Guiding Principles

Illustrations

6

Two singular subjects joined by ‘and’, but both referring to the same thing, requires a singular verb.

- The teacher and mother is a kind lady.
- Fat and smelly is what John used to describe a pig.

7

Two singular subjects joined by ‘or’, ‘either…or’, ‘neither…nor’, requires a verb that agrees with the subject nearer to it.

- Neither Henry nor his friends want to visit the library.
- Philip or he has to do the work.

8

Principle 1 applies for subject and verb separated by ‘in addition to’, ‘including’, as well as’.

- The purse with its money was stolen.
- Her friends, as well as her sister, have watched that movie.

9

Plural subject which represents a quantity requires a singular verb.

- Twenty minutes is a long time to wait.
- Fifty dollars was given to him.

10

The verb agrees with the subject of the matter and not the noun.

- My greatest fear is cockroaches.
- Eating and sleeping are my favourite pastimes.

11

For sentences beginning with ‘There’, the real subject is following the verb.

- There are many birds in the park.
- There are black pen, blue pen and redpen to choose from.