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Irregular  Agreement

Recognizing unusual singular or plural forms

 

 

 

Regular vs. Irregular Agreement
REGULAR IRREGULAR

Usually, a singular verb agrees with a singular noun, and a plural verb agrees with a plural noun.

In some cases, a noun has no plural form. Thus, a singluar-looking form agrees with a plural verb.

goatsA goat is walking on the road.
Two goats are walking on the road.

shepA sheep is walking on the road.
Two sheep are walking on the road.  (also: fish, deer)
  

Related page: Singular plural forms

 

 

Irregular Agreement
A PLURAL COUNT NOUN – singular verb A GROUP NOUN  – plural verb

Use a singlular verb with these plural count nouns.

Use a plural verb with these group nouns.

newspaperThe news is good today!
 

the policeThe police are coming. (group noun)
A police officer is coming.
 


Boy ScoutsThe Boy Scouts is a large organization.
Organizations: The United Nations, The Democrats, The Lyons Club, etc.
 


Funny PeoplePeople are funny.
 


teacherMathematics is a basic course.
Classes: Mathematics, Statistics, Linguistics


The EnglishThe English are a proud people.
THE PEOPLE: The Japanese, The Chinese, The Portuguese, The Spaniards, etc.

See Articles - Nationality  


US MapThe United States is a large country.
The Philippines, the Maldives, the Netherlands, etc.


CattleThe cattle are in the field.


Macy Department StoreMacy's is a nation-wide store.
Quantities of time: 24 hrs, 7 days a week,
Four plus four is eight. One and one is two.

 

 


fishThree fish are swimming with scuba tanks.

(Fish has no plural form.  See varieties.)


Clock twenty minutesTwenty minutes is a short time.
Quantities of time: 24 hrs, 7 days a week,
Four plus four is eight. One and one is two.

Three hundred and sixty five days equals a year.


deerTwo deer are in the field.

 

 

 

the measlesThe measles is a serious illness.




 

aircraftAircraft are light weight.

An aircraft is overhead.

 

 

 

 

Languages and Gerund (Activities)
LANGUAGES ACTIVITIES

Languages are always singular.

Gerunds (verb+ing) are always singular.

English spoken hereEnglish is spoken here.
LANGUAGE: Spanish Japanese, Chinese,
Portuguese, Chinese, Swahili, etc.

DancingDancing is a lot of fun.
Gerunds (activities) : running, swimming, cooking, sleeping, etc.

Also see - Articles - Nationality 

 

 

 

Group Noun Exception
SINGULAR PRONOUN AGREEMENT PLURAL PRONOUN AGREEMENT

Refers to all as a group.  It takes all to win.

Refers to the members of the group – each one.

A soccer team becomes the pride of the country when it wins the state championship.

soccerA soccer team becomes the pride of the country when they win the state championship.

 

 

 

 

Related page  A number of / The number of    

 

 

 

 

bat and ballPractice

Exceptions

 

 

 

 

Decide whether the sentence needs a singular or plural verb.

  1. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
  2.   * indicates an incorrect answer. 

 

# YOUR RESPONSE OPTIONS
1. is     
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