NAMA : PRAMUDITHA RIZKY
NPM : 15210358
KELAS : 4 EA 16
SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT
Agreement of Subject an Predicate
The following sentences all have present tense verbs.
Dr. Sheila Avery teaches.
She is lecturing.
Her students are listening.
They don’t study.
She doesn’t approve.
The singular subjects in the third person, like she and Dr. Sheila Avery, are followed
by the –s form of either the simple verb or an auxiliary.
by the –s form of either the simple verb or an auxiliary.
Agreement and Compound Subjects
A compound subjects may cause confusion in the agreement of the subject and predicate.
If the parts of the compound subject are joined by and, whether they are singular
or plural, the plural form of the verb is used.
or plural, the plural form of the verb is used.
The boys and girls are playing.
Mark and Helene approve.
If the parts of the compound subject are singular and are joined by such
connectives as or, nor, either …. Or, neither …. Nor, not only ….
But also, the singular form of the verb is used.
connectives as or, nor, either …. Or, neither …. Nor, not only ….
But also, the singular form of the verb is used.
Either Juan or his friend is expected.
Neither Helene nor Alice works.
If the parts of the compound subject joined by or, nor, either …. Or, neither
…. Nor, not only …. But also are different in number of person, the
part nearest the verb determines the number of the verb.
…. Nor, not only …. But also are different in number of person, the
part nearest the verb determines the number of the verb.
Neither Helene nor her sisters work.
Not only the students but also Prof. Ober is waiting.
Agreement and Collection Nouns
Occasionally, a noun that is singular in form may be used in
a plural sense.
a plural sense.
The crowed were waving their arms and shouting.
The committee were arguing.
Usually, however, nouns like class, group, committee, jury, and so
oncalled collectives – are considered singular, and the –s form of the verb
is used with them.
oncalled collectives – are considered singular, and the –s form of the verb
is used with them.
The committee is meeting.
The jury has been dismissed.
Verb Forms and Auxiliaries That Do Not Change Form for Agreement
The following sentences have past tense verbs.
The books came. They worked.
The book came. Marie worked.
I came. We worked.
The simple past form of the verb does not change when the person or number
of the subject changes. The same thing is true of modal auxiliaries. The other
class of auxiliaries is made up of the ones in the illustration. They function only
as auxiliaries and do not change grammatical form in the way verbs do. These
are called modal auxiliaries. Some of them do function as the past tense form
of some of the other. May changes to might, will to would, and can to could
under the influence of a past tense verb in the main clause of the sentences
or occasionally, as with could, under the influence of a past adverbial.
In the following sets of sentences, the auxiliaries remain constant regardless
of the person and number of the subject.
of the subject changes. The same thing is true of modal auxiliaries. The other
class of auxiliaries is made up of the ones in the illustration. They function only
as auxiliaries and do not change grammatical form in the way verbs do. These
are called modal auxiliaries. Some of them do function as the past tense form
of some of the other. May changes to might, will to would, and can to could
under the influence of a past tense verb in the main clause of the sentences
or occasionally, as with could, under the influence of a past adverbial.
In the following sets of sentences, the auxiliaries remain constant regardless
of the person and number of the subject.
Prof. Ober will lecture at 9:00
The student will listen.
Mrs. Todd and her children must leave early.
I must go to the bank.
What can I do for you?
Can they help?
EXAMPLE
The engineers and the company president are attending.
1. Both the teacher and the students are reading.
2. Neither Juan nor Tim is reading.
3. Juan and Tim are talking.
4. Either Juan or Tim is leaving.
5. Prof. Ober and his students are vacationing.
6. Mr. and Mrs. Avery are vacationing.
7. Neither the students nor the professor is studying.
8. Neither the professor nor the students are studying.
9. Mrs. Todd, together with her daughters is shopping.
10. Mrs. Todd and her daughter are shopping.
Sumber : - Judul Buku : Let’s Write English
- Penulis : George E. Wishon and Julia M. Burks
- Tahun : 1980
- Penerbit : Litton Educational Publishing, Inc.
- Edisi : Revised Edition