Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
meticulously; exactingly; scrupulously; diligently; thoroughly
minutely
beneath
barely
tight
TOEIC preparation test: Free online word games: Adverb Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Subject-verb agreement



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
'If' versus 'Iff' | Am I supposed not…? vs. Am I not supposed…?
Message Author
Subject-verb agreement Tue Aug 22, 2006 16:19 pm  Subject-verb agreement
 

Hi! I really need your help on this. There are so many rules on Subject-Verb Agreement that I get a bit confused when I encounter particular sentences. Can you tell me the answers to these?

1. What he needs (is/are) loving parents and a stable home.
*** What's the rule for this?

2. In the office (is/are) a table, a chair and a new computer.

This has been driving me crazy for the past few days now. Please help me! Crying or Very sad
hunnybunny
Guest





Subject-verb agreement Tue Aug 22, 2006 16:30 pm  Subject-verb agreement
 

.
It's not clear because there are options. I would prefer the plural as the formal choice in both instances, but some would use the singular in #1 because what appears singular and in #2 because the objects are being itemized one by one, as if observed in that order.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber
Mister Micawber
Language Coach
Mister Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 4281
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Learn to use the present simple with the help of this short storyEnglish grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsSign up for FREE and explore English! Click to subscribe to email English courseAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!
Subject-verb agreement Tue Aug 22, 2006 17:07 pm  Subject-verb agreement
 

Thanks a lot, Mr. Micawber! Now I can get some sleep! Laughing
hunnybunny
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 22 Aug 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Philippines

Subject-verb agreement Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:08 pm  Subject-verb agreement
 

hi

so the correct answer is

1. What he needs (is) loving parents and a stable home.

2. In the office (is) a table, a chair and a new computer.

am i right ?
smart
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 18

Subject-verb agreement Wed Aug 23, 2006 16:23 pm  Subject-verb agreement
 

hunnybunny wrote:
1. What he needs (is/are) loving parents and a stable home.
*** What's the rule for this?

2. In the office (is/are) a table, a chair and a new computer.

This has been driving me crazy for the past few days now. Please help me! Crying or Very sad

This is difficult because it's a case of inversion of the verb. Just as in a question, you move the verb up before the subject of the sentence when you add some kinds of material to the front for emphasis.

Let's go back to the basic form of the sentences as they would be constructed in the English-speaking mind before the material was moved.

Loving parents and a stable home are what he needs.
There are two things that he needs (and one of the items is plural even on its own), so you have to use the plural verb form are.

So, when you move "what he needs" to the front, and put the verb before the subject, you correctly get this:

What he needs are loving parents and a stable home.

Let's go to the next sentence:

A table, a chair and a new computer are in the office.

Again, there are three items, so you have to use the plural form of the verb.

In the office are a table, a chair and a new computer.

This whole thing is confusing at the beginning, but it's not rocket science once you realize that it involves moving things around in the sentence.

Look at these examples where the subject is singular:

A stable home is what he needs.
What he needs is a stable home.


A new computer is in the office.
In the office is a new computer.


In real-life, spoken English, people say all kinds of ungrammatical things, but what I've shown you here is the standard rule.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 4337
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Subject-verb agreement Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:51 am  Subject-verb agreement
 

thank you so much Mr:Jamie (K)

now is very clear.

kind regards
smart
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 18

Now it's very clear Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:58 am  Now it's very clear
 

Hi smart, you probably mean that Now it's very clear to you.
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary
Torsten
Site Admin
Torsten Daerr

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 7399
Location: EU

Subject-verb agreement Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:48 am  Subject-verb agreement
 

now It's very clear

thank you so much Mr:Torsten

that what i want, somebody follow or monitor what i have written?
and give me his comment and the correct way to it.
smart
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 18

Display posts from previous:   
'If' versus 'Iff' | Am I supposed not…? vs. Am I not supposed…?
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Subject-verb agreement All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums
Couldn't : Didn't: Any difference?Usage of verb ADDA little divorsedMeaning of "autumnal gourds"Look at versus Look upFragrance versus AromaHow do we have to use the modal verb 'ought to'?Do me a favour!meanings of "in my way" and "in the way""Too soon""Be going to do sth" and 'Be about to do sth'Fearful - timid and frightful :)"parent are" OR "parents is"'Comma' - 'A comma' - 'The comma''Dear Friends' versus 'Dear friends'Meaning of "crisper"'But, no matter' Versus 'But, doesn't matter'Painstakingly investigationSubject-verb agreement

Discover English-test.net
Hello everybody! I'm Polly and I'm writing from ItalyI honestly couldn't follow a word you were saying'where' vs 'in which'The meaning and use of "per se"Pimsleur Japanese 1st edition vs 3rd editionTOEIC practice test: Vocabulary Sentence: Noun Verb Vocabulary ListTOEIC practice test: Online word games: Free Nouns Verbs GameMeaning of engagement, take, evidence, election, garment, van, enlargePimsleur Japanese, Comprehensive Course I: Pimsleur Japanese Language ProgramTeaching pronoun: Letter Writing (4)English grammar quiz: Double Speak in Job TitlesJim audio books, CDs, tapes, used cassettes, audio download

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course written by Alan Townend
First name E-mail