Indefinite Pronouns
Other Pronouns
Nouns
Irregular Nouns
More Practice
100
Everyone _____ done his or her homework. A. has B. have
A. has The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.
100
Neither of the two traffic lights ___ working. A. is B. are
A. is The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things. In informal writing, neither and either sometimes take a plural verb when these pronouns are followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with of. This is particularly true of interrogative constructions: "Have either of you two clowns read the assignment?" "Are either of you taking this seriously?" Burchfield calls this "a clash between notional and actual agreement."*
100
The mayor, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, _____ finally going to jail. A. is B. are
A. is Sometimes modifiers will get betwen a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.
100
The news from the front ___ bad. A. is B. are
A. is Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.
100
Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator ____ going to have to make a decision. A. is B. are
A. is When subjects are connected with or, the subject that is closer to the verb will determine the number of the verb (whether it is singular or plural).
200
Some of the beads ___ missing. A. is B. are
B. are Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.
200
Either my father or my brothers ___ going to sell the house. A. is B. are
A. is The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or after the verb doesn't matter; the proximity determines the number.
200
My glasses____ on the bed. A. was B. were
B. were Sometimes nouns take weird forms and can fool us into thinking they're plural when they're really singular and vice-versa. Consult the section on the Plural Forms of Nouns and the section on Collective Nouns for additional help. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).
200
Measles ___ a dangerous disease for pregnant women. A. is B. are
A. is Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.
200
Kara Wolters, together with her teammates, _________ a formidable opponent on the basketball court. A. presents B. present
A. presents Don't be confused by phrases that come between the subject and the verb.
300
None of the students ____ done their homework. A. has B. have
B. have There is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural; it often doesn't matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb — unless something else in the sentence determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural verb, as in "None of the engines are working," but when something else makes us regard none as meaning not one, we want a singular verb, as in "None of the food is fresh.")
300
There ___ two reasons for this. A. is B .are
B .are The words there and here are never subjects. With these constructions (called expletive constructions), the subject follows the verb but still determines the number of the verb.
300
My pants ___ torn. A. was B. were
B. were Collective Nouns take plural.
300
My assets ___ wiped out in the depression. A. was B. were
B. were On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.
300
There _______ to be some people left in that town after yesterday's flood. A. have B. has
A. have With expletive constructions (which often begin with "here" or "there") the subject comes after the verb.
400
Everyone ____ finished his or her homework. A. has B. have
A. has Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody (listed above, also) certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb.
400
He ____ dogs. A. love B. loves
B. loves Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.
400
A pair of plaid trousers ___ in the closet. A. is B. are
A. is The subject here is "pair", which is singular.
400
The average worker's earnings ___ gone up dramatically. A. has B. have
B. have Some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.
400
Carlos is the only one of those students who __________ lived up to the potential described in the yearbook. A. has B. have
A. has The 'who' refers, in this case, to 'the only one,' which is singular.
500
Each of the students ____ responsible for doing his or her work in the library. A. is B. are
A. is Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular — Each is responsible.
500
They ___ dogs. A. love B. loves
A. love Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.
500
Rice and beans, my favorite dish, __________ me of my native Puerto Rico. A. remind B. reminds
B. reminds 'Rice and beans' is one dish, so we need a singular verb to agree with it.
500
Our thanks ___ to the workers who supported the union. A. go B. goes
A. go Some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.
500
The International Club, as well as the Choral Society and the Rowing Club, __________ to submit a new constitution. A. need B. needs
B. needs The subject here is 'The International Club,' which is singular. The modifying phrase that comes after 'as well as' modifies the subject but does not compound it as the word 'and' would do.
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