BASIC RULES IN AGREEMENT AND GRAMMAR

1. A verb agrees with its subject in person and number.

Wrong: They doesnt understand what to do.
Right: They dont understand what to do.
2. The number of a noun in a phrase introduced by the preposition of does not the
number of verb.
Wrong: A list of books were made by Bong.
Right: A list of books was made by Bong.
3. Compound subjects joined by and ordinarily take the plural form of the verb.
Wrong: Here comes Nanding and Manny.
Right: Here come Nanding and Manny.
4. When two or more singular subjects are joined by or or nor, a singular form of
the verb is required.
Wrong: A mans success or failure lie in his hands
Right: A mans success or failure lies in his hands.
5. Intervening phrases introduced by of, with, together with, as well as, including,
besides, no less than, in addition to, accompanied by, not, do not affect the form of
the verb.
Wrong: The teacher, together with her pupils were there.
Right: The teacher, together with her pupils was there.
6. Compound nouns joined by and use the singular form of the verb if they are
regarded as a unit.
Example: Bread and butter was all he asked for.
7. When the subject and predicate nominative differ in number, the verb must
agree with the subject not the complement.
Wrong: The theme of the essay are the experiences of our heroes.
Right: The theme of the essay is the experiences of our heroes.
8. Compound subjects joined by either-or, neither-nor, not only-but also ordinarily
take verbs agreeing in number with the nearer subject.
Wrong: Not only the students but also the teacher are learning.
Right: Not only the students but also the teacher is learning.
9. When subject comes after the verb make sure that the verb agrees with its
subject.
Wrong: In this school is enrolled several alien students.
Rights: In this school are enrolled several alien students.
10. Never begin a sentence with a participle that does not logically modify the
subject of the sentence.
Wrong: Walking around the campus, the bell rang.
Right: Walking around the campus, I heard the bell rang.
11. Sentence elements that are grammatically connected should be closed together.
Wrong: I, after the class, went to the movies.
Right: I went to the movies after my class.
12. Modifiers should be placed as near as possible to the words they modify.
Wrong: She rushed into the room just as we are singing the last song breathless with
excitement.
Right: Breathless with excitement, she rushed into the room just as we are singing
the last song.
13. Avoid dangling modifiers
Wrong: Having taken the entrance examinations, the President of the College
accepted me.
Right: After I had taken the entrance examinations, the President of the College
accepted me.

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14. Ordinarily, this and that take a singular form of the verb while these and those
take the plural form of the verb.
Examples: That is good idea.
These are times that try mans soul.
15. The following indefinite pronouns are ordinarily used with the third person. They
take the plural form of the verb: all, both, few, many, several, some.
Examples: All were satisfied.
Both are to be blamed.
16. The following indefinite pronouns, whether singular or plural in meaning are
ordinarily used with the third person form of the verb: each, everybody, everyone,
everything, any, anybody, anything, other, somebody, someone, something, one,
nobody, either, neither, another.
Examples: Each arrives on time.
Everything is in order.
17. The title of a book is considered singular.
Example: The Dialogues of Plato is a great classic.
18. The word people, meaning many persons is plural.
People refer to different races.
Examples: The people were excited about the news.
The people vote for Eraps candidates.
19. The expression the number of takes a singular form of the verb, while the
expression a number of takes the plural form of the verb.
Examples: The number of students in the class is limited.
A number of books are on reserve in the library.
20. Noun referring to money, time, measurement or distance that is preceded by an
expression of amount or quantity is considered and takes the singular form of the
verb.
Examples: Five hundred pesos is too much for that shirt.
Three weeks is a long time to wait for you.
21. The number of the noun that follows an expression of fraction or portion
determines the number of the verb to be used.
Examples: One third of the apples are yours.
Half of the apple was eaten by rats.
22. Sentences introduced by it take the singular form of the verb.
Examples: It is time to say goodbye.
It hurts to say goodbye.
23. The number of the subject of a sentence introduced by there determines the
verb to be used.
Examples: There is man in the room.
There are days when she is lonely.
There are five schooldays in as week.
24. The verb takes an s when it is used in the third person singular of the present
tense.
Example: Jerry plays chess vigorously.
25. The expressions, one of the, the number of and a number of are always followed
by plural nouns.
Examples: One of the boys is absent.
A number of books were stolen.
A number of apples were rotten.
26. Some nouns are always plural in form
Examples: news, measles, mumps, pants, shorts, scissors, trousers.
The news for today is about the PNPs corruption.
27. Nouns such as Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Politics, Physics are used with
the singular form of the verb when they refer to an area of study.
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 Examples: Physics is required for Science majors.
Politics, is not dirty per se, but the politicians are the ones making it dirty.
28. Possession is usually shown by adding apostrophe () or apostrophe and s (s) to a
noun.
Examples: The boys club.
The ladies club.
29. The infinitive of a verb is always in the simple form.
Examples: To love is an adventure.
Long ago, Bongs dream was to live in a forest.
30. Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning (Singular form of the verb)
Examples: News, measles
31. Nouns singular in form but function collectively
Examples: information, food, equipment, jewelry.

TYPES OF FIGURES OF SPEECH

1. Simile a stated comparison between two unlike things or persons that have
something in common using like or as.
Ex. Her smile is as mysterious as Mona Lisas.
2. Metaphor an implied comparison between two persons or things that are
unlike in most respects. The words like or as are left out.
Ex. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
3. Personification giving human quality to inanimate objects or abstract things.
Ex. The flowers dance in the garden.
4. Metonymy consists in the naming of a thing by one of its attributes.
Ex. The crown prefers taxes from the underlings to support his expenses.
5. Synecdoche substituting a part for a whole, an individual for a class or material
for the thing.
Ex. Many squatters dream of roofs over their heads.
6. Hyperbole an exaggeration used for artistic effect.
Ex. Thanks a million.
7. Litotese a deliberate understatement used to affirm by negating its opposite.
Ex. Edgar Allan Poe is no mean writer.
8. Irony the use of a word to signify the opposite of its literal meaning.
There are three types of irony:
a. Irony of situation when result differs from what is expected
b. Verbal irony which is actually veiled sarcasm
c. Dramatic irony the authors intended meaning differs from the
characters expectations.
Ex. Youre so beautiful; you look like a Christmas tree!
9. Oxymoron putting together in one statement two contradictory terms.
Ex. The sound of silence is indeed, deafening.
10. Periphrasis the substitution of a descriptive phrase for a name or vice-versa.
Ex. The sleeping Giant has broken ties with its neighbors.
11. Apostrophe an address to a (a) dead person as though he were alive; (b) an
absent person as though he were present, (c) an inanimate object as though it were
animate.
Ex. Ninoy, youre not alone!
12. Climax the arrangement of words or ideas according to their degree of
importance; thus, the last set appears most valuable.
Ex. I came, I saw, I conquered.
13. Anti-climax a real apparent or ludicrous decrease in the importance or
impressiveness of what is said. Opposed to climax.
Ex. He lost his shoelace, his house charred to ashes, his wife even abandon him.
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14. Anti-thesis equating or balancing two opposing ideas.
Ex. There is a time to sow and there is a time to reap.
15. Parallelism or Juxtaposition placing two comparable ideas side by side.
Ex. Yea! Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. Thy
rod and thy staff thy comfort me.
16. Pun a play on words with humorous, witty effects.
Ex. Houses everything for all Filipinos.
17. Paradox a seemingly, contradictory but true example.
Ex. There is grief in happiness.

RHETORICAL DEVICES

1. Alliteration the use of repetition of a succession of initial consonant sounds.

Ex. She sells sea shells on the seashore.
2. Assonance resemblance in sound; specifically in prosody correspondence of
accented vowels, but not the consonants.
Ex. Alone, alone, all alone
Alone on wide, wide sea
And never a soul took pity on
My soul in agony.
3. Anaphora repeating a word or phrase in the beginning of several successive
verses, clauses or sentences.
Ex. Love is real, real is love.
Love is wanting, to be loved.
Love is searching, searching love.
4. Onomatopoeia imitation of sounds to produce the desired effect.
Ex. The rain drops in the roof.
The cat meows in the dark.
5. Allusion a literary device which is unimplied or indirect reference to biblical,
literary or historical characters or events.

SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT RULES

A. Agreement in Person and Number

The verb must agree with its subject in person and number. If the subject of the
sentence is singular, the verb must also be in the singular. If the subject is in the first
person, the verb must also be in the first person. If the subject is in the second or third
person, the verb must agree.
Example:
1. He doesnt know the answer. (correct subject and verb are in third person)
He dont know the answer. (incorrect lack of agreement)
2. You were invited to the meeting. (correct subject and verb are in the second
person)
You was invited to the meeting. (incorrect lack of agreement)

B. Agreement of Verb with Compound Subject

The parts of a compound subject are usually connected by and, or, nor, either-or,
and neither-nor. Usually, when two or more subjects are connected by and, the subject is
plural and requires a plural verb. The following examples have compound subjects:
Example:
1. Mary and Jane are taking Spanish.
2. The president and the vice-president speak at every meeting.

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 In the first sentence, the two parts of the compound subject are connected by and.
The compound subject is plural and takes a plural verb, are. In the second sentence, the
two parts of the compound subject are also connected by and. The subject takes the plural
of the verb which is speak.
There is one exception to the and rule. Sometimes the two subjects connected
by and form a unit. In this case, the subject is regarded as singular and takes a singular
verb.
Example:
1. Bacon and eggs is a popular combination. (Verb is singular.)
2. The Stars and Stripes flies overhead. (Verb is singular.)

When two subjects connected by and refer to the same person of thing, the
subject is singular.
Example:
1. His companion and friend is very devoted to him. (same person)
2. The secretary and treasurer was present at the meeting. (same person)

By placing the word his before friend and the word the before treasurer, you
clearly indicate that there are two individuals.

C. Subject Connected by Or or Nor

When two singular subjects are connected by the word or, the subject is singular.
The sentence means either the one or the other. It does not mean both. The same rule
applies when nor is used to join two singular subjects. Either or and neither nor follow
the same rule.
Example:
1. Mary or Jane is going to the fashion show. (the one or the other)
2. Neither the man nor the boy was responsible. (neither the one nor the other)

When one of the subjects connected by or, nor, either or, neither nor is singular
and the other is plural, the verb agrees with the subject that is nearer to it. If both subjects
are plural, the verb is also plural.
Example:
1. Neither the boy nor the men were responsible. (Verb is plural)
2. Neither the men nor the boy was responsible. (Verb is singular)
3. Neither the men nor the boys were responsible. (Verb is plural)

In the first sentence, the plural subject is nearer to the verb. In the second
sentence, the singular subject is nearer to the verb. The third sentence, both subjects are
plural. When one of the subjects is singular and the other is plural, you should put the
plural subject nearer to the ver. It makes the verb plural and sound better.
Example:
1. Either I or they are responsible for the small attendance.
This sentence would sound better if it were written as follows:
Example:
1. Either I am responsible for the small attendance, or they are.

D. Agreement of Verb with Collective Nouns

A collective noun is a noun that represents a group or a collection of objects
usually considered as a unit. Words like crowd, troop, herd, people, flock, and jury are
collective nouns.
A collective noun that is singular in meaning requires a singular verb. A collective
noun that is plural in meaning requires a plural verb.
If the collective noun in a particular sentence represents the individuals acting as a
unit, the noun is singular. If the sentence indicates clearly that the individuals are acting
separately, the noun is plural. The following examples will help you see this distinction.
Example:

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 1. The committee is opposed to the plan. (acting as a unit)
2. The board of directors is in session. (as a unit)
3. The jury returned its verdict. (as a unit)
4. The jury have returned to their homes. (as individuals)
5. The family have given their contributions. (as individuals)

In most cases where the individuals composing a group are acting separately, it is
better to use such expressions as the members of the jury, the members of the family,
etc. these expressions sound better and clearly indicate that the individuals are acting
separately.
Example:
1. The members of the jury have returned to their homes.
2. The people in the audience were waving their hands.

E. Intervening Phrases
Sometimes the subject is followed by prepositional phrases or such expressions as
accompanied by, in accordance with, together with, as well as, including, etc. The
subject of the sentence is not affected in any way by the introduction of such phrases. You
will never find the subject of the sentence in a prepositional phrase or in any one of the
expressions listed in the following sentences.
Example:
1. A package (of books) was delivered today.
2. Materials (for the building) have been shipped.
3. Important papers, as well as his will, were found in his desk.
4. The checks, including a statement, were mailed today.

In the first sentence, the subject is the word package. Since package is singular,
the verb must be singular. In the second sentence, the subject is the word materials. Since
the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. The prepositional phrases, of books, and for
the building, do not affect the number of the subject.
The subject of the third sentence is papers which is plural. The verb must also be
plural to agree with the subject. The group of words, as well as his will, does not affect
the number of the subject. In the fourth sentence, the expression, including a statement,
does not affect the number of the subject. The subject is checks, which is plural. The verb
must also be plural, to agree with the subject.

F. Agreement of Subject with Contractions

Contractions are verbs that have been shortened by the omission of the letters is
indicated by the use of an apostrophe. Many persons make mistakes in agreement of
subject and verb when they use contractions. The use of the contractions dont and aint
are responsible for a great many of these errors.
Although the word aint is frequently heard in informal conversion, most
educated persons consider its use incorrect and unacceptable.
Do not use aint for am not, are not, or isnt. The contraction arent should be
used for are not. There is no contraction for the words am not.
Example:
1. I am not interested in the position. (not aint)
2. We are not going to the theater. (not aint)
3. We arent going to the meeting. (not aint)
4. Isnt this a beautiful day! (not aint)

Another error commonly made is the use of dont for doesnt. Dont is a
contraction for do not. It should not be used in the third person, singular. The
expressions, it dont, he dont and she dont are incorrect. Do not misuse them for it
doesnt, he doesnt, and she doesnt.
Example:
1. It dont make any difference. (incorrect)

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 2. It doesnt make any difference. (correct)
3. He dont belong to our union. (incorrect)
4. He doesnt belong to our union. (correct)

G. Agreement of Verb with Indefinite Pronouns

The indefinite pronouns one, no one, anyone, everyone, someone, anybody,
nobody, everybody, somebody, each, either, and neither are singular. Since these
pronouns are singular, they take a singular verb.
Example:
1. Only one of the candidates is eligible. (singular verb)
2. Each of these bags has been examined. (singular verb)
3. Neither has lost his ticket. (singular verb)
4. Somebody is responsible for the accident. (singular verb)
5. Anyone has the right to offer criticism. (singular verb)
6. Nobody has access to the vault. (singular verb)

When many a, each, and every are used to introduce a sentence and function as
adjectives the subject is singular.
Example:
1. Many a man whishes that he had gone to college.
2. Each window and door was locked securely.
3. Every man, woman, and child is expected to report.

The indefinite pronouns several, few, both and many are always plural.
Example:
1. Several were called to the platform. (plural verb)
2. A few were opposed to the bill. (plural verb)
3. Both were anxious to receive the award. (plural verb)
4. Many in the audience objected to his speech. (plural verb)

The indefinite pronouns some, none, any, and all are singular or plural according
to the meaning of the sentence. When these words refer to a quantity or a mass taken as a
whole, they are generally considered as singular. When they refer to a number, they are
regarded as plural in meaning.
Example:
1. Some are going by plane. (more than one plural)
2. Some of the ice cream is left. (mass or quantity singular)
3. Are any of the men going by plane? (more than one plural)
4. Is there any gasoline in the tank? (mass or quantity singular)
5. None of these apples are ripe. (more than one plural)
6. We needed a ball but none was available. (not one singular)
7. All of the gasoline has been sold. (mass or quantity singular)
8. All of the women have brought gifts. (more than one plural)

Some nouns are plural in form, but singular in meaning. Examples of nouns that
take a singular verb are mumps, measles, news, summons, physics, and mathematics.
Example:
1. Physics is a very interesting subject. (verb is singular)
2. The news this week is starting. (verb is singular)
3. Measles is a contagious disease. (verb is singular)
4. Mathematics was his favorite study. (verb is singular)

H. Special Cases of Agreement

1. Words like pants, trousers, pliers, scissors, shears, and tongs are plural and take a
plural verb. When the word pair is used as the subject, the subject is regarded as singular
and takes a singular verb.

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Example:
1. The scissors are very sharp. (plural)
2. A pair of scissors was left on the desk. (singular)

2. A plural noun which shows weight, extent, or quantity is singular, and takes a
singular verb.
Example:
1. Ten miles is a long distance to walk. (singular)
2. Five dollars is the price of the hat. (singular)
3. Twelve inches is the proper length. (singular)
3. The words half and part are singular or plural according to the meaning of the
sentence. When these words refer to a mass or a section, they are singular. When they
refer to a number of individuals or things, they are plural.
Example:
1. Half of the boys are in camp. (number plural)
2. Half of the pie is left. (mass or section singular)
3. Part of the roof was destroyed. (number plural)
4. Part of the guests have arrived. (number plural)

4. When the word number is preceded by the article a, it takes a plural verb. When it is
immediately preceded by the article the, it takes a singular verb.
Example:
1. A number of men were working on the project. (plural)
2. The number of men present was small. (singular)

5. The name of firm is often regarded as singular even when there is a plural form in the
title. If the entire name carries a plural idea, the name is regarded as plural.
Example:
1. Harrison Brothers are having a sale on furs. (plural)
2. The Lexicon Company publishes books. (singular)
3. General Motors Company has declared a dividend. (singular)

6. Sometimes a sentence begins with the word there or here. Neither of these words
could be the subject of the sentence. The word there is used either as an expletive or as an
adverb. When a sentence begins with here of there, they should transpose it so that the
true subject will appear at the beginning of the sentence. Then it will be possible for you
to determine whether the subject is singular or plural.
Example:
1. There are six men on the committee.
2. Six men are on the committee. (plural subject plural verb)
3. Here comes the general with his staff.
4. The general comes here with his staff. (singular subject and verb)

Sometimes a sentence beginning with the introductory there or here has a

compound subject, which requires a plural verb. Mistakes in the number of the verb are
frequently made because the speaker of the writer does not realize that the subject is
compound. When the sentence is transposed, it is easy to determine whether the subject
is simple or compound. The following sentences have compound subjects:
1. There goes the boy and his mother. (incorrect)
2. There go the boy and his mother. (correct)
3. The boy and his mother go there. (compound subject plural verb)
4. Here comes John and Mary. (incorrect)
5. Here come John and Mary. (correct)
6. John and Mary come here. (compound subject plural verb)

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