Agreement between subject and verb

1. 2 subjects connected by

1. And → plural verb form

Jean and David are moving back to Australia.

* after and can be singular verbs if we think of them as a single item:

• Meat pie and peas is Tom's favourite at the moment, (or Meat pie and peas are...)

+ fish and chips, research and development (or R and D) → is/are

2. With, as well as – the verb agrees with the 1st subject

A woman with a baby was standing at the gate

3. there is, there was etc. N sg → V sg

N pl → V pl

If the noun after be is singular, the verb is singular; if the noun after be is plural, the verb is plural

There is a very good reason for my decision.

There were too many people trying to get into the football stadium.

there is, there was + several nouns → the verb agrees with the 1^st N

If the noun phrase consists of two or more nouns in the list, we use a singular verb if the first noun is singular or uncountable, and a plural verb if the noun is plural.

When I opened the fridge there was only a bottle of milk, some eggs and butter.

When I opened the fridge there were only some eggs, a bottle of milk, and butter.

4. either…or/ neither…nor the verb agrees with the last subject

When the subject is made up of two or more items joined by (either) ...or... or (neither) ...nor... we use a singular verb if the last item is singular and a plural verb if it is plural:

• Either the station or the cinema is a good place to meet, (or ...are... in informal English)

• Neither the President nor his representatives are to attend the meeting.

*If the last item is singular and the previous item plural, we can use a singular or plural verb:

• Either the teachers or the principal is (or are) to blame for the accident.

B. one subject → V sg

1. measurements, amounts, distance, quantities

• About three meters separates the runners in the 1^st and 2^d places.

• The fifty pounds he gave me was soon spent.

2. any of, each of, every one of, none of, either / neither of, the number of + N pl → V sg.

• I don't think any of them knows where the money is hidden.

• Neither of the French athletes has won this year.

The number of books in the library has risen to over 5 million.

3. any of, none of, the majority of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of), some (of), (a) little + noun unc verb sg.

All the furniture was destroyed in the fire.

4. each, every + n sg

Every room has its own bathroom.

(!! The boys have each drawn a picture – a different structure.)

5. Everybody (everyone), anybody (anyone), Nobody (no one), somebody (someone) → V sg

Practically everyone thinks that Ruth should be given the job.

(!! Don’t forget that in disjunctive questions the tag is plural:

Nobody has been told, have they?

Everyone is ready to leave now, aren’t they? Nobody called, did they?)

3. one subject → V pl

a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of), or some (of), (a) few + N pl → V pl.

A number of refugees have been turned back at the border.

3. After per cent (also percent or %)

1.) of-phrase + singular noun → V sg:

• Around 10 per cent of the forest is destroyed each year.

2. of-phrase + plural noun → V pl:

• I would say that about 50 per cent of the houses need major repairs.

• Of those interviewed, only 20 per cent (= of people interviewed) admit to smoking.

3. % +of + Noun collective → V sg/ pl (because a singular noun can be thought of either as a whole unit or a collection of individuals)

• Some 80 per cent of the electorate is expected to vote, (or ...are expected...)

Употребление местоимений-квантификаторов

(a) little, (a) few ( Estimative quantifiers)

1) а) Местоимение (a) little сочетается с формой единственного числа существительных (обычно неисчисляемых):

He drank a little wine — Он выпил немного вина. He had little interest in sport — Он мало интересовался спортом.

б) Местоимение (a) few сочетается с формой множественного числа существительных (обычно исчисляемых):

She bought a few apples — Она купила несколько/немного яблок.

Few people can play tennis perfectly — Немногие люди умеют играть в теннис в совершенстве.

2) Различия артиклевого и безартиклевого употребления.

а) Местоимения-квантификаторы little и few (без артикля) имеют обычно отрицательный оттенок и могут означать "меньше, чем нужно", "меньше, чем ожидалось" и т.п.

Few of us can say that they always say the truth. — Немногие из нас могут утверждать, что всегда говорят правду. But the unfortunate truth is that, though he was elected with 40 percent of the vote, Khatami has little real power. — Но, к сожалению, на самом деле, хотя Хатами и получил 40 процентов голосов, его реальная власть невелика.

б) A little, a few (употребленные с артиклем) отрицательного оттенка не имеют; могут означать "немного, некоторое количество".

You don't need to buy anything, I've got a few potatoes and some bread. — Не нужно ничего покупать, у меня есть немного картошки и хлеба.

3) Местоимения little и few (без артикля) звучат довольно формально. В повседневной речи вместо них предпочтительны выражения not much, only a few (little) и т.п.

Only a few of his friends came to see him off — Немногие из его друзей пришли проводить его. I hardly saw any people there — Я там практически никого не видел.

4) Местоимение (a) little может сочетаться с формами сравнительной степени прилагательных и наречий:

Could you speak a little louder, please? — Вы не могли бы говорить немножко погромче?

5) Выражение quite a few имеет значение "довольно много", "достаточно": He's got quite a few friends in the neighbourhood. — У него довольно много друзей по соседству.