Online+grammar+workshops+1-SVA

Basic Rule
The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.
 * NOTE:** The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular or plural verb.
 * //Hint//**: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to determine which verb is singular and which one is plural, think of which verb you would use with //he// or //she// and which verb you would use with //they//.
 * Example:**

//talks, talk//

Which one is the singular form?

Which word would you use with //he//?

We say, "He talks." Therefore, //talks// is singular.

We say, "They talk." Therefore, //talk// is plural.



Rule 1
Two singular subjects connected by //or// or //nor// require a singular verb.
 * Example:**

//My __aunt__ or my __uncle__ __is arriving__ by train today.//

Rule 2
Two singular subjects connected by //either/or// or //neither/nor// require a singular verb as in Rule 1.
 * Examples:**

//Neither __Juan__ nor __Carmen__ __is__ available.//

//Either __Kiana__ or __Casey__ __is helping__ today with stage decorations.//

Rule 3
When //I// is one of the two subjects connected by //either/or// or //neither/nor//, put it second and follow it with the singular verb //am//.
 * Example:**

//Neither __she__ nor __I__ __am going__ to the festival.//

Rule 4
When a singular subject is connected by //or// or //nor// to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
 * Example:**

//The __serving bowl__ or the __plates__ __go__ on that shelf.//

Rule 5
When a singular and plural subject are connected by //either/or// or //neither/nor//, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
 * Example:**

//Neither __Jenny__ nor the __others__ __are__ available.//

Rule 6
As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by //and//.
 * Example:**

//A __car__ and a __bike__ __are__ my means of transportation.//

Rule 7
Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as //along with, as well as, besides//, or //not//. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
 * Examples:**

//The __politician__, along with the newsmen, __is expected__ shortly.//

Excitement, as well as nervousness, __is__ the cause of her shaking.

Rule 8
The pronouns //each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone,// and //somebody// are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows //of//.
 * Examples:**

//__Each__ of the girls __sings__ well.//

//Every __one__ of the cakes __is__ gone.//
 * NOTE:** //Everyone// is one word when it means //everybody//. //Every one// is two words when the meaning is //each one//.

Rule 9
With words that indicate portions—//percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder//, and so forth —look at the noun in your //of// phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.
 * Examples:**

__//Fifty//__ //__percent__ of the pie __has__ disappeared.//

//Pie// is the object of the preposition //of//.

__//Fifty//__ //__percent__ of the pies __have__ disappeared.//

//Pies// is the object of the preposition.

//__One-third__ of the city __is__ unemployed.//

//__One-third__ of the people __are__ unemployed.// //__All__ of the pie __is__ gone.//
 * NOTE:** Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.

//__All__ of the pies __are__ gone.//

//__Some__ of the pie __is__ missing.//

//__Some__ of the pies __are__ missing.//

__//None//__ //of the garbage __was picked__ up.//

__//None//__ //of the sentences __were punctuated__ correctly.//

//Of all her books, __none__ __have sold__ as well as the first one.//
 * NOTE:** Apparently, the SAT testing service considers //none// as a singular word only. However, according to //Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage,// "Clearly //none// has been both singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism" (p. 664).

Rule 10
The expression //the number// is followed by a singular verb while the expression //a number// is followed by a plural verb.
 * Examples:**

//__The number__ of people we need to hire __is__ thirteen.//

//__A number__ of people __have__ written in about this subject.//

Rule 11
When //either// and //neither// are subjects, they always take singular verbs.
 * Examples:**

//__Neither__ of them __is__ available to speak right now.//

//__Either__ of us __is__ capable of doing the job.//

Rule 12
The words //here// and //there// have generally been labeled as adverbs even though they indicate place. In sentences beginning with //here// or //there//, the subject follows the verb.
 * Examples:**

//There __are__ four __hurdles__ to jump.//

//There __is__ a high __hurdle__ to jump.//

Rule 13
Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.
 * Examples:**

//__Ten dollars__ __is__ a high price to pay.//

//__Five years__ __is__ the maximum sentence for that offense.//

Rule 14
Sometimes the pronoun //who, that//, or //which// is the subject of a verb in the middle of the sentence. The pronouns //who, that//, and //which// become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. So, if that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
 * Examples:**

//Salma is the scientist __who__ __writes__/write the reports.//

The word in front of //who// is //scientist//, which is singular. Therefore, use the singular verb //writes//.

//He is one of the men __who__ does/__do__ the work.//

The word in front of //who// is //men//, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb //do.//

Rule 15
Collective nouns such as //team// and //staff// may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.
 * Examples:**

//The __staff__ __is__ in a meeting.//

//Staff// is acting as a unit here.

//The __staff__ __are__ in disagreement about the findings.//

//The staff// are acting as separate individuals in this example.

The sentence would read even better as:

//The staff __members__ __are__ in disagreement about the findings.//

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//**Online tasks:**//
//**[|Task 1]**// //**[|Task 2]**// //**[|Task 3]**// //**[|Task 4]**//