Principles of Subject (Part - 2) - Verb Agreement | English Class 8 PDF Download

(xi)
Many of, several of, a few of, two of and the majority of take plural subject and plural verb.
For example:
 1. Many of the soldiers are very sincere.
 2. Several of the mangoes have been thrown out.
 3. A few of the boys are hardworking.
 4. Two of the thieves were caught.

(xii)
 Some sentences begin with There. In such sentences the real subject is placed after the verb, which may be singular or plural according to the subject.
For example:
 1. There is a temple in front of my house.
 2. There are children playing in the field.

(xiii)
 Some English words are always singular and take singular verbs. A list of such words is given below:

For example:
 1. All my furniture has been sold.
 2. His progress is not fast.
 3. All the apparatus in their lab is new.
 4. The fruit was fresh.
 5. Dust is everywhere.

(xiv)
 Some English words end with ‘s’  but they are singular and take singular verbs. A list of such words is given below:

For example:
 1. Physics is a difficult subject.    
 2. No news is reliable.
 3. Politics does not suit to many.
 4. Measles is an infectious disease.
 5. The barracks was attacked last night.

(xv)
 A number of is considered plural and it takes plural subject and plural verb.
For example:
 1. A number of boys are missing.
 2. A number of students have come.

(xvi)
 The collective nouns such as a bunch of, a bouquet of, a set of, a pack of, etc. take plural nouns but singular verbs.
For example:
 1. A team of players is ready.    
 2. A flock of  sheep is  grazing  in  the  field.
 3. A swarm of bees has flown out.    
 4. A  crew of  sailors  is ready to set off.

(xvii)
 Some proper nouns end with ‘s’ but they are singular and therefore take singular verbs.
For example: 
 1. The United States is a powerful country.
 2. Algiers belongs to Africa.
 Other such words are—Athens, Naples, The United Nations, etc.

(xviii)
 Words like dozen, hundred, thousand, million, etc. are plural in themselves and are followed by plural nouns and plural verbs.
For example: 
 1. A dozen cars are sold everyday.
 2. A hundred guests have come to the party.

(xix)
 If more than is followed by plural subject, we apply plural verb but if it is followed by singular subject, we apply singular verb.
For example: 
 1. More than two hundred students have done very well in the examination.
 2. More than one woman is present there.