SKILL 23: MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER CERTAIN WORDS

STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

SKILL 23: MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER CERTAIN WORDS

Certain words in English are always grammatically singular, even though they might have plural meanings.

 

Even though we understand from this example that a lot of people are going to the theatre, everybody is singular and requires a singular verb. The plural verb are going should be changed to the singular verb is going..

EXERCISE 23: Each of the following sentences contains one of the words that are grammatically singular but have plural meanings. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

 

_______	3	The president felt that no one were better suited for the position of chief staff advisor.
_______	4	Everybody participating in the fund-raiser are to turn in the tickets by 08:00.
_______	5	Because of the low number of orders, nothing has to be done now.
_______	6	Every time someone take unnecessary breaks, precious moments of production time are lost.
_______	7	Anybody who goes to the top of the Empire State Building is impressed with the view.
_______	8	Every man, woman, and child in this line are required to sign the forms in order to complete the registration process.
_______	9	It is nice to believe that anything is possible if a person tries hard enough.
_______	10	The company reiterated to reporters that nobody have been dismissed because of the incident.

 

ANSWER KEY

1	I	(admire should be admires)
2	C
3	I	(were  should be was)
4	I	(are  should be is)
5	C
6	I	(take should be takes)
7	C
8	I	(are  should be is)
9	C
10	I	(have should be were)