Subject Verb Agreement:
Agreement of the verb with the subject is tricky. So knowing the rules will help. In exams we always resort to some guesses. It reduces our effectiveness.
Fill in the blanks with the correct alternative:
1. The horse as well as the rider ................ hurt by the fall. (was/were)
2. My partners as well as I .................... ruined. (was/were)
3. He as well as you ................... tired of the whole affair. (is/are)
Rule 1: When two or more Singular Subjects are connected by as well as, the Verb is singular:
In Question No. 1, the two Subjects horse and rider are connected by as well as, and these Subjects are singular. So Verb used will be singular. So, the sentence will be:
The horse as well as the rider was hurt by the fall.
But in Question No. 2 and 3 , Subjects are not singular. So Rule 1 will not be applicable.
Rule 2: When the Subjects connected by as well as differs in Number or Person or both, the Verb takes the Number and Person of the Subject that stands first:
Here Number means Singular or Plural.
In Question No. 2, the first subject My partners and the second subject I differ in Number and person, so Verb will be according to the first Subject My partners. So the sentence will be:
My partners as well as I were ruined.
In Question No. 3, the first Subject is He and the second subject is you. These Subjects differ in Person, so Verb will be according to the first Subject He. So the sentence will be:
He as well as you is tired of the whole affair.
Source: Nesfield's Idiom, Grammar and Synthesis for High Schools, (English Grammar, Book IV)
Agreement of the verb with the subject is tricky. So knowing the rules will help. In exams we always resort to some guesses. It reduces our effectiveness.
Fill in the blanks with the correct alternative:
1. The horse as well as the rider ................ hurt by the fall. (was/were)
2. My partners as well as I .................... ruined. (was/were)
3. He as well as you ................... tired of the whole affair. (is/are)
Rule 1: When two or more Singular Subjects are connected by as well as, the Verb is singular:
In Question No. 1, the two Subjects horse and rider are connected by as well as, and these Subjects are singular. So Verb used will be singular. So, the sentence will be:
The horse as well as the rider was hurt by the fall.
But in Question No. 2 and 3 , Subjects are not singular. So Rule 1 will not be applicable.
Rule 2: When the Subjects connected by as well as differs in Number or Person or both, the Verb takes the Number and Person of the Subject that stands first:
Here Number means Singular or Plural.
In Question No. 2, the first subject My partners and the second subject I differ in Number and person, so Verb will be according to the first Subject My partners. So the sentence will be:
My partners as well as I were ruined.
In Question No. 3, the first Subject is He and the second subject is you. These Subjects differ in Person, so Verb will be according to the first Subject He. So the sentence will be:
He as well as you is tired of the whole affair.
Source: Nesfield's Idiom, Grammar and Synthesis for High Schools, (English Grammar, Book IV)
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