2. Singular: That apple looks like a ball.
Plural : Those apples look like balls.
Example :The cost of all the repairs we needed to make were
more than we could afford. (wrong)
The cost of all the repairs we needed to make was
more than we could afford. (correct)
3. Many leading members of the opposition party
have tried to justify the decision.
The only excuse that he gave for his actions was
that he was tired.
5. Example:
A group of yachts with brightly colored banners
flying in the wind were entering the harbor.
A group of yachts with brightly colored banners
flying in the wind was entering the harbor.
6. Mike told them that his cottage in one of the new
seaside developments were not damaged in the
storm.
Mike told them that his cottage in one of the new
seaside developments was not damaged in the
storm.
7. Compound Subjects:
Mike and David are coming to the meeting.
A pencil or a pen is all that you will need.
Both Mike and Tom were really fed up with the fat guy.
Either Fred or John is scheduled to be there.
Unfortunately, neither I nor my husband is able to come.
8.
Neither the post office nor banks are open
today.
Neither the banks nor the post office is open
today.
Either ……………or are also used in the same
9. Compound subject modified by each or every takes
singular verbs.
Examples:
Each boy and girl takes a turn in driving test.
Every senator and member of congress has exactly one
vote.
It seems that every town, country and village has been
affected due to recent flood.
10.
The nouns like: audience, committee, company
, team, university, jury, public, staff, school, colleg
e, university, community, government, department,
crowd, and the name of particular organizations
such as Sony, Samsung, Nokia etc
treated singular or plural
can be
11. Some nouns ends with ‘s’ and look like
plural, but they are used with singular
verbs.
For example:
Mathematics, Physics, Linguistics, Phonetics, Po
litics, Statistics, Athletics, Gymnastics, Diabete
12.
Some nouns have only plural form with ‘s’
and take a plural verb.
Examples:
Clothes, belongings, goods, troops, contents,
congratulations, remains, outskirts etc
