Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - III

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - III

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.

Either Chief Minister or his ministers is visiting the flood situation.     (Incorrect)

Either Chief Minister or his ministers are visiting the flood situation. (Correct)

When we use either-or, the verb takes the singular or plural form depending on the subject closest to the verb. 

Neither my friends nor I are going to movie tonight.                 (Incorrect)

Neither my friends nor I am going to movie tonight.                 (Correct)

This example with neither-or indicates that the verb can be singular or plural depending on the subject closest to the verb.

Everyone are fine at home.                         (Incorrect)

Everyone is fine at home.                                 (Correct)

When we use everyone, everything, everybody, anybody and somebody the verb should be in singular form. 

Nobody are here.                                         (Incorrect)

Nobody is here.                                         (Correct)

The words like everybody, everyone, everything, nobody, and nothing always take singular verb only. 

Thangaraj, as well as his friends, want to present me a gift.                 (Incorrect)

Thangaraj, as well as his friends, wants to present me a gift.                 (Correct)

The phrases like ‘as well as’ and ‘together with’ do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is singular.  If the subject is plural, the verb is plural. 

 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