Subject Verb Agreement is frequently tested portion of the sentence correction part in CAT and in GMAT.You may ask what is so great in it.
A singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject a plural verb .Well the test takers tend to make it difficult .. how well if don't know the name of the subject ,you will not find a verb form that agrees with it.
"Insert the middlemen"
the most common way to confuse is to insert a phrase inbetween .
The houses of that rich man contains very expensive furniture
plural houses requires contain
Of ..
do not get confused by subject followed by the word of..
consider the sentence
The discovery of new lands was vital to the expanasion of the british empire.
vs
The discovery of new lands were vital to the expanasion of the british empire.
Another example
The actions of my friends is/are not very wise
"AND and Additives "
and combines two singular and make it plural
but other additives don't for example along with, in addition, accompanied by ,as well as ,including.They are all singular in nature.
eg :Mathematics, in addition to history, is a required subject
"Or either or & Neither nor"
now some sentence are disjunctive ,these contain one singular subject and one plural .What verb form should be used then.The subject nearest to the verb and make sure the verb agrees in number with this subject.
Eg:
Neither his friends nor joe is going to the beach
Neither joe nor his friends are going to the beach
"Collective nouns are singular in nature"
army ,crowd ..etc therefore require singular verb form
Indefinite pronouns are normally singular
what is an indefinite pronoun are those which are not specific about the things or thing they refer to
Anyone Anybody Anything .. are singular
Though some, any ,none, all ,most are indefinite pronouns depend on the context of the sentence
Each and Every are singular
Numerical words are phrases are singular though majority minority are plural.
parting tips think singular ,also try to flip the sentence to check singular or plural nature of the subject.
Now i think you are ready for the test ,please try the questions in the comment section
1 comment:
Sentence correction questions based on subject verb agreement please post answers
Since 1981, when the farm depression began, the number of acres overseen by professional
farm-management companies have grown from 48 million to nearly 59 million, an area that is about
Colorado's size.
(A) have grown from 48 million to nearly 59 million, an area that is about Colorado's size
(B) have grown from 48 million to nearly 59 million, about the size of Colorado
(C) has grown from 48 million to nearly 59 million, an area about the size of Colorado
(D) has grown from 48 million up to nearly 59 million, an area about the size of Colorado's
(E) has grown from 48 million up to nearly 59 million, about Colorado's size
Lacking information about energy use, people tend to overestimate the amount of energy used by
equipment. such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate that used by
unobtrusive equipment, such as water heaters.
(A) equipment, such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate that
(B) equipment, such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
(C) equipment, such as lights, that is visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
(D) visible equipment, such as lights, that must be turned on and off and underestimate that
(E) visible equipment, such as lights, that must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
Paleontologists believe that fragments of a primate jawbone unearthed in Burma and estimated at 40 to
44 million years old provide evidence of a crucial step along the evolutionary path that led to human
beings.
(A) at 40 to 44 million years old provide evidence of
(B) as being 40 to 44 million years old provides evidence of
(C) that it is 40 to 44 million years old provides evidence of what was
(D) to be 40 to 44 million years old provide evidence of
(E) as 40 to 44 million years old provides evidence of what was
Each of Hemingway's wives--Hadley Richardson. Pauline Pfeiffer. Martha Gelhom. and Mary Welsh --were
strong and interesting women, very different from the often pallid women who populate his novels.
(A) Each of Hemingway's wives--Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhom, and Mary
Welsh--were strong and interesting women,
(B) Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhorn, and Mary Welsh--each of them Hemingway's
wives--were strong and, interesting women,
(C) Hemingway's wives--Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhom, and Mary Welsh--were all
strong and interesting women,
(D) Strong and interesting women—Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhom, and Mary
Welsh--each a wife of Hemingway, was
(E) Strong and interesting women—Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhom, and Mary
Welsh--every one of Hemingway's wives were
The rise in the Commerce Department's index of leading economic indicators suggest that the economy
should continue its expansion into the coming months. but that the mixed performance of the index's individual
components indicates that economic growth will proceed at a more moderate pace than in the first
quarter of this year.
(A) suggest that the economy should continue its expansion into the coming months, but that
(B) suggest that the economy is to continue expansion in the coming months, but
(C) suggests that the economy will continue its expanding in the coming months, but that
(D) suggests that the economy is continuing to expand into the coming months, but that
(E) suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the coming months, but
Displays of the aurora borealis, or "northern lights," can heat the atmosphere over the arctic enough to
affect the trajectories of ballistic missiles, induce electric currents that can cause blackouts in some areas
and corrosion in north-south pipelines.
(A) to affect the trajectories of ballistic missiles, induce
(B) that the trajectories of ballistic missiles are affected, induce
(C) that it affects the trajectories of ballistic missiles, induces
(D) that the trajectories of ballistic missiles are affected and induces
(E) to affect the trajectories of ballistic missiles and induce
The rising of costs of data-processing operations at many financial institutions has created a growing
opportunity for independent companies to provide these services more efficiently and at lower cost.
(A) The rising of costs
(B) Rising costs
(C) The rising cost
(D) Because the rising cost
(E) Because of rising costs
In astronomy the term "red shift" denotes the extent to which light from a distant galaxy has been shifted
toward the red, or long-wave, end of the light spectrum by the rapid motion of the galaxy away from the
Earth.
(A) to which light from a distant galaxy has been shifted
(B) to which light from a distant galaxy has shifted
(C) that light from a distant galaxy has been shifted
(D) of light from a distant galaxy shifting
(E) of the shift of light from a distant galaxy
Though the term "graphic design" may suggest laying out corporate brochures and annual reports, they
have come to signify widely ranging work, from package designs and company logotypes to signs, book
jackets, computer graphics, and film titles.
(A) suggest laying out corporate brochures and annual reports, they have come to signify widely ranging
(B) suggest laying out corporate brochures and annual reports, it has come to signify a wide range of
(C) suggest corporate brochure and annual report layout, it has signified widely ranging
(D) have suggested corporate brochure and annual report layout, it has signified a wide range of
(E) have suggested laying out corporate brochures and annual reports, they have come to signify widely
ranging
121
Out of America's fascination with all things antique have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and
fixtures that are bringing back the chaise lounge, the overstuffed sofa, and the claw-footed bathtub.
(A) things antique have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that are bringing
(B) things antique has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that is bringing
(C) things that are antiques has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that bring
(D) antique things have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that are bringing
(E) antique things has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that bring
A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every
thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four years ago.
(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there were
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as
It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of
inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits.
(A) the frequency of inventory turnovers can be
(B) the frequency of inventory turnovers is often
(C) the frequency with which the inventory turns over is often
(D) how frequently is the inventory turned over are often
(E) how frequently the inventory turns over can be
Declining values for farm equipment and land, the collateral against which farmers borrow to get through
the harvest season, is going to force many lenders to tighten or deny credit this spring.
(A) the collateral against which farmers borrow to get through the harvest season, is
(B) which farmers use as collateral to borrow against to get through the harvest season, is
(C) the collateral which is borrowed against by farmers to get through the harvest season, is
(D) which farmers use as collateral to borrow against to get through the harvest season, are
(E) the collateral against which farmers borrow to get through the harvest season, are
Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many
states in the 1970's, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest
districts.
(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing
Neanderthals had a vocal tract that resembled those of the apes and so were probably without language, a
shortcoming that may explain why they were supplanted by our own species.
(A) Neanderthals had a vocal tract that resembled those of the apes
(B) Neanderthals had a vocal tract resembling an ape's
(C) The vocal tracts of Neanderthals resembled an ape's
(D) The Neanderthal's vocal tracts resembled the apes’
(E) The vocal tracts of the Neanderthals resembled those of the apes
137
A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were published,
reveals that Twain provided financial assistance to one of the first Black students at Yale Law School.
(A) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were
published,
(B) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year of publication as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
(C) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was
published,
(D) Mark Twain wrote a letter in the same year as he published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that
(E) Mark Twain wrote a letter in the same year of publication as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that
So poorly educated and trained are many young recruits to the United States work force that many business
executives fear this country will lose its economic preeminence.
(A) So poorly educated and trained are many young recruits to the United States work force that
(B) As poorly educated and trained as many young recruits to the United States work force are,
(C) Because of many young recruits to the United States work force who are so poorly educated and
trained,
(D) That many young recruits to the United States work force are so poorly educated and trained is why
(E) Many young recruits to the United States work force who are so poorly educated and trained explains
why
Although Napoleon's army entered Russia with far more supplies than they had in their previous
campaigns, it had provisions for only twenty-four days.
(A) they had in their previous campaigns
(B) their previous campaigns had had
(C) they had for any previous campaign
(D) in their previous campaigns
(E) for any previous campaign
The peaks of a mountain range, acting like rocks in a streambed, produce ripples in the air flowing over
them; the resulting flow pattern, with crests and troughs that remain stationary although the air that forms
them is moving rapidly, are known as "standing waves."
(A) crests and troughs that remain stationary although the air that forms them is moving rapidly, are
(B) crests and troughs that remain stationary although they are formed by rapidly moving air, are
(C) crests and troughs that remain stationary although the air that forms them is moving rapidly, is
(D) stationary crests and troughs although the air that forms them is moving rapidly, are
(E) stationary crests and troughs although they are formed by rapidly moving air, is
The period when the great painted caves at Lascaux and Altamira were occupied by Upper Paleolithic
people has been established by carbon-14 dating, but what is much more difficult to determine are the
reason for their decoration, the use to which primitive people put the caves, and the meaning of the
magnificently depicted animals.
(A) has been established by carbon-14 dating, but what is much more difficult to determine are
(B) has been established by carbon-14 dating, but what is much more difficult to determine is
(C) have been established by carbon-14 dating, but what is much more difficult to determine is
(D) have been established by carbon-14 dating, but what is much more difficult to determine are
(E) are established by carbon-14 dating, but that which is much more difficult to determine is
The Federalist papers, a strong defense of the United States Constitution and important as a body of work
in political science as well represents the handiwork of three different authors.
(A) and important as a body of work in political science as well, represents
(B) as well as an important body of work in political science, represent
(C) and also a body of work of importance in political science is representing
(D) an important body of work in political science and has been representative of
(E) and as political science an important body of work too, represent
While larger banks can afford to maintain their own data-processing operations, many smaller regional and
community banks are finding that the cost associated with upgrading data-processing equipment and with
the development and maintenance of new products and technical staff are prohibitive.
(A) cost associated with
(B) costs associated with
(C) costs arising from
(D) cost of
(E) costs of
According to a recent study by Rutgers University, the number of women in state legislatures has grown in
every election since 1968.
(A) the number of women in state legislatures has grown
(B) the number of women who are in state legislatures have grown
(C) there has been growth in the number of women in state legislatures
(D) a growing number of women have been in state legislatures
(E) women have been growing in number in state legislatures
Some scientists have been critical of the laboratory tests conducted by the Federal Drug Administration on
the grounds that the amounts of suspected carcinogens fed to animals far exceeds those that humans
could consume.
(A) far exceeds those that humans could consume
(B) exceeds by far those humans can consume
(C) far exceeds those humans are able to consume
(D) exceed by far those able to be consumed by humans
(E) far exceed those that humans could consume
The company announced that its profits declined much less in the second quarter than analysts had
expected it to and its business will improve in the second half of the year.
(A) had expected it to and its business will improve
(B) had expected and that its business would improve
(C) expected it would and that it will improve its business
(D) expected them to and its business would improve
(E) expected and that it will have improved its business
The bank holds $3 billion in loans that are seriously delinquent or in such trouble that they do not expect
payments when due.
(A) they do not expect payments when
(B) it does not expect payments when it is
(C) it does not expect payments to be made when they are
(D) payments are not to be expected to be paid when
(E) payments are not expected to be paid when they will be
The direction in which the Earth and the other solid planets --Mercury, Venus, and Mars -- spins were
determined from collisions with giant celestial bodies in the early history of the Solar System.
(A) spins were determined from
(B) spins were determined because of
(C) spins was determined through
(D) spin was determined by
(E) spin was determined as a result of
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