AGREEMENT

For the most part, agreement rules are rather simple and easy to learn. Some special situations, however, are tricky, so you must always be aware of agreement in formal writing. Be aware also that these are the errors that you can really make you look foolish in certain high-brow circles.

Subject-Predicate (Verb) Agreement:

Rule (a): A compound subject connected by and takes a plural verb.

Work and play are not equally rewarded.

Rule (b): A compound subject connected by or, nor, either … or, neither ... nor, not ... but, agrees in number and person with the nearer subject.

Either fans or an air conditioner is necessary.

Either an air conditioner or fans are necessary.

Rule (c): Words like "as well as" or "along with" do not form compound subjects, so they do not affect the verb.

The engine as well as the wings was destroyed.

Other connectives which do not affect the verb: "in addition to," "together with," "with," "including." (Notice how intensely stupid this string of quotation marks looks -- we need another mark of punctuation!)

Rule (d): A collective noun (which names groups) takes a singular verb when referring to a group as a unit (one = singular).

If the members of the group are thought of as performing separate actions, the verb must be plural to distinguish that the group are not all doing the same thing.

The family is going on vacation. (as a unit)

The family are going on vacations. (separately)

Rule (e): Nouns plural in shape, but singular in meaning take a singular verb.

Economics is a science.

The news is disappointing.

Other nouns: tactics, data, trousers, pants, scissors.

Rule (f): Indefinite pronouns always take singular verbs.

This is one of the most commonly fouled-up rules in all of English grammar. Some of the more common indefinite pronouns are as follows: each, neither, one, no one, everyone, someone, anyone, nobody, everybody, somebody, anybody

All the words listed above are considered to be referring to one thing: each, one, etc.

Even words like somebody, everybody, anybody are considered singular because they distinguish one body - every (one) body; any (one) body, etc.

Everybody wants his equal chance.

Someone forgot her purse. (Ok, it's sexist, but it is definitely not "their purse.")

Rule (g): Definite quantities greater than one are plural.

If you can substitute a number mentally, words like some, none, many, part, all, half, are usually plural. If you can't substitute-a mental number, they are probably singular. In other words, hard numbers are plural.

Some (three) of the apples were spilled.

Some (no number logically fits) of the sugar was spilled.

Half (seven) of the students were absent.

Half (no number) of the money is yours. (The quantity is, therefore, unknown.)

Rule (h): In an anticipating subject structure, the count is taken from the actual subject.

"There" and "here" are devices which allow the subject to follow the verb. In sentences beginning with there and here, the verb's number will depend on the subject.

There was a long interval between acts.
There were thirteen blackbirds on the fence.
Here is a thing to remember.
Here are two things to remember.

Rule (h): After a relative pronoun (who, which, that) the verb has the same person and number as the antecedent.

We who are about to die salute you.

We = plural; who = relative pronoun referring to plural "we"; therefore, a plural verb, "are," is used.

Rule (i):A title is singular and requires a singular verb even if it contains plural words and plural ideas.

The Canterbury Tales is a comedy.

Rule (j): Few refers to definite numbers; less refers to indefinite numbers or quantities.

Joe has fewer apples than Fred. (The apples can be counted.)

Fred has less sense than Joe. ("Sense" is an indefinite, uncountable quantity.)

This rule is my personal pet peeve. You see it violated everywhere. I have yet to see an Express Lane that did say something like "Ten items or less," and that, folks, is incorrect. Join me in my crusade to stamp-out this illiteracy.

Exercise 1: Circle the correct word in each of the following sentences. The answers follow— don't look!

Work and play (is, are) not the same.
Either the man or the girls (is, are) responsible.
Neither the woman nor the teacher (is, are) at home.
The house as well as the trees (was, were) burned.
The class (is, are) doing separate projects.
Economics (is, are) a major problem today.
Everyone wanted (his, their) paycheck.
Some of the boys (was, were) there.
Some of the salt (was, were) spilled.
There (was, were) a long line.

Answers:

1. are 6. is

2. are 7. his

3. is 8. were

4. were 9. was

5. are 10. was

If you did not complete this exercise with 100% accuracy, go back and review the rules presented before continuing.

PRONOUNS: AGREEMENT & REFERENCE

Rule (a): In general, use a plural pronoun to refer to a compound antecedent with "and."

The owner and the captain refused to leave their distressed ship.

Rule (b): With compound antecedents connected by or, nor, either... or, neither ... nor, not only .... but also, the pronoun will agree with the nearer part of the antecedent.

Neither the Secretary nor the Undersecretary was in his seat.

Neither the Secretary nor his aides were in their seats.

Rule (c): As with subject-verb agreement, collective noun antecedents take plural pronouns when considered separate, and singular pronouns when considered as a unit.

The committee presented its report.

The committee filed into the room and took their seats.

Rule (d): Singular antecedents such as each, either, neither, one, no one, everyone, someone, anyone, nobody, everybody, somebody, anybody, usually call for singular pronouns.

None of the hunters felt that he had had a good day.

Nobody felt that he had had a good day.

Rule (e): Who, which, and that have particular uses.

(1) which refers to animals and things.

The dog which sat beside him was restless.

(2) who refers to persons.

(3) that usually refers to animals.

Note: Sometimes "that" and "who" are interchangeable (grudgingly given).

Rule (f): Pronouns like "this", "that", "which", and "it" should never be vaguely used to refer to an entire sentence or clause.

(incorrect usage below)

Some ballads hundreds of years old are still popular. This is one difference from today's music.

"This is" — what? longevity.)

Rule (g): Make a pronoun refer clearly to one antecedent, not uncertainly to two.

uncertain: Melville visited Hawthorne while he was American consul in England.

clear: While Hawthorne was American consul in England, Melville visited him.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct word in each of the following sentences.

1. The second baseman and the shortstop refused to take his, their) turn at bat.

2. Neither the principal nor the teacher was in (his,their) seat.

3. Either the advisor or the students (was, were) going to the meeting.

4. The committee presented (its, their) report.

5. None of the players felt that (he, they) had had a good day.

6. The dog (which, who) sat beside him was tired.

7. The boy (who, which) went home was restless.

8. The cow (who, that) gives the most milk is best.

9. Neither the cows nor the horses (was, were) in sight.

10. Anybody who wants (his, their) job better stay.

Answers:

1. their 6. which

2. was 7. who

3. were 8. that

4. its 9. were

5. he 10. his

AGREEMENT NOTES

LIE/LAY

LIE— rest in a flat position, LAY— to put, or to place.

Mary lies on the floor.
Lay the book on the shelf.
YesterDAY in bed I LAY.
You will get burnt if you lie on the beach.
Don't lay the pen on the table.
I don’t know how long I lay there.

Past tense of LIE is LAY: in bed I LAY yesterday. Lie with a helping verb is LAIN In Pain I have LAIN

Conjugation

Lie lay have lain: Lay laid have laid

Keith must lie in bed.
Where did she lay her coat?
She had lain in the rain.
He laid the paint on too thick.

SIT/SET

SIT take a sitting position or recline on buttocks.

He sits in place; a kettle sits on the stove.

SET— to put or place; you do not set anything unless you name something. Set always takes a direct object.

(you) SET the bag on the floor.

I sat. He sat there for an hour. He had sat there. Sit, sat, sat, set, set, have set. No change in the past tense.

RISE/RAISE

Rise— get up or go up, RAISE— lift something, name something, requires direct object.

rise, rose, have risen

raise, have raised.

The speaker raised his voice. Campers raised the tent , but the tent rose. The ballon raised the ribbon. The ballon rose. Raised requires direct object.

A man SET his suitcase in the aisle then SAT down beside the woman and RAISED his arms, while the women ROSE from her seat.

The company’s prices rose after it raised the worker's salaries.

WHO/WHOM

who is the subject of the verb; use WHOM when it is the object of the verb or preposition. When inside of a clause it depends on the verb within the clause (dep clauses especially)

PN you always requires a plural in English.

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