SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT

I. Singular verbs (Động từ số ít):

1. Danh từ không đếm được hoặc danh từ đếm được số ít.
Milk is good for your health.
This book is mine.
2. Mệnh đề, động từ nguyên mẫu, danh động từ
Learning English is difficult.
What he told was interesting.
To fly in the space is her dream.
3. Each / Every / either/ neither/ one +{ danh từ số ít} / { of + danh từ số nhiều } + Động từ số ít
Each of students has a book.
Every teacher likes teaching.
*NB: Plural Subject “each” + V-số nhiều
We each have to make a kite.
4. Someone, somebody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, something, nothing,
anything, everything
Everything looks bright and clean.
5. Các danh từ chỉ môn học, tên bệnh và tên quốc gia kết thúc là‘s’:
news (bản tin), physics (môn lý), economics (kinh tế học), mathematics (toán), politics (chính trị học),
athletics (môn điền kinh), gymnastics (môn thể dục), measles (bệnh sởi), mumps (bệnh quai bị), the Philipines
(nước Phi), the United States (nước Mỹ)…
Physics is more difficult than chemistry.
6. Các từ chỉ tổng số lượng,khoản thời gian, khoảng cách, nhiệt độ và tiền:
Eight hours of sleep is enough.
Twenty dollars is too much to pay.
7. Hai danh từ cùng chỉ một người, một vật, một thứ:
My best friend and adviser, John, is coming tonight
Salt and pepper is very delicious. (Muối tiêu rất ngon).

II. Plural verbs (Động từ số nhiều):

1. Hai danh từ chỉ hai người, hai vật, hai thứ khác nhau:
Water and oil do not mix.
2. Tính từ được dùng như danh từ: The + adj
The rich are not always happy.
3. Các danh từ people (người ta), police (cảnh sát), cattle (súc vật), tweezers (cây nhíp), pants (quần tây)=
trousers, glasses (mắt kính), clippers (kéo tỉa cây, móng tay), scissors (kéo)…
The police have arrested the thieves.
4. Các từ: a few, few, both, some, a lot of, most, many, plenty of, all, several, + danh từ số nhiều
A few books I read are famous.
Many students are hard-working.

III. Singular or plural verbs (Số nhiều hoặc số ít):

1. The number of (tổng số) + DT số nhiều Động từ số ít
A number of (= many: nhiều) + DT số nhiều Động từ số nhiều
The number of students in this class is forty. A number of children like cakes.
2. No + DT số ít + Động từ số ít
No + DT số nhiều + Động từ số nhiều
No student is in the hall. No students are on the schoolyard.
3. All / some/ none /plenty/ half/ most/ a lot / lots + OF+ DT số ít + Động từ số ít
All / some/ none /plenty/ half/ most/ a lot / lots + OF+ DT số nhiều + Động từ số nhiều
None of the boys are good at English.
A lot of coffee has been hot.
4. There (be) + N: có
There is a fire in this room

Ms. Xuân Anh

5. The committee (uỷ ban), group (nhóm), team (đội), class (lớp), family (gia đình), army (quân đội)
thường đi với động từ số nhiều khi nhấn mạnh từng thành viên trong tập hợp đó nhưng còn vài trường hợp
được dùng với động từ số ít nếu nó nhấn mạnh cả tập hợp.

IV. Hợp với chủ ngữ gần: (Danh từ liên kết bởi cặp từ nối song song)

1. EITHER OR
2. NEITHER + N1 + NOR + N2 + verb
3. NOT ONLY BUT ALSO
4. OR
Not only my brothers but also my sister is here.

V. Hợp với chủ ngữ xa: (Danh từ đựơc bổ nghĩa bởi cụm giới từ)

WITH / ALONG WITH

TOGETHER WITH
ACCOMPANIED BY
N1+ INCLUDING + N2 + VERB
AS WELL AS
EVEN
IN ADDITION TO
The actress, along with her managers, is going to the party tonight.

EXERCISES
Exercise 1: Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.
1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.
2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
21. The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his daughters, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.
24. The man with his sons (walk, walks) down my street.
25. One of the students (are, is) late.
26. Every girl and boy in this room (know, knows) the answers.
27. A number of the students (fail, fails) the exam every year.
28. Half of the money (belong, belongs) to Mr. Lam.
29. The pilot along with his passengers (was, were) rescued last night.
30. Two weeks (go, goes) fast when you are on vacation.
31. The picture of the soldiers (bring/brings) back many memories.
32. Anything (is/are) better than going to the play tonight.
33. A number of reporters (was/were) at the conference yesterday.
Ms. Xuân Anh
34. There (was/were) some people at the meeting last night.
35. Each student (has/have) answered the first three questions.
36. Either John’s sons or his wife (make/makes) breakfast each morning.
37. The army (has/have) eliminated this section of the training test.
38. The number of students who have withdrawn from the class this quarter (is/are) appalling.
39. These pictures as well as this photograph (brighten/brightens) the room.
40. Gymnastics (is/are) my favourite sport.
41. The trousers you bought for me (doesn’t/ don’t) fit me.
42. Where (do/does) your family live?
43. Three days (isn’t/aren’t) long enough for a good holiday.
44. What he told you (seem/seems) to be of no importance.
45. Measles (is/are) cured without much difficulty nowadays.
46. Neither the moon nor stars (is/are) visible in this dark night.
47. Wheat (is/are) used to make flour.
48. The staff (was/were) opposed to any change.
49. Fortunately the news (wasn’t/weren’t) as bad as we expected.
50. I don’t like hot weather. Thirty degrees (is/are) too hot for me.
Exercise 2: Complete the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject
1. Many of the girls (wear) _____________white shirt.
2. Three kilos of potatoes (make) _____________the basket heavier.
3. Some of the tables in the classroom (be) _____________broken.
4. What we need most (be) _____________books.
5. The English (be) _____________proud and independent people.
6. The United States (have) _____________a population of 250 million.
7. There (not, be) _____________any letters in the mail for you today.
8. Physics (seek) _____________to understand the mysteries of the physical world.
9. Five hundred miles (be) _____________a long distance.
10. She and her friends (be) _____________at the fair now.
11. The boy or his friends (run) _____________every day.
12. His friends or the boy (run) _____________every day.
13. One of the boxes (be) _____________open
14. The people who listen to that music (be) _____________few.
15. The team captain as well as his players, (be) _____________anxious.
16. The book, including all the chapters in the first section, (be) _____________ boring.
17. The woman with all the dogs (walk) _____________down my street.
18. Each of these hot dogs (be) _____________juicy.
19. Everybody (know) _____________Mr. Jones.
20. Either (be) _____________ correct.
21. The news (be) _____________on at six.
22. Five dollars (be) _____________ a lot of money.
23. Dollars (be) _____________ often used instead of rubles in Russia.
24. These scissors (be) _____________blunt.
25. Those trousers (be) _____________made of wool.
26. There (be) _____________many questions.
27. The team (run) _____________ during practice.
28. The committee (decide) _____________ how to proceed.
29. The family (have) _____________a long history.
30. My family (have) _____________never been able to agree.
31. The President, accompanied by his assistants, (be) _____________traveling to India.
32. All of the books, including yours, (be) _____________in that box.
33. The football team, including the goal keeper (be) _____________11 players.
34. The news which (be) _____________ on TV is very informative.
35. The boy who won the two medals (be) _____________ friend of mine.
36. Bread and butter (be) _____________our daily food.
37. The quality of the candies (be) _____________ poor.
38. Gold, as well as platinum and silver, (have) _____________recently risen in price.
39. The books borrowed from the library (be) _____________ on my desk.
40. Everyone in both cars (be) _____________ injured in the accident last night.
41. In the middle of the room (be) _____________four chairs and a table.
Ms. Xuân Anh
42. My mother together with her friends often (go) _____________ for a walk.
43. Both the boss and his colleagues (be) _____________ robbed last night.
44. Mathematics (have) _____________ always interested me.
45. Twenty dollars (be) _____________ the price.
46. Mary and John (be) _____________ going to play tennis tomorrow.
47. Do you believe that the news (be) _____________ true?
48. A number of people (be) _____________ coming to my house tonight.
49. Measles (be) _____________ children’s disease.
50. Food (be) _____________ expensive nowadays.
51. Every boy and girl in this room (know)________ the answer.
52. A number of the students (fail)_______ in the exam.
53. Half of the money (belong)_______ to Mr Lam.
54. The pilot along with his passengers (be)________ rescued last night.
55. Two weeks (go)________ fast when you are on vacation.
56. Many of the girls in my school (wear)________ white shirts.
57. Eleven kilos of tomatoes (be)_________ bought from the supermarket yesterday.
58. Some of the tables in the classroom (be)_________ broken.
59. Bacteria of the harmful kind (cause) _________diseases.
60. What we want (be)__________ your truthfulness.
61. The unemployed (be)_________ living on government’s welfare.
62. The Philippines (have)________ a population of 60 million.
63. There (not be)__________ any letters in the mail for you today.
64. Mumps (spread) __________easily to other people through breathing.
65. Both the boss and his colleagues (be)________ went to the bar last night.
66. My sisters together with my brother often (jog)_______ in this park.
67. Five hundred miles (be)_______ a long distance.
68. Neither you nor I (be)_______ here yesterday.
69. Behind the room (be)________ six big trees and a lot of flowers.
70. Everyone in both cars (be)_______ rescued in the accident last night.
71. The reading material borrowed from the library (be)_______ on my desk.
72. The people who won the two medals (be)________ friends of mine.
73. Eggs and vegetables (be)_______ our daily food.
74. The quality of the cakes (be)_______ poor.
75. Oil and rice, as well as gas, (have)_______ recently risen in price.
76. I don’t think either of them (be)_______ at home.
77. Both of these oranges (be)_______ bad.
78. Everything I like (be) ________not available in the shops.
79. I find that everywhere (be) ________booked up.
80. The TV news (be)_______ at 10p.m.
81. ________(do) not only Richard but also his friends go to school by bus?
82. Twenty people (be)_______a big number for a small flat.
83. Twenty people (be)_______living in this small flat.
84. Neither of his sisters (be)________nurses. They are all doctors.
85. We each (rent)________a motorbike when going on holiday.
86. All of the students (be)_______waiting for the coming bus.
87. All of his money (be)_______deposited in the bank.
88. Linda together with her sisters (like)_________football.
89. Neither Tom nor his friends (like)_______football.
90. Very few students (be)_________only living on family’s support nowadays.
91. Just a bit amount of sugar (be)_________enough for this food.
92. Very little water (be)________required for this kind of vegetable.
93. Egg and salad (be)________my favorite dish.
94. Tom and his friends usually (go)_________to this club when they were young.
95. Economics and Physics (be)________the two subjects I registered this semester.
96. Economics (look)________simple, but it is actually not.
97. Mathematics (be)_________an interesting subject.
98. The poor (be)__________sometime happier than the rich.

Ms. Xuân Anh