Important Questions: Subject-Verb Concord | English Grammar for Class 9 PDF Download

Q.1. What is subject-verb concord?

Ans: Subject-verb concord refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. It means that the verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with the subject.

Q.2. Provide an example of subject-verb concord in the present tense.

Ans: Example: The dog barks loudly. (Here, the singular subject "dog" agrees with the singular verb "barks.")

Q.3. How does subject-verb concord work with compound subjects?

Ans: When there is a compound subject joined by "and," the verb should be plural. Example: Jenny and Mark are going to the park.

Q.4. What is the rule for subject-verb concord when using indefinite pronouns?

Ans: When using indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "somebody," or "nobody," the verb is singular. Example: Everybody wants to succeed.

Q.5. How does subject-verb concord change when the subject and the verb are separated by a phrase or clause?

Ans: The subject-verb concord is determined by the subject, not the intervening phrase or clause. Example: The book, along with the pen, belongs to me. (The singular subject "book" determines the singular verb "belongs.")

Q.6. Explain the concept of subject-verb concord and its importance in constructing grammatically correct sentences. Provide five examples to illustrate your explanation.

Ans:
Subject-verb concord, also known as subject-verb agreement, refers to the grammatical rule that requires the verb in a sentence to agree with its subject in terms of number and person. It ensures that the verb properly corresponds to the subject in terms of singular or plural form, as well as the first, second, or third person. Subject-verb concord is crucial because it helps maintain clarity and coherence in sentence structure.
Here are five examples illustrating subject-verb concord:
(a) The dog barks at the mailman. (singular subject "dog" takes the singular verb "barks")
(b) The children play in the park. (plural subject "children" takes the plural verb "play")
(c) She sings beautifully. (third person singular subject "she" takes the singular verb "sings")
(d) They run every morning. (third person plural subject "they" takes the plural verb "run")
(e) You are my best friend. (second person plural subject "you" takes the plural verb "are")

Q.7. Discuss the common errors that occur in subject-verb concord and provide examples to illustrate each error. Explain how these errors can be corrected.

Ans: Common errors in subject-verb concord often arise due to confusion regarding the number or person of the subject and the corresponding verb.
Here are some examples of these errors and their corrections:
(a) Error: The boys walks to school. (singular verb "walks" used with plural subject "boys")
Correction: The boys walk to school.
(b) Error: Each of the students have completed their assignments. (plural verb "have" used with singular subject "each")
Correction: Each of the students has completed their assignments.
(c) Error: The book that I have bought was interesting. (singular verb "was" used with plural subject "book")
Correction: The books that I have bought were interesting.
(d) Error: My friend and I is going to the party. (singular verb "is" used with compound subject "friend and I")
Correction: My friend and I are going to the party.
(e) Error: There is many apples in the basket. (plural verb "are" used with singular subject "There")
Correction: There are many apples in the basket.

To correct subject-verb concord errors, it is important to identify the number and person of the subject and select the appropriate verb accordingly.

Q.8. How does subject-verb concord apply in sentences with indefinite pronouns? Provide five examples to illustrate your explanation.

Ans: Subject-verb concord applies to sentences that involve indefinite pronouns. Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific people or things.
Here are five examples demonstrating subject-verb concord with indefinite pronouns:
(a) Everyone is invited to the party. (singular indefinite pronoun "everyone" takes the singular verb "is")
(b) Somebody has left their umbrella here. (singular indefinite pronoun "somebody" takes the singular verb "has")
(c) Each of the flowers has bloomed beautifully. (singular indefinite pronoun "each" takes the singular verb "has")
(d) Many have tried, but few have succeeded. (plural indefinite pronoun "many" takes the plural verb "have")
(e) None of the books is missing from the shelf. (singular indefinite pronoun "none" takes the singular verb "is")
In sentences with indefinite pronouns, it is important to ensure that the verb agrees with the number of the indefinite pronoun.

Q.9. Discuss the role of collective nouns in subject-verb concord. Provide five examples to illustrate the correct usage of collective nouns.

Ans: Collective nouns refer to groups of individuals or things treated as a single unit. In subject-verb concord, collective nouns can be treated as singular or plural, depending on the context.
Here are five examples illustrating the correct usage of collective nouns:
(a) The team is practicing for the match. (singular collective noun "team" takes the singular verb "is")
(b) The jury has reached its decision. (singular collective noun "jury" takes the singular verb "has")
(c) The flock of birds is flying south for the winter. (singular collective noun "flock" takes the singular verb "is")
(d) The committee are discussing the issue. (plural verb "are" used with plural sense collective noun "committee")
(e) My family enjoy going on vacations together. (plural verb "enjoy" used with plural collective noun "family")
In subject-verb concord, collective nouns can be singular or plural based on the sense or context they convey.

Q.10. How does subject-verb concord apply in sentences with inverted word order? Provide five examples to illustrate your explanation.

Ans: Subject-verb concord still applies in sentences with inverted word order, where the subject comes after the verb.
Here are five examples demonstrating subject-verb concord in inverted word order sentences:
(a) On the top of the hill stands a beautiful castle. (singular subject "castle" takes the singular verb "stands")
(b) Underneath the table was a hidden treasure. (singular subject "treasure" takes the singular verb "was")
(c) In the garden are blooming colorful flowers. (plural subject "flowers" takes the plural verb "are")
(d) At the entrance was waiting a crowd of excited fans. (singular subject "crowd" takes the singular verb "was")
(e) Behind the door lurks a mysterious shadow. (singular subject "shadow" takes the singular verb "lurks")
In sentences with inverted word order, the subject and verb still need to agree in terms of number and person.