Questions tagged [verb-agreement]
Agreement between a verb and its subject for number and person.
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0answers
8 views
Plural or singular when referencing a company [duplicate]
Which is correct when using as a title:
Who is Microsoft?
or
Who are Microsoft?
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0answers
24 views
Subject verb agreement question
Can someone please tell me which is grammatically correct... Have to teach the students.
Neither his books nor mine is lost.
or
Neither his books nor mine are lost.
Please help
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1answer
32 views
Syntactical ambiguity in introductory phrase reference: reference to main verb vs. object
Motivated by A, we outline our proposal for B.
Does "Motivated" refer to outline or proposal? It seems to me that a reader could infer one of two statements:
A motivated us to create this outline, ...
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3answers
59 views
Why does “there's” work as a contraction for plural items?
While writing recently, I came across a situation where a character said:
There's a lot of chandeliers in here.
When editing, I realized that I wanted to have the sentence sound more formal, and ...
-1
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1answer
107 views
The Royal Family live in mansions, or in a mansion.? [closed]
The question was in an English small test. I'm not a native speaker of English and I would like to improve my English. In this test question, we had to fill in the blanks.
Either:
The Royal family ...
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0answers
53 views
'All he wrote is novels ' or 'All he wrote are novels'? [migrated]
'All he wrote is novels ' or 'All he wrote are novels'?
I understand there is subject-verb agreement in English, but I always feel it should be 'All he wrote are novels'. Then does it become object-...
1
vote
1answer
26 views
Is vs Are when subjects are -ing [duplicate]
Original sentence:
Even being paid very well, and enjoying great working conditions, is not enough.
Should not it be this?
Even being paid very well, and enjoying great working conditions, are ...
2
votes
1answer
38 views
Should I use a singular or plural verb in “, which VERB/VERBs”?
I have the following sentence, and I have a question about it. I’m wondering if there’s something so simple that I’m just overlooking it or whether there is some super-sophisticated tenet of grammar ...
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1answer
54 views
After “some”, plural or singular verb?
In these sentences:
"Some (composes/compose) delightful music"
"Some of them (write/writes) wonderful books"
Which form of the verb should I use?
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2answers
41 views
Noun1 + Noun2 take/s a plural verb?
I recently attended a grammar class, where the trainer explained:
A singular noun and a singular noun take a plural verb.
However, I feel it should have been
A singular noun and a singular noun ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Does she have/has to go to school? [closed]
Should I use "have" or "has" in this question?
Does she have to go to school?
or
Does she has to go to school?
If I should use "have", then what is the rule which makes me not use "has" here?...
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1answer
20 views
Present tense in reported past
My friend said" Your child is beautiful". Can I report this statement as 'My friend told me that my child is beautiful' or '.... my child was beautiful' for the sake of grammer rule ?
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0answers
41 views
Subject Verb Agreement in a Nominative Clause
Okay, so I have two examples of a possible sentence:
1 - "The country's strategic value requires that it maintain a standing army."
2 - "The country's strategic value requires that it maintains a ...
0
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0answers
31 views
X, along with Y and others, “were” or “was”? [duplicate]
There is an earlier exchange on this, but one that does not include "and others" and that uses only the verb "to be." My question:
What if it were "Joan, along with Jake and others" and the verb were ...
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votes
0answers
50 views
was v. were with plural subjects that sound singular
What is correct:
A man and his cars were serious business.
OR
A man and his cars was serious business.
What is correct:
John's car, bodyguards, and wife's legs were enough to cool the bear.
OR
...
2
votes
2answers
76 views
“Memoirs” in book title - singular or plural verb?
I'm editing an article about the Battle of Agincourt. The author quotes his source as follows:
The Memoires de Pierre de Fenin place the battle "between Maisoncelles and Agincourt".
"Memoires" [...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Subject-verb agreement with more than one gerund in the subject
I have seen a discussion of double gerunds and subject-verb agreement, but not addressing the following specific situtation:
"Reading and studying history HAS or HAVE been formative...": two gerunds ...
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1answer
83 views
Using *plural* allow(s) me to [duplicate]
I can not figure out what the correct usage of allow/allows is in this case.
Using plural allow(s) me to...
Would "allow(s)" refer back to the plural and thus be "allow"? or does it refer back to ...
1
vote
1answer
346 views
Is “any of them” used with a singular or plural verb? [closed]
I'm posting this question to settle a debate.
Is the sentence, "If there are three of an unparalleled thing, is any of them truly unparalleled?" correct? The sentence throws me off because the first ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Verb agreement with a phrase set off by “but”
A coworker is writing a sentence like
Sally, but especially Joe, enjoys questions about grammar and usage.
He thinks it should be
Sally, but especially Joe, enjoy questions about grammar and ...
0
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1answer
73 views
“More than one person a day is/are killed” [duplicate]
If I wrote a sentence saying "More than one person a day _______ killed by these massacres," would the blank be replaced by is or are?
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1answer
36 views
Is “average age” singular subject or plural?
"The average age at which people died of heart disease are decreasing."
Can I use "is" in place of "are" ?
2
votes
2answers
182 views
Is “what has been discussed are…” a grammatically correct sentence?
When concluding an essay, I wrote "what has been discussed are three major advantages of xxx". But I doubt if "what has been discussed is three major advantages of xxx" is more correct?
1
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2answers
2k views
“Neither of us are” -vs- “Neither one of us is” [duplicate]
This cartoon was recently posted on Facebook. My sister (who is a retired HS English teacher) says the grammar is wrong and that the correct wording should be: "Neither one of us is." but I disagree.
...
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1answer
55 views
Singular entity, plural name/nickname — verb form?
In writing about the National Archives, I got to wondering about subject-verb agreement. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA, often called simply The National Archives) is one ...
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votes
1answer
56 views
Which one is correct? “Vaccinating children has become…” or “Vaccinating children have become…” [duplicate]
I have a doubt about the following sentence.
"Vaccinating children has become increasingly popular these days."
According to my understanding children is plural so, this sentence suppose to be like ...
4
votes
3answers
190 views
Is “any of (plural noun)” used with a singular or plural verb? [duplicate]
Does one say, "If any of my grandchildren does not attain the age of eighteen..."
or does one say, "If any of my grandchildren do not attain the age of eighteen..."
The second phrase seems to imply ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Why is the verb form “releases” used in this long sentence?
An LED needs to be a diode, specifically because the way the charge
carriers recombine in the forward-biased diode junction releases the
correct amount of energy to create photons in the visible ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Subject verb agreement when “one of” used
Are these two sentences correct?
One of the employees who is worker at KP is here.
One of the employees who are workers at KP is here.
What is the context of who in both the sentences?
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Counting nouns using “slew” and the grammatical implications
Just having a lively debate with a content writer over whether we should say
There are a slew of reasons...
or
There is a slew of reasons...
Read this article which suggests that different ...
3
votes
1answer
49 views
How do I identify subjects when quantities are involved?
I'm working my way through The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, and I came across a difficulty.
In one of the quizzes, the book asks you to identify the subjects and verbs in sentences, and ...
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2answers
44 views
Has or have in this sentence?
The two leadership styles combined have a demonstrable effect on team effectiveness
or
The two leadership styles combined has a demonstrable effect on team effectiveness
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2answers
114 views
Should “is” or “are” be used in this sentence? [duplicate]
"One example I can think of is the expiration labels on food."
It seems like you should say "is" because "example" is a singular noun, but the sentence sounds weird to me for some reason. Maybe "the" ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
David’s friendly demeanour, brilliant sense of humour and warmth, “make” or “makes” you feel right at home. [duplicate]
Should I use make or makes in the following sentence?
David’s friendly demeanour, brilliant sense of humour and warmth, make you feel right at home.
I say make, but my friend says makes.
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3answers
995 views
Can you start a sentence with “her”? [closed]
Can someone please answer this burning question? Is the following sentence correct?
Her and her voice were truly a gift.
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2answers
236 views
“He would have done anything you [would ask/would have asked/had asked] him to”
I want to say "He'll do anything you ask him to" but in the past tense, as that was the case 10 years ago, but he's not like that anymore. Which of the following should I use?
He would have done ...
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2answers
85 views
List + 'much more are' or 'much more is' - what is correct
I have the following question: If a list of items is followed by 'and much more', should the following verb be singular or plural? E.g. "over a hundred hours of gameplay, exciting quests, mysterious ...
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1answer
99 views
Subject and Verb Agreement - When to use Singular / Plural [duplicate]
I see below suggestion in Grammarly on Subject and Verb Agreement.
"The verb needs does not seem to agree with the subject that. Consider changing the verb form."
And they give below examples on ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Does “fruit” get singular or plural verb form?
Which one is correct?
There are no low-hanging fruit.
Or
There is no low-hanging fruit.
Or are both correct? If both are correct, is one of them more preferable?
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votes
2answers
230 views
Is it correct to say “the truth is” when the rest of the sentence is in the past?
Is it correct to say:
The truth is, he was a great explorer.
Or do I have to say:
The truth was, he was a great explorer.
Or are both okay?
1
vote
1answer
1k views
In my house, “there were” or “there was” many toys
Which of the following is correct and why:
1) In my house, there were many toys.
2) In my house, there was many toys.
An answer with an explanation would be greatly appreciated.
0
votes
1answer
103 views
one or more verb agreement [duplicate]
Sentence: A recent review of our records indicates that one or more of your dependents does/do not have a valid birthday on file
This is actually for a business letter and we have conflicting ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
What is the structure in the sentence: “The reason scientists believe that…”
I have this sentence from one of my IELTS books:
One of the reasons scientists think that there is a link between stress and cancer is the idea that there may be a cancer-prone personality
At ...
-1
votes
2answers
40 views
Which still wants vs which still want [duplicate]
Which one is correct?
1) Pick those pieces of your heart which still wants to be happy , or
2) Pick those pieces of your heart which still want to be happy.
2
votes
0answers
59 views
Mass Noun em-dash List-of-Plurals em-dash Verb
Is it just me, or?
All of the content you see on Stack Exchange—all the questions, answers, edits, reviews, users, badges, tags, and more—is stored in a relational database.
Seems technically ...
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0answers
49 views
“It weren't me” as used in movies depicting 19th century lower class persons in England [duplicate]
I have noticed the use of the phrases, "It weren't me" and "I weren't there" in some movies I have seen recently. The characters speaking are always very poor, lower working class people in England ...
3
votes
2answers
150 views
British English plural verb for group noun in a contraction
I'm curious about the use of the famous British plural verb form with a group noun¹ in a contraction. The general custom for the plural is discussed here and here but those don't call out contractions....
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0answers
55 views
“There is” vs. “there are” in informal situations [duplicate]
I was wondering whether it's considered okay to use “there is” with plural nouns in informal situations. I know that the correct form with a plural noun would be “there are,” but I'm not sure whether ...
0
votes
1answer
390 views
should I say 'a group of friends who lives close by' or 'a group of friends who live close by' [duplicate]
I'm attempting to design a worksheet for TEFL students. Here's one of the questions:
4) Your friend Tina who lives close by comes to visit you today. You want to ask her what she was doing when it ...
-1
votes
2answers
188 views
(English Grammar ) reason why my answer is wrong why it is not has been visiting , why is answer is have been visited [closed]
Actual question :
Since 2011 they _____ their son every year. (to visit) ?
My answer :
Since 2011 they has been visting their son every year
Correct is:
Since 2011 they have visited ...
