Dear
readers, in the previous post we discussed some of the common errors associated
with Subject-Verb Agreement that English as non-native speakers encounter in
their daily conversation. In continuation with that, this present post
highlights the common errors that people tend to commit in terms of Subject-Verb
Agreement.
Mostly
we commit mistakes based on subject-verb agreement in our English. We should
learn that verb agrees with subject. If a subject is singular, it takes a
singular verb; and if a subject is plural, it takes a plural verb. Let us look
at some of the common errors that we might encounter in our daily
conversations.
1.
The audience has highly
appreciated the game. (Correct)
The audience have
highly appreciated the game. (Correct)
Collective nouns namely, audience, organisation, nation,
society, department, family, government etc. can be used as both singular
and plural depending on the context.
2.
Where is their belongings? (Incorrect)
Where are their belongings? (Correct)
Some nouns such as goods,
earnings, premises, riches, etc. are plural noun in form, and so they take
plural verb.
3.
Bread and butter are my usual breakfast. (Incorrect)
Bread and butter is my
usual breakfast. (Correct)
Fixed
expressions like, bread and butter, bow and arrow are treated as a singular
entity. So, if two subjects refer to the same person or thing, and are joined
by ‘and’, then the verb is singular.
4.
Sixty kilograms are an average weight
for a young man. (Incorrect)
Sixty kilograms is an
average weight for a young man. (Correct)
For metres, kilometres, kilograms, we should use
singular verbs though they take plural form.
5.
This sack of sugar are spoiled. (Incorrect)
This sack of sugar is
spoiled. (Correct)
Uncountable nouns take singular verbs, as they cannot be
counted. For example, milk, sugar, rice, water, etc.
Let us discuss some more ideas on the same topic
in the next post.
Author:
Dr. K. Nandhakumar
Assistant Professor of English
Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science
(Autonomous)
Coimbatore- 641 020
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