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UNIVERSITAS JEMBER
UKM PENALARAN BAHASA INGGRIS
UNIVERSITY STUDENT ENGLISH FORUM (USEF)
Jalan Kalimantan Kompleks PKM Kavling Selatan Nomor 3 Jember 68121
iloveusef@gmail.com USEF UNEJ usefunej iloveusef.wordpress.com
Basic Rule. The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural subject
takes a plural verb. The trick is knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is
recognizing a singular or plural verb.
Hint.You must add an s or es at the end of the verb when the subject (or the entity
performing the action) is a singular third person: he, she, it, or words for which these pronouns
could substitute. This is not a problem in the past or future tenses (skipped and will skip, for
It lasts for another three hours or until Veronica and Kevin last as long as they
Very often, if the subject and the verb are separated, they are separated by a prepositional
phrase which has no effect on the verb
Examples
Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as,
besides, not, etc. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural
verb.
KEMENTERIAN RISET, TEKNOLOGI, DAN PENDIDIKAN TINGGI
UNIVERSITAS JEMBER
UKM PENALARAN BAHASA INGGRIS
UNIVERSITY STUDENT ENGLISH FORUM (USEF)
Jalan Kalimantan Kompleks PKM Kavling Selatan Nomor 3 Jember 68121
iloveusef@gmail.com USEF UNEJ usefunej iloveusef.wordpress.com
Examples
The pronouns each, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular.
Do not be misled by what follows of.
Examples
1) NONE/NO
None can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it.
Examples
Examples
None can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it.
Examples
Examples
2) EITHER/NEITHER
When either and neither are followed by or and nor, the verb may be singular or plural, depending
on the noun near to the verb.
Examples
Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today.
Either John or his friends are going to the beach today.
Examples
Neither the boys nor Carmen has seen this movie before
Either John or Bill is going to the beach today.
C. GERUNDS AS SUBJECTS
If a sentence begins with [verb + ing] (gerund), the verb must be singular.
Examples
D. COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Words indicating a number of people or animals are singular, then the following nouns are
singular. In some cases they are plural if sentence indicates that individual members are acting
separately.
KEMENTERIAN RISET, TEKNOLOGI, DAN PENDIDIKAN TINGGI
UNIVERSITAS JEMBER
UKM PENALARAN BAHASA INGGRIS
UNIVERSITY STUDENT ENGLISH FORUM (USEF)
Jalan Kalimantan Kompleks PKM Kavling Selatan Nomor 3 Jember 68121
iloveusef@gmail.com USEF UNEJ usefunej iloveusef.wordpress.com
Examples
The following nouns are used to indicate groups of certain animals and are considered singular.
pack of dogs
Examples
Examples
The following nouns are always considered plural. In order to speak of them as singular, one must
say a pair of
Examples
The words here and there are never subjects because they are not nouns. In sentences beginning
with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.
Examples
Sources :
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp