TOPIC: GREEMENT             

• SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

• PRONOUN AGREEMENT

  SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT(主詞與動詞的一致性)

    The Rule: Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects 

         take plural verbs.

A. 人稱代名詞與動詞一致法:

       HE，SHE，IT   -->      does ，has， is    

                                  --->     doesn’t，hasn’t，isn’t  

          I     -->   am，was   /    do， have 

                --->   wasn’t              don’t，haven’t 

       WE, YOU, THEY   -->   are，were  /   have， do 

                                             -->    aren’t，weren’t  /  haven’t，don’t

B.  複合主詞 (Compound Subjects) 與動詞一致法:

• 1. And - Compound : 兩個或兩個以上的主詞以對等連接詞 and，both-and 相連者，原則上使用複數動詞。但複合主詞在概念上指一人、一事、或一概念時，雖以and相連，仍使用單數動詞表示一致。

The Ohio River and the Missouri River empty into the Mississippi.

Capturing wounded animals and healing them are his great pleasure.

Bread and butter (buttered bread) is my favorite food. (one item)

My friend and classmate, Jason Brown, is going with me. (one person)

The Stars and Stripes flies overhead.

• 2  Nor - or  Compound :  Neither-nor，Either-or，Nor，Or 連接兩個以上的主詞時，動詞與最接近的主詞一致。

Neither the teacher nor his students were able to find the classroom .

Is neither farmer nor the chickens aware of the hawk?

Either you or I am in the wrong.

• 3. Not - but Compound : 以Not only - but (also)相連接的主詞，因強調後者的重要性，動詞與後面的主詞一致。

         Not only Nancy but also her parents are coming .

Not only his friends but his wife is ashamed if his conduct .

C. 以 as well as, including, together with, with 等附加主詞的表達為主詞的句子，雖在意義上為複數，動詞以其前面主詞一致。

       Bob, along with Dick and Harry, is going on vacation.

       Tom, as well as Bob, plans to have a party next week.

D. 集合名詞( Collective Subjects ) 與動詞的一致性:

• 1. 集合名詞如 family, committee, jury, crowd, group, team, class等 指一單位，一團體時，以單數動詞表示一致。當集合名詞指單位團體中的個別成份或成員時，則以複數動詞表示一致性。

Our team has won twelve games . (one group)

Our team have been arguing about this drama. (individuals)

• 2. The Number of .. 引出的主詞表示單數的概念，動詞以單數呼應。以 A Number  of ..  引出的主詞表示複數概念，動詞以複數呼應。

   The number of fish killed by polluted water is great .

   A number of fish are killed by polluted water .

• 3. 以數量詞Plenty of ，A lot of ，Half of ， 分數，百分比等引出的主詞，動詞需與主詞的單複數一致。

        One half of the students have finished the examination.

        Forty percent of the trees were damaged by the hurricane.

        Some of the lemonade has disappeared.

        More of this matter needs explaining.

        The best part of these early years was spend in finding himself.

        A lot of money was spent on the task. 

       Three-quarters of the money is enough.

E.  當主詞表示若干有關度量、價值、距離、重量及時間等的複數名詞，其動詞的單複數形式決定於文意。(1)看作整體 (2)看作若干單位的條件。

        Ten miles is the distance to the nearest gas station.

        A million dollars is a lot of money.

        Forty percent is a big commission.

        Three years is a long time to wait.

        Three years have passed since I saw her.

F. 主詞在形式上雖為複術，但在文意上祇表達單一活動或概念時，以單數動詞與之呼應。

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. (學科)

Politics is the concern of every thinking citizen. (公眾活動)

Mumps is a contagious disease with the swollen neck and face. (疾病)

Tales of the South Pacific is a prize-winning novel. (書名)

Women is the plural of woman. (解釋)

G. 以不定代名詞 A, any, anyone, anybody, another, each, either, every, everybody, everyone, everything, much, little, one, nobody, nothing, somebody, someone, something 等為主詞的句子，雖在意義上為複數，仍以單數動詞表示文法上的一致性。

   Everybody has left.

    Neither story is interesting.

    No teacher and (no) student is in the classroom.

   Each boy and (each) girl is here.

H. 以Here、There所引導的虛主詞構句，動詞需與句中的真主詞單複一 致。

    There are certain strong points in his arguments.

    On this question, there remains no doubt.

 I. 以動狀詞 Verbals ( infinitives, gerunds, or participles)為主詞的句子，動詞以單數動詞表示文法上的一致。

    Swimming is my favorite sport.

     To know me is to love me.

     Eating too many chips does not worry him.

  Four easy steps for avoiding Subject-Verb embarrassment

1. Find the main verb. Don't be distracted by verbals.

2. Find the real subject. ask who or what is doing the action?

3. Is the subject singular or plural?

4. If the subject is singular, match it with the main verb. If the subject is plural, match they with the main verb.

    Bob is one of the men who drink before dinner.

    Bob is one man who drinks before dinner.

   This rake is the only one of all these tolls that is made by AcmeTools.

  PRONOUN AGREEMENT

  The Rule: Use a singular pronoun with a singular antecedent; use a plural pronoun with a plural antecedent.

     Bob and Harry are eating their pizza.

     Neither Bob nor Harry is eating his pizza.

     Each of the men is eating his pizza.

     Everyone should eat ________ pizza. (his or her)

     When a man or a woman falls in love, _______ becomes absentminded. (overly politically correct: he or she)

     When men and women fall in love, they becomes absentminded.

A. Be consistent in the use of pronouns

                You must pick up your ticket before taking your seat.

                One must pick up one's ticket before taking one's seat.

B. Nouns connected to singular pronouns should also be singular; Nouns connected to plural pronouns should also be plural;

           Each of the men asked for a raise. (not raises)

              All of the men wore dresses. (not a dress)