

talking about one dish we have said

favorite dish not favorite dishes so the

singular verb is is used many times we

just say this as one word idly sambar or

idly V denoting that it's a a single

entity now take a look at this Law and

Order deteriorating in this city is or

are Law and Order are related and are

referring to the same idea therefore Law

and Order is deteriorating in this city

bread and butter is a common breakfast

how about this

sentence bread and butter are sold here

is this correct or not well this time it

is not treated as as a pair they are

sold individually so the rule is that

when two nouns are joined by and the

subject is considered plural and we use

a plural verb form unless it represents

the same idea now the next rule is the

and plus article rule look at these two

sentences and tell me the answer the

coach and captain of the team arrived

the coach and the captain of the team

arrived what is the difference between

these two sentences tell me

quickly so in the first sentence coach

and Captain is one person the same

person who's the coach is also the

captain it's a related idea so we are

treating it as a singular noun and we

say the coach and captain of the team

has arrived what about the coach and the

captain the moment and is followed by an

article a and or the we are now talking

about a different entity or a different

person the coach and the captain of the

team are two different people they have

arrived these are not one but two people

a dog and a cat are two separate animals

now see these examples my friend and

brother arrived my friend and my brother

arrived what is the difference between

these two once again the moment and is

followed by a possess obessive adjective

like my your his her its ours theirs

we're now talking about a different

entity or a different person so my

friend and brother has arrived this is

one person my friend and my brother have

arrived or my friend and his brother

these are two different people okay here

are some more examples he is my friend

philosopher and guide just like my

little Simby is is my baby pet and toy

all at the same time one person singular

the secretary and Treasurer was absent

today the secretary and the treasurer

were absent today okay now that we've

covered three basic rules we're going to

go through some word types one by one

proper nouns or names are singular check

out these sentences Kish and brothers a

famous bookstore in Kashmir Kish and

brothers sounds like quite a few people

but this is the name of a single store

hence it is a singular noun kishan and

brothers is a famous bookstore in

Kashmir The Beatles is my favorite band

it is one single Band by the way which

is your favorite Beetle song Leave me a

comment below Star Wars is my favorite

movie which is yours even though Wars is

a plural word Star Wars is the name of

one single movie so it is singular all

names are singular it could be the name

of a person name of a book a place a

musical composition a play a story they

are all singular nouns notice these two

sentences the Smith family lives in that

house the Smiths are coming to the party

sounds like a fun party but what is the

difference between the two the Smith

family is a name that we have given to a

group of people so we are treating it as

one entity hence the verb is singular

The Smiths on the other hand is used

when we are trying to say that you know

a bunch of different people from the

Smith family are coming to the party and

hence we're talking about you know

different people and therefore it's

plural next uncountable and countable

nouns check out this sentence and spot

the error 34s of the men has gone to war

no error now men is a plural countable

noun so 34s of the men is also plural

countable and the verb should be have

gone not has gone one3 of the sugar

missing I wonder who stole the sugar now

sugar is an uncountable noun and

uncountable nouns are treated as

singular so oneir of the sugar half of

the sugar sum of the sugar all of the

sugar sugar these would all be singular

therefore 1/3 of the sugar is missing

notice we said 1/3 and 3/4s not 3/4 tell

me why we did this in the comment

section below now other uncountable

nouns are News headquarters baracks

species information Luggage baggage

poetry treatment distance furniture

equipment ethics stationary weather

advice these are all used with singular

verbs the news is interesting today even

though the news ends with an s it is a

singular noun honesty is the best policy

the information is valuable I hope you

find all this information valuable by

the way and the only way to prove it is

if you press that like

button now take a look at these

sentences her earning

increased significantly this year the

goods delivered to the store yesterday

the surroundings peaceful now you

already know that countable nouns can be

either singular or plural depending on

the number of items being referred to

but there are some countable nouns that

are always used in plural form with

plural verbs example earnings Goods odds

surroundings proceeds Contex and

valuables all ending with an S by the

way they're all examples of countable

nouns in English that only have a plural

form and require a plural verb so we're

going to have her earnings have

increased significantly this year the

goods were delivered to the store

yesterday the surroundings are peaceful

now look at this sentence

mathematics John's favorite subject

while Civics and Andrea's favorite

subject is or are tell me quickly

subjects such as mathematics economics

politics Civics all of these are

singular uncountable nouns so

mathematics is John's favorite subject

while Civics is Andrea's favorite

subject Ms a serious illness tell me

what should come here is or are well the

names of diseases are also singular

uncountable nouns and they should be Ms

is a serious

illness okay next we have nouns in pairs

look at these sentences the gray

trousers looking good on you I bought of

gray trousers yesterday a pair or or

pairs what is the difference tell me

quickly scissors trousers jeans goggles

tongs are plural because they all have

two parts the gray trousers are looking

good on you a pair of scissors a pair of

sunglasses and a pair of trousers are

singular since we are now talking about

one single pair I bought a pair of gray

trousers yesterday now let's take a look

at collective nouns tell me what verb

you're going to use in these sentences

the team celebrating their Championship

Victory the members of the team tired

after the match the word teen is a

singular collective noun one single

group so it'll be the team is

celebrating the members of the team are

multiple people so we use plural verb

the members were tired collective nouns

are usually considered single the herd

is ready to eat but the cows look hungry

my family is always having fun now tell

me the answer to this question the jury

unable to decide yet has been have been

are were has been that's the only

singular verb the jury is a collective

noun small recap now we've already

covered three basic rules we've covered

four types of nouns with lots of

examples and I'm sure you now find this

very easy to understand now we're going

to move on to other kind of words but

before that I'm going to give a quick

shout out to three awesome sisters blog

for leaving this awesome message under

my last video and if you want a shout

out leave me a message below with a

hashtag chat Chatters and now for some

pronouns the first is singular

indefinite pronouns look at this

sentence every one of the kids their new

teacher who arrived in the middle of the

semester like or likes in this sentence

we're talking about every one of the

kids which means one kid at a time one

kid likes a new teacher the next Kid

Likes a new teacher every one of the

kids likes their new teacher so everyone

anyone someone no one everybody nobody

somebody nothing something everything

anything another the other they're all

singular indefinite pronouns we're

talking about one person at a time and

we use them with sing singular verbs

example nothing is

impossible everything looks beautiful

even though intuitively you might say

that everything is plural but no it's a

singular indefinite pronoun everyone

loves Raymond I actually quite enjoyed

that show nobody wants to be late

someone has left their umbrella here oh

my God I keep forgetting my umbrella

ever so often what about you now look at

these three sentences for the usage of

each each of the boys was given a

present each boy was given a present the

boys were each given a present the

meaning is the same but it's just a

different style of writing each plus

plural or singular noun uses a singular

verb but plural noun plus each uses a

plural verb to agree with the main

subject which is the plural noun the

Lions Each of which are a fine specimen

raised entirely in captivity and never

intended to be released into the V was

or were the subject here is Lions and

the verb needs to agree with that so

were raised be careful here because this

is the place where I find most errors

happening now let's move on to either or

neither nor or not only but also look at

these senten sentences neither the shoes

nor the bag the dress neither the bag

nor the shoes the dress match or matches

does the same word come in both

sentences tricky isn't it let's make

this simple when we use either or

neither nor or just or what are we

trying to say we're trying to say that

anyone out of the nouns will perform the

action so that makes it a singular verb

right no not necessary it depends on

whether the nouns are singular or plural

but shoes are plural and bag is singular

so how do we decide in such cases we use

the rule of proximity the verb matches

the nearest noun therefore neither the

shoes nor the bag matches the dress

since bag is nearer to the verb we use

singular and neither the bag nor the

shoes match the dress since shoes is

nearer to the verb we use the plural

form now either the counselor or the

teachers always try to help students

either the teachers or the counselor

always tries to help the students

neither of the three opinions is correct

my dad or my mom is coming home now look

at these two sentences either road to

the station either off the roads to the

station lead or leads to

which one to use are both the sentences

same now in both cases we are trying to

say that one road is going to lead to

the station either Road or either of the

roads means the same thing one road

hence in both sentences we will use

leads to the singular form now look at

these sentences not only the cat but

also the dogs have gone missing not only

the dogs but the cat has also Gone

Missing the rule of proximity also

applies to not only but also the verb

matches the nearest noun now let's check

out plural indefinite pronouns what

should we write in these sentences

several students participating in the

event is or are many cars parked in the

lot is or are others expressed similar

concerns has or have all of them are

plural so we use are and have several

few many others both various and

multiple are plural indefinite pronouns

and they take on plural verbs let's

check out the next one which is pronouns

singular and plural here are some

sentences for you all of the equipment

on sale is or are all of the computers

on sale is or are what is the difference

between these two sent sentences well

equipment is an uncountable noun and we

know that uncountable nouns are always

singular and computers we can count them

so there's a plural countable noun so it

will be all of the equipment is on sale

all of the computers are on sale so some

of these pronouns like all any more most

some none such they can be either

singular or plural the rule for such PR

prouns is pronoun plus uncountable noun

uses a singular verb pronoun plus plural

countable noun uses a plural verb all

the cake is over all the cupcakes are

over most of the information is true

most of the reports are true try this

some of the advice useful some of the

ideas useful is or are some of the

advice is is useful advice is

uncountable some of the ideas are useful

ideas are plural countable we can say

two ideas three ideas so it uses a

plural verb over to the next one one of

the what is the difference between these

sentences students giving presentations

is or are one of the students giving a

presentation is or R the first one is

easy students is a plural noun so

students are giving a presentation is

correct in the second case we're talking

about one student one of the students

means just one student hence the verb in

such sentences is singular one of the

plus plural noun uses a singular verb

one of the teams is going to make it to

the Regionals said Coach Joe one of the

children was late in joining the group

for the trip now look at these sentences

one of the houses is on

sale one of the houses that are for sale

is my dream home the first sentence is

simple we just saw examples of it in the

second one one of what one of the houses

that are on sale now there are many

houses on sale one of them is my dream

house notice the relative pronoun that

relative pronouns like now who and that

relate to the nearest subject the rule

of proximity in this case houses

therefore the verb that follows is also

plural one of the now in bracket plural

noun plus relative pronoun plus plural

verb then uses a singular verb it's like

the bodmas rule in mathematics one of

the matches with the singular verb and

in between the relative pronoun joins

the plural noun and the plural plural

verb to make a set we can almost put

them in a bracket one of the dogs that

have been adopted from the shelter needs

Special Care One of the paintings that

were displayed at the art exhibition has

won an award okay the next one is more

than look at these sentences more than

one boy present in class was or were

more than two boys present in class was

or were in both cases there are multiple

boys present in class so are they both

plural sentences no we would say more

than one boy was present in class more

than two boys were present in class here

again the rule of proximity Is used

where the verb is in agreement with the

noun closest to is boy is boys were so

more than plus a singular noun uses a

singular verb more than plus a plural

noun uses a plural verb now I'm going to

show you something very interesting more

boys than one present in class more boys

than two present in class was or were in

this case the subject in both cases is

more boys which is plural hence both

sentences will use a plural verb more

boys than one were present in class more

boys than two were present in class

once again they mean the same thing as

the statements that we saw earlier but

just that they are written differently

and I want you to be aware of these

because these are the places where the

examiners tend to confuse you the number

of versus a number of what would you say

for this sentence a number of students

attending the seminar is or are this is

easy a number of means many and that is

plural so it becomes a number of

students are attending the seminar so a

number of of plus plural noun uses a

plural verb now notice these two

sentences a number of suggestions were

made the number of suggestions made was

huge what happened here the first one is

easy it means several suggestions were

made but the second one the number of is

used to talk about a specific quantity

of something the number of plus plural

noun uses a singular verb the number of

crimes in the city is increasing oh dear

that's dangerous a number of kids are

playing in the park the number of kids

playing in the park is huge over to the

next interesting one much versus many

complete these two sentences how much

milk needed for the recipe is or are how

many cups of milk needed for the recipe

is or are are Okay so we've already

learned that uncountable nouns are

singular much is used for singular

uncountable nouns and therefore it uses

a singular verb many is used for plural

countable nouns and it will use a plural

verb so it'll be how much milk is needed

for the recipe how many cups of milk are

needed for the recipe much of the sugar

is sold a good deal of the sugar is sold

a good amount am of the sugar is sold

these are all forms of much so singular

uncountable nouns and singular verbs

many students have passed the exam a

number of students have passed the exam

a large number of students have passed

the exams these are all forms of many

and they all get used with plural

countable nouns and therefore plural

verbs notice these two sentences many

students have passed this exam many

Earth student has passed this exam what

is the difference the first one is easy

several students many students have

passed this exam what about the second

one many uh many uh means many of a

single type it is used to emphasize a

singular item or a singular person from

a group and is followed by a singular

noun or a singular verb many a student

has struggled with this assignment major

majority and minority look at these

sentences the majority hold or holds no

strong views a 75% majority have or has

voted against the measure a majority of

Canadians has or have voted for change

the words majority and minority are used

in a variety of ways when majority and

minority mean an unspecified number more

or less than 50% we use a singular verb

the the majority holds no strong views a

small minority indicates it supports the

proposal now when majority and minority

mean a specific percentage you can use

either a singular or a plural verb a 75%

majority have or has voted against the

measure both are correct the party won

with a 95% majority what about these a

majority of can Ians have voted for

change a minority of the students are

willing to pay more majority or minority

of a group is plural so I hope you're

finding this useful and if you have any

questions put them down for me we're

moving to the next segment which is sums

of money periods of number or distances

weights measurements Etc 500 rupees a

large sum is or are 2 years years a long

time is or are tell me in the comment

section so sums of money periods of time

numbers distances weights measures

they're all considered singular the

number of physics principles on

tomorrow's exam is too much for me to

remember 50 km is a large Distance by

today's standards 100 rupees not a big

amount is are will be were tell me the

answer now let's move on to conjunctions

like but besides as well as along with

unlike with together with headed by

including and not like

unlike the president along with his

advisor on road to Europe was or were my

mother with my brothers going to punee

is or are here we look at the first

subject since these conjunctions like

but besides as well as along with unlike

all of these they tend to act like

prepositions and the noun that follows

the preposition is always the object of

that preposition so the first noun is

the main subject Mr Roy together with

his children buying some sweets is or

are this would be is since Mr Roy is

singular Sunita as well as her friends

has enrolled for the French class my

brother unlike my cousins is very sweet

the boy among many friends celebrated

his birthday in lavish style singular

notice these sentences my dog as well as

my cats like cat food here the verb

likes matches the singular dog my dogs

as well as my cat like cat food here the

verb like matches the plural

dogs now let's check out gern look at

these two sentences the flowers are

beautiful growing flowers is a tough job

what is the difference here did you

notice the first sentence is easy the

flowers are multiple flowers and they

are beautiful in the second sentence

growing is the subject and this is a

gerand which is always treated as

singular example smoke

is injurious to health swimming is a

great exercise for cardiovascular health

how many of you are

swimming but when joined with and they

take plural verbs meeting friends and

going to the beach are my favorite

things to do it's like two singular

nouns becoming plural when they are

joined with an an now this is a tricky

one coming up a wish I wish I a queen

was or were I wish I were a queen wishes

are always plural even though the person

wishing could be singular I wish my

father were here I wish I were taller

the next one is here and there here is

your bunch of keys here are your keys

what is the difference the bunch of keys

is a singular collective noun and keys

are plural countable nouns so but the

sentence is starting with here and and

there now what's happening the true

subject actually follows here and there

and the verb is in accordance with that

subject here are the flowers there is a

big building in the city there is one

chair in the room there are two chairs

in the room now let's look at adjectives

preceded by the look at these sentences

the rich richer the poor many

hardships what are we using here

adjectives preceded by the they tend to

use they become plural nouns and they

take on a plural verb so the rich get

richer and the poor face many hardships

now one subject with multiple verbs the

crowd shouted danced sang and rocked the

band when there is only one subject and

more than one verbs all the verbs have

to agree with the subject throughout the

sentence the team plays well

communicates effectively and wins often

he eats breakfast reads the newspaper

and checks his emails every morning so

that's it a marathon session on subject

verb agreement or subject verb Concord

every single exam will be cracked with

this one single video on subject verb

agreement I hope you found it useful and

do remember to share this with your

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more such content and happy learning