Grammar Notes
1. Subject-Verb Agreement A. Modifiers do not affect the number of the verb.
B. Expressions of time, distance, price, and weight take a singular verb.
C. With fractions or their equivalents, the noun in the of-phrase determines the number of the verb.
D. in sentences with eitherA orB or neitherA nor 8, the number of the verb is determined by the noun next to it.
- The sales manager, along with his team, wants to hold a brainstorming session.
(The phrase along with his team is a modifier.)
- Twenty dollars is too much to spend on lunch every day.
- Two-thirds of the land has been sold.
- Two-thirds of the products have been sold.
- Either the departmental head or some members of his staff are going to help us.
[Note] When the subject begins with not onlyA but (also) B or B as well as A, the number of the verb is determined by B.
2. Adjective/Determiner-Noun Agreement Modifiers and the nouns modified by them must agree in number.
- this/that book
- every contract
- another file
- each car - these/those books
- all contracts
- other files
- most cars [Note]Every and another may be followed by either a singular or a plural noun In expressions regarding time or distance.
- every day/mile
- another week/mile - every two days/miles
- another two weeks/miles
3. Noun-Pronoun Agreement Pronouns including refiexives must agree with their antecedent in number.
- The members of John’s department are young; they average 32 years in age. (NOT it)
- They advised her to take care of herself. (NOT themselves)
| 