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 REVIEW ON THE RULES OF GRAMMAR

Reference: Parkhurst, Charles Chandler. English for Business (4th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1965.

Grammar is the science of the language. It sets forth the rules that govern correct speaking and writing.
In order to be able to use constructions correctly, you should understand the rules that dictate good
usage.

Making Subjects and Predicates Agree

Agreement. Remember that a verb must agree with its subject in person and number. If you will learn
the following rules concerning agreement of subject and predicate, you should have little difficulty in
writing and speaking grammatically.

1. A compound subject is one that consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by and, or, or nor.
A compound subject with and usually takes a plural verb.

Example: Speaking and listening are inseparable in many everyday situations.


Here, speaking and listening represents a compound subject calling for a plural verb.

2. A compound subject with and, treated as one unit, takes a singular verb.

Example: The candlestick and candle sells for one dollar.


In this sentence, the compound subject is treated as one unit and requires a singular verb.

3. Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb.

Example: Mathematics is required in most business schools.


In this sentence, the subject is treated singularly and therefore requires a singular verb.

A collective noun is the one that represents a group or a collection of objects or persons. Such words
as group, committee, crowd, and crew are collective nouns.

4. (a) A collective noun is singular when it refers to things in a group as separate units.

Example: The group has made its report.

(b) A collective noun is plural when it refers to things in a group as separate units.

Example: The crowd were yelling and throwing stones.


Here, crowd is treated plurally because the sense of the sentence suggests individual action
rather than group action.
5. Words such as each, every, everything, everybody, nobody, anything, and many a are called
indefinite adjectives or adjectival pronouns and always take the singular.

Example: Every secretary in our organization writes her own letters.

6. Words such as several, many, and few are to be regarded as plural. With certain words such as
more, most, all such, some, and number, either a singular or a plural verb is allowable depending on the
number of the word to which it refers.

Examples: Some of the ice has melted.


Some of the workers have a received a bonus.

7. Compound subjects with or or nor take a verb in the singular if both substantives (nouns or
pronouns) are singular.

Examples: Neither he nor you are needed.


Either he or she is waiting for the new stock.

8. If the substantives (nouns and pronouns) connected by or or nor differ in number or person, the verb
agrees with the substantives nearest to it.

Example: Neither our president nor our other executive officers are in favor of the new regulations.
Here a plural verb is used to agree with the plural noun immediately preceding it.

Example: Neither our employers nor our personnel manager approves of the new plan.
Here a singular verb is used to agree with the nearest noun manager.

9. When two or more subjects, one positive and one negative, differ in number, the verb should agree
with the positive element.

Example: It is the service department, not the salesmen, that is responsible for the delay.

10. The number of the verb is not affected by such words as including, with, together with, in addition
to, accompanied by, as well as, and the like, whenever they come between the subject and the verb.

Example: Mr. Franklin, in addition to three other employees, plans to attend the convention.
Here the verb is singular to agree with Mr. Franklin.
11. A verb in a relative clause agrees in number with the relative pronoun serving as subject of the
clause. A relative pronoun following one of refers not to one, but to the plural object of of; hence, the
relative pronoun is plural, making the verb plural.

Example: Mr. John is one of our trusted employees who have been with us for years.

12. Quantities, amounts, sums, and multiples of numbers take the singular when they express a single
idea.

Examples: Ten dollars is not enough for that job.


Three feet is too much to cut off.

13. A fraction takes a singular verb if the object of the following of-phrase is in the singular; it takes a
plural verb if the object of the of-phrase is in the plural.

Examples: Three quarters of our business is wholesale.


Two thirds of their orders are cash.

14. Company or corporation names are usually treated singularly.

Example: The Dover Company has declared an extra dividend.

15. Subjects containing of-phrase. Do not mistake the object of a preposition in the subject for the
simple subject of the sentence.

Example: The shipment of nuts and bolts was delayed by the storm.
The singular subject shipment takes a singular verb; nuts and bolts is not the subject.

16. There is and there are sentences. Whenever a sentence is introduced by the word there, the
sentence is in inverted order with the predicate preceding the subject. Whenever the subject is
regarded as singular, the verb must be singular; should the subject be plural, the verb should be plural

Example: There are employees outside the building.


In this sentence, the plural subject employees takes the plural verb are.

Example: Where is Mrs. Nelson’s husband?


Here the subject Mrs. Nelson’s husband takes a singular verb is.

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