1. Subject-verb agreement
2. Talking about the present
3. Talking about the present and the past
4. Talking about the past
5. Talking about the future: future forms
6. Articles
,1. Subject-verb agreement
Main rule:
Singular subject = singular verb form the cat purrs – she is dreaming
Plural subject = plural verb form the cats purr – they are dreaming
SVA1: Subjects with ‘of’
When the subject is modified by a phrase beginning with of, the verb agrees with the first noun
a group of kids run down the street a group of kids runs down the street
Exception: the/a number of X
The number of traffic violations is increasing. --> singular form
A number of traffic violations are expected. --> ‘a number of’ means ‘some’, why a plural form is required
SVA2: Either and neither
When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs
Neither of them is available
Either of us is capable
SVA3: Subjects with 'and’
When two or more subjects are connected by and, use a plural verb
softball and tennis are my favourite sports
This is not the case when:
1. They are a single concept
Fish and chips is my favourite food.
2. They are the name of a book, story, song, etc.
Frank and Fray is my favourite film.
The Birds is based on a story by Daphne.
3. Two or more singular subjects are joined by or --> singular subject = singular verb
Leila or Selin was going to contact us
4. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides. Ignore these
expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
SVA4: Measurements
Specific measurements or quantities take a singular verb
Two metres of yarn isn’t enough
Forty dollars is a nice raise.
, Twenty-four years is a long time.
SVA5: Plural complement
If the verb is a long way from the subject – because it had been separated – and closer to the complement, either the
singular or plural form is correct.
The thing that annoys me most about the weekly blogpost he writes are/is the spelling errors.
The same goes for sentences with what
What we still need to discuss during this class meeting is/are the rules concerning the genitive in English.
SVA6: Portions and percentages
Words such as some, all, percent, fraction majority, etc. Indicate portions and are usually followed by of. In this case,
the noun following of determined number of the verb (verb agrees with closest noun)
A majority of the winnings are donated to charity
Five percent of the students pass the first mastery test
Five percent of the situation is Bob’s fault.
SVA7: Collective nouns
Collective noun = a singular word for a group of people, things, animals.
Words such as company, family, crowd, faculty, staff, band, committee, Congress, flock, herd, team, jury, audience
Singular verb Plural verb
Collective noun seen as a whole The family has a monthly salary of
entity 2000 dollars.
Collective noun seen as a group of The family are all gathering here for
individuals New Year
a + collective noun A team of inspectors is visiting the SVA1
prison tomorrow.
IMPORTANT: police, cattle, people --> always plural!
The English tense system
The tense system
Active and stative events
2. Talking about the present
3. Talking about the present and the past
4. Talking about the past
5. Talking about the future: future forms
6. Articles
,1. Subject-verb agreement
Main rule:
Singular subject = singular verb form the cat purrs – she is dreaming
Plural subject = plural verb form the cats purr – they are dreaming
SVA1: Subjects with ‘of’
When the subject is modified by a phrase beginning with of, the verb agrees with the first noun
a group of kids run down the street a group of kids runs down the street
Exception: the/a number of X
The number of traffic violations is increasing. --> singular form
A number of traffic violations are expected. --> ‘a number of’ means ‘some’, why a plural form is required
SVA2: Either and neither
When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs
Neither of them is available
Either of us is capable
SVA3: Subjects with 'and’
When two or more subjects are connected by and, use a plural verb
softball and tennis are my favourite sports
This is not the case when:
1. They are a single concept
Fish and chips is my favourite food.
2. They are the name of a book, story, song, etc.
Frank and Fray is my favourite film.
The Birds is based on a story by Daphne.
3. Two or more singular subjects are joined by or --> singular subject = singular verb
Leila or Selin was going to contact us
4. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides. Ignore these
expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
SVA4: Measurements
Specific measurements or quantities take a singular verb
Two metres of yarn isn’t enough
Forty dollars is a nice raise.
, Twenty-four years is a long time.
SVA5: Plural complement
If the verb is a long way from the subject – because it had been separated – and closer to the complement, either the
singular or plural form is correct.
The thing that annoys me most about the weekly blogpost he writes are/is the spelling errors.
The same goes for sentences with what
What we still need to discuss during this class meeting is/are the rules concerning the genitive in English.
SVA6: Portions and percentages
Words such as some, all, percent, fraction majority, etc. Indicate portions and are usually followed by of. In this case,
the noun following of determined number of the verb (verb agrees with closest noun)
A majority of the winnings are donated to charity
Five percent of the students pass the first mastery test
Five percent of the situation is Bob’s fault.
SVA7: Collective nouns
Collective noun = a singular word for a group of people, things, animals.
Words such as company, family, crowd, faculty, staff, band, committee, Congress, flock, herd, team, jury, audience
Singular verb Plural verb
Collective noun seen as a whole The family has a monthly salary of
entity 2000 dollars.
Collective noun seen as a group of The family are all gathering here for
individuals New Year
a + collective noun A team of inspectors is visiting the SVA1
prison tomorrow.
IMPORTANT: police, cattle, people --> always plural!
The English tense system
The tense system
Active and stative events
