CHUYÊN ĐỀ SUB-VERB AGREEMENT

He sings very well.
She sings very well.
She and he sing very well.
She or he sings very well.
she
She and he
She or he
sing
sings
sings
Singular
plural
Singular
Singular
plural


Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns:
Singular N Plural N
1. Uncountable Nouns: sugar,
money, water, .…
2. a/an/ one + countable noun
3. Abstract nouns: joy, love,
shame, helpfulness……
4. -ing forms: learning,
smoking, parking,…
Countable noun +“s/es”:
1. books, students,
classes, babies…

2. wife  wives
child children
man  men
1

Some nouns are always used with plural verbs.
2
3
Some nouns that end with “-s” are not
plural nouns.
Example:
Example:
People, police, cattle, clergy, folk,
the + adj (the poor, the rich )… …
News, measles, mathematics, athletics…
Singular Nouns and Plural nouns:

Put the verbs in the correct form:
1.My teacher always (help) us when we
ask.
2.He (not/have)….dinner, and my children
(not/have) … it yet.
3.Milk (be)……good for your health.
4.The poor always (need)…help.
5.Mathematics (teach)……by Professor Li.
helps
is
haven’t had
hasn’t had
is taught

need

1
Subjects that refer to distances(kho¶ng c¸ch),
heights(chiÒu cao), weights(c©n nÆng), or
amounts of money
Example:
Ten million dollars is a lot of money.
Three kilometers is not a long way.
2
every
each
either
neither
one
another
much
anybody
someone
everybody
nobody
+ V
sing

Example:
Everyone has arrived for two hours
Singular Verbs:

3
Group of certain animals always take

singular verbs:
Example:
+ V
sing

The flock of birds has arrived the nets
Singular Verbs:
Flock of (birds,
sheep, )
Herd of cattle
Pack of dogs, cats…
School/ shoal
of fish
Pride of lions
……

Circle the correct answer:
1.Three kilograms of rice cost/ costs five
dollars.
2.I think 20,000 dollars is/ are reasonable
for this house.
3.Nobody work/ works harder than him.
4.Each student has/ have answered the
first three questions.
5.Three days isn’t/ aren’t long enough for
a good holiday.

Plural Verbs:
1
Example:

S
1
and S
2
+ V
plu
Tom and Mary don’t like rock music.
But:
Bacon and eggs is John’s favourite breakfast.
Fish and chips is common fare in England.

Plural Verbs:
2
Example:
A few students have got good marks.
Many people attend our meeting every months.
Both
Few
A few
Several
Many
Others
+ N
cn
+ V
plu


Find 3 wrong sentences and correct them:
1.Some sugar and some salt is enough.

2.Both projects have been completed.
3.Many people have applied for the job
but few is qualified.
4.Working hard and saving regularly
brings us everything.
5.Only Tom has to stay here, others have
to go out.
are
are
bring

Plural or Singular Verbs:
1
Example:
Either
Neither
Not only
+ S
1
+
or
nor
but also
+ S
2
+ V
s2
1. Not only students but also my teacher is interested
in our football matches.
2. Not only my teacher but also students are interested

in our football matches.

Plural or Singular Verbs:
2
Exampl e:
S
1
,
like
as well as
with
besides
together with
along with……
+ S
2
+ V
S1
John, as well as Peter is good at Maths

Plural or Singular Verbs:
Any
All
More
Some
None
Most
Three quarters of
….percent of
Half of

3
Exampl e:
Some oil has been spilt.
Some workers don’t know about their new director.
+ N
plu
+ V
plu
+ N
sing/ucn
+ V
sing

Plural or Singular Verbs:
4
Example :
A collective noun that refers to a group of
things or people may take a singular or plural
verb. The choice depends on the context:
Audience (khán giả), class (lớp), club, government,
group, jury (bồi thẩm đoàn), team,
My class always goes to school on time.(Mỗi
thành viên trong lớp)
My class is always the top ten. (tập thể lớp)

Plural or Singular Verbs:
5
Example:
A number of children like going to the zoo.
The number of books was bought yesterday.

A number of
The number of
+ N
plu
+V
plu
+V
sing

HAVE or HAS
1.Either John or you ……… met Mrs. Lee.
2.Alex, as well as two older brothers, …….
a good full-time.
3.All the work …………been done already.
4.The number of students ……… taken
part in the volunteer.
5.Not only Mary but also John’s friends
……….been surprised at his party.
HAVE
HAVE
HAS
HAS
HAS