English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 2: Common ESL Errors I

Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

Session 2: Common ESL Errors I (Subject-Verb Agreement) (KEY)

Part A: Diagnostic Test

Some sentences below are not correct. Identify the mistake and write the
correct form of verb in the space provided. Put a “√” if no mistake is found.

1
While technological advancement have greatly widened the has

communication channels around the globe, dissipating national,

political
2
√

3
and economic boundaries, it do not necessarily bring people closer. does
With

4
more communication pathways, communication between people do not does

5
appear to be more effective. For one, face-to-face interactions shrink
shrinks –

6
youngsters prefers browsing through the Internet and playing online prefer

games than socializing with others. For the other, the popularity of the
7
√
8
virtual world make deception and fraud easier. Any ordinary person makes
can

assume several identities, not to mention those professional fraudsters

9
√
10
who creates multiple identities, just to reap profits through create

deception. Such is the unintentional fruit of technological

advancement.
11
√

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 2: Common ESL Errors I
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement)

Basic principle: In English, the number of the subject must correspond with the
number of the verb. Put simply, singular subjects take singular verbs; plural
subjects take plural verbs.

REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING RULES WHEN YOU WRITE:

SUBJECT-VERB SEPARATION. When the verb is not immediately preceded

by the subject, make sure the verb agrees with the subject, not the intervening
nouns and/or prepositional phrases, of the sentence. For example, the girl in
red pants is my younger sister.

SUBJECT-VERB INVERSION In questions and in inverted sentences like

those starting with Here and There, the verb agrees with the subject that
follows. For example, there are over 15 tutorial schools in our
neighborhood.

COMPOUND SUBJECT (1). Plural verbs are needed where two subjects are
conjoined by And. For example, meanness and selfishness are qualities that
repel most people.

COMPOUND SUBJECT (2). When two subjects are joined by Either…Or,

Neither…Nor, the verb agrees with nearest subject. For example, either Jack
or I am responsible for chairing the coming marketing meeting.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Indefinite pronouns that end with -body, -one, or

-thing (e.g. somebody, someone, something) always take a singular verb.
Similarly, the indefinite pronouns each, either, neither take a singular verb.
However, the indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several always take a
plural verb. For example, although many have signed up for the marathon,
nobody was seen at the race.

COLLECTIVE NOUNS Collective nouns like committee, class, crew, family,

staff etc. take a singular verb when the group is regarded as a unit; they take
plural verbs if individual members of the group are considered as acting
independently. For example, the committee are uncertain of what to do next.
(The members of the committee are…)

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 2: Common ESL Errors I
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

VERBAL NOUNS AND NOUN CLAUSES. Verbal nouns (i.e., gerunds and
gerund phrases, infinitives and infinitive phrases) and noun clauses used as
subjects always take a singular verb. For example, that Gillian won a
scholarship to study in Japan is an opportunity envied by others.

PLURAL FORM NOUNS. Some nouns are plural only in form; they take a
singular verb. Examples include economics, mathematics, means, measles,
mumps, news, physics, AIDS etc.

Part C: Concept Boosting Exercises

Exercise C1
Identify and underline the subjects and the main verbs in the following
sentences.

1. For people who have asthma, strenuous exercise can be fatal.

2. My friend, who will get his PhD degree this month, wonders why finding a job
outside the academia is so difficult.
3. That Sherry took her life last month devastated everyone within her group.
4. Being able to listen to others is an important quality of a successful social worker.
5. Among the important qualities of being a successful fashion designer is the
courage to explore new things.
6. When a divorce happens, either a betrayal or financial issues are often the cause.

Exercise C2
The following paragraphs contain subject-verb agreement errors.
(1) Read through the paragraphs.
(2) Underline only the subjects related to the mistakes found.
(3) Correct the errors found, if any. Some sentences are error-free.

Symbols
Subject identified
Errors identified
(Corrections)

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English for Academic Studies (Workshop) Session 2: Common ESL Errors I
Semester 1, 2009/10 ©PolyU HKCC

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PARAGRAPH 1

(1) Living in this costly and highly competitive society, most Hong Kong people
focus on financial security and social successes. (2) Having a lot of children are (is)
not only financially infeasible but also in many ways psychologically taxing. (3)
Phenomena like mothers of kindergarten kids sharing information about recruiting
so-and-so tutors so as to assist their children to enter some famous primary schools is
(are) not unfamiliar to most. (4) When their kids becomes (become) old enough to
learn musical instruments or sports, some parents start learning music and/or sports as
well, just to accompany their beloved sons and/or daughters to pursue their “hobbies”.
(5) When I encounter situations like these, I cannot but wonder what are (is) the real
purpose of bringing forth children. (6) Are (Is) having children a blessing still? (7)
Or bearing and rearing children at this society has (have) become a curse in disguise.

PARAGRAPH 2

(1) People having different sexual orientation seems (seem) to be on an increase. (2)
However, does it mean that the public show (shows) more tolerance of them? (3)
Quite the contrary. (4) In many ways, homosexuals is (are) still discriminated. (5)
The fact that they are still disallowed from getting married legally leave (leaves) them
at a disadvantage position. (6) Without the blessing of legalized marriages, the
group are (is) debarred from enjoying the welfares shared by many of the
heterosexual couples. (7) Furthermore, day in day out, they still need to endure the
subtle discriminations flung out against them. (8) It seem (seems) that there are (is)
still a long way to go before they can be treated equally. (9) Fighting for equality is
no doubt an uphill battle.

PARAGRAPH 3

(1) Over the recent years, people have started to notice an awful increase in teenage
violence. (2) There are (is) a wide concern that the media may have misled
teenagers to resort to violence. (3) It is claimed that movies like Infernal Affairs and
video games like Resident Evil has (have) promoted the idea of violence among
teenagers. (4) However, another group maintain (maintains) that the teenagers are
able to have their own judgment on the issue. (5) There are probably truths in both
arguments but I think the media influences on teenagers is (are) profound, and the
media should not give teenagers a wrong message of violence.