subject verb concord

SUBJECT-VERB CONCORD

• The rule for the formation of English subject-verb concord is that a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject, a plural verb. Six subject-verb concord errors can be identified; these are;

Cont’d

• Typical development errors• Notional concord errors• Proximity concord errors• Memory limitation errors• Plural inflection concord errors• Inability to identify noun headword

DEVELOPMENTAL ERRORS

• As a child grow his ability….• As a child grows his ability….• Life have not been smooth• Life has not been smooth• No Ghanaian University teach carpentry• No Ghanaian university teaches carpentry

NOTIONAL CONCORD ERROR

• The society at large hold the university students in high esteem.

• The society at large holds the university students in high esteem

• The energy of the employed able-bodied men are being wasted.

• The energy of the employed able-bodied men is being wasted.

PROXIMITY CONCORD ERRORS

• The reason for its fall in these areas are not far-fetched.

• The reason for its fall in these areas is not far-fetched.

• A closer look into the performances and achievements of some certificate holders have shown that…

• A closer look into the performances and achievements of some certificate holders has shown that…….

MEMORY LIMITATION CONCORD ERRORS

• This set of under age students who don’t know the difference between good and bad make things difficult for the reader.

• This set of under age students who don’t know the difference between good and bad makes things difficult for the reader.

PLURAL INFLECTIONAL CONCORD ERROR

• Little emphasis were placed on certificates• Little emphasis was placed on certificates• Mathematics have always been my best

subject.• Mathematics has always been my best

subject.• Aesthetics are also condemned• Aesthetics is also condemned.

SYSTEMATIC ERRORS

• A child wakes up and expect his parents to greet him.• A child wakes up and expects his parents to greet him.• The average Ghanaian claim or aspires to be at the most

top.• The average Ghanaian claims or aspires to be at the most

top.• The youth also consider those technologies as priorities and

tries to adapt..• The youth also considers those technologies as priorities

and tries to adapt…

THE NOUN PHRASE-The + number + of + NP

• The number of teachers that come out each year are noted for…

• The number of teachers that come out each year is noted for….

• The number of candidates who sat for the exams are very few.

• The number of candidates who sat for the exams is very few.

NOMINAL RELATIVE CLAUSE

–What every student look for is the certificate

–What every student looks for is the certificate

–What every body want is paper qualification

–What every body wants is paper qualification

TO-INFINITIVE NOMINAL CLAUSE

• To get government jobs have been the dream of many.

• To get government jobs has been the dream of many

• To keep one’s virginity make one a good Christian

• To keep one’s virginity makes one a good Christian

THE COMPLEX NOUN PHRASE

• The dream of the good people of Accra and Kumasi have eventually come to reality.

• The dream of the good people of Accra and Kumasi has eventually come to reality

• The reason for its fall in these areas are not far-fetched.

• The reason for its fall in these areas is not far-fetched.

THE VERB ‘HAVE’

• Students make noise even when the teacher have entered the classroom.

• Students make noise even when the teacher has entered the classroom

• Nowadays, the situation have changed.• Nowadays, the situation has changed.• Life have not been smooth.• Life has not been smooth.

NOUN/PLURAL-VERB/SINGULAR (PLURAL)

• Most of you violates this and indulge in wild promiscuity• Most of you violate this and indulge in wild promiscuity.• If, however, people wants to save more they spend less of

their income.• If, however, people want to save more they spend less of

their income.• Some additional parts like organic chemistry is added.• Some additional parts like organic chemistry are added.

The complex noun phrase

• The inability to identify the headword in a complex noun phrase is one of the major causes of noun-verb concord errors.

• It is the headword in a subject noun phrase which determines; noun-verb, determiner-noun, and noun - pronoun concord.

Cont’d

• Ama prepared pepper soup• The young, tall, handsome, Afro-American

visiting English professor with an insatiable thirst for beer…..,

• Within a complex noun phrase there is an obligatory headword, which can either be pre-modified or post-modified.

• NP---(pre-modifiers) Headword (post-modifiers)

Cont’d

• All items that appear before the headword are called pre-modifiers.

• All items that come after the headword are called post-modifiers.

• The student must differentiate between a singular and plural noun, between a singular and plural verb

• NPs + verb singular• NPp + verb plural

Cont’d

The society at large.• Identify the headword• Is the headword singular or plural• Substitute the NP with a single lexical item• State the pre-modifier• State the post-modifier

Cont’d

• The headword – society• Singular• Lexical item – It• Pre-modifier – the• Post-modifier at large

Cont’d

The university authorities• Authorities• Plural• They• The university• None

Cont’d

Cash-crop agriculture• Agriculture• Singular• It• Cash crop• None

Cont’d

Indiscipline among teachers• Indiscipline• Singular• It• None• Among teachers

NP + and + NP• Noun phrases and nominal clauses which function

as subject noun phrases are treated as plural when joined by the conjunction AND and, therefore, take a plural verb.

• Economics and mathematics interests me.• Economics and mathematics interest me.• What she does as a seamstress and what her

husband does differs considerably.• What she does as a seamstress and what her

husband does differ considerably.

Cont’d

• However, when two noun phrases joined by and refer to the same person or the same quality a singular verb is used.

• His bosom friend and the subsequent executor of his will were at his death-bed.

• His bosom friend and the subsequent executor of his will was at his death-bed

Cont’d

• It is love and affection which bring about the tragedy in the masquerade

• It is love and affection which brings about the tragedy in the masquerade.

There + verb + NP

• The structure There + verb + subject of its inverted order, sometimes, pose concord problems.

• There have been an uprising in the church.• There has been an uprising in the church.• There has been many contrary views• There have been many contrary views

Noun-pronoun

• The noun-pronoun concord rule is that a pronoun takes the same form – singular or plural as the noun subject headword which precedes it.

• When an urban area is developed they attract many people.

• When an urban area is developed it attracts many people.

Verb – Verb Concord

• English maintains the sequence of verb/present- verb/present, verb/past, verb/past within clauses in a sentence.

• They often meet and discussed family matters.• They often meet and discuss family matters.• They often met and discuss family matters.• They often met and discussed family matters.

Point-of-time-past

The following adjuncts, refer to time past and should be followed by verbs in the past tense:

Formerly, that time, before that time, in the past, in those days, in the olden days in the early sixties, some centuries ago, during the colonial administration, about a year ago.

Cont’d• In the past, individual schools organize

moral instruction.• In the past, individual schools organized

moral instruction.• In those days the first school certificate

holders can write letters• In those days the first school certificate

holders could write letters.

The number (singular) A number (plural)

• The number of students were small.• The number of students was small.• A number of students was taking their

exams.• A number of students were taking their

exams.

Cont’d

When a singular subject is immediately followed by expressions like;

as well as, including, in addition to, together with, accompanied by, along with, no less than; a singular verb is required.

• After every match, the captain accompanied by the coach and the team manager entertain the team.

Cont’d

• After every match, the captain accompanied by the coach and the team manger entertains the team.

• The president as well as the vice president have disappointed the minority parties

• The president as well as the vice president has disappointed the minority parties.

Cont’d

• The uncompleted house together with the plot were sold

• The uncompleted house together with the plot was sold.

Abstract nouns

• Fairness and impartiality; love and affection• Use either a singular or plural verb• The judge’s fairness and impartiality has

been admired.• His fairness and impartiality have been

admired.

Cont’d• In the construction both…. And only the

plural verb is accepted.• Both his fairness and impartiality was

admired.• Both his fairness and impartiality were

admired.• Both love and affection was responsible for

the tragedy.• Both love and affection were responsible

for the tragedy.

Cont’dTwo opening noun phrases conjoined by and

can select a singular verb if the two nouns refer to the same object or person.

• This expensive statue and memorial to the late President Nkrumah were erected at the family expense.

• This expensive statute and memorial to the late President Nkrumah was erected at the family expense.

Either …or…Neither..nor• Singular subjects joined by; or, nor, either..

or neither nor; usually take a singular verb.• Kofi or Kwame are likely to be elected

president.• Kofi or Kwame is likely to be elected

president.• Either kofi or his wife know the cause of ...• Either Kofi or his wife knows the cause

of….

Cont’d

• Either the students or the principal are being unreasonable.

• Either the students or the principal is being unreasonable.

• Either the principal or the students is being unreasonable.

• Either the principal or the students are being responsible.

Arithmetical and other sums

• Mathematical computations may take either a singular or a plural verb;

• Two and two makes four.• Two and two make four.• Ten times five is fifty• Two fives are ten (not is)

Cont’d

• Plural numbers take a singular verb when they are used in a phrase to indicate a sum or unit.

• Two million is a lot of money• Eleven years is too long a time for a

government to …..• Sixty people means a huge party