SKILL 20: MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

SKILL 20: MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

A particular agreement problem occurs when the subject is an expression of quantity, such as all, most, or some, followed by the preposition of. In this situation, the subject (all, most, or some) can be singular or plural, depending on what follows the preposition of.
 








In the first example the subject all refers to the singular noun book, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was. In the second example the subject all refers to the plural noun books, so the correct verb is the plural verb were. In the third example the subject all refers to the uncountable noun information, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was.

EXERCISE 20: Each of the following sentences has a quantity expression as the subject. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the objects that the verbs agree with. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).
 

_______	3	All of the students in the class taught by Professor Roberts is required to turn in their term papers next Monday.
_______	4	Half of the food that we are serving to the guests are still in the refrigerator.
_______	5	We believe that some of the time of the employees is going to be devoted quality control.
_______	6	All of the witnesses in the jury trial, which lasted more than two weeks, have indicated that they believed that the defendant was guilty.
_______	7	She did not know where most of the people in the room was from.
_______	8	In spite of what was decided at the meeting, half of the procedures was not changed.
_______	9	I was sure that all of the questions on the test were correct.
_______	10	Most of the trouble that the employees discussed at the series of meetings was resolved within few weeks.

  

ANSWER KEY

1	C
2	I	(was should be were)
3	I	(is should be are)
4	I	(are should be is)
5	C
6	C
7	I	(was should be were)
8	I	(was not changed should be were not changed)
9	C
10	C