Module 1

Module 5: Simple Sentences

5.1 Subject-verb Agreement

Day 2 Subjects that take a singular verb

According to traditional subject-verb agreement rules, there are nine types of subjects that take a singular verb. Let’s look at them one by one.

按傳統的主謂一致規則，一共有九類主語可以使用單數動詞。

Note: An agreement problem arises only in the Past Tense of the verb to be. 只有過去式的to be動詞才有文法一致的問題。

1. Uncountable noun subjects: 不可數名詞主語

Categories	Examples
Substances物質	Plastic, wood, cotton, wool, rock, coal…
Foods 食品	Meat, fish, fruit, bread, sugar, salt, pepper…
Liquids 液體	Water, milk, coffee, tea, oil…
Gases 氣體	Air, smoke, steam, oxygen…
Abstract Ideas 抽象概念	Information, knowledge, advice, space, power…

Correct	Wrong
ü Paul’s advice is good.	û Paul’s advice are good.
ü The food tastes good.	û The food taste good.
ü Milk keeps children healthy.	û Milk keep children healthy.
ü Rice is important to Chinese.	û Rice are important to Chinese.

2. Some proper noun subjects that end in 's' that are not plural:

一些専有名詞主語雖以's'作結但並是複數

Categories	Examples
Names of Courses	ü Mathematics is a difficult subject.
Names of Diseases	ü Measles often has side effects.
Book / Film Titles	ü Great Expectations was written by Dickens.

3. Plural subject nouns of distance, time and money that signal one unit:

複數主語名詞，關於距離，時間和金錢，如當作為一個單位時，便會使用單數動詞

	One Unit	More than one unit
Distance	ü 500 miles is a long distance.	ü 500 miles are to be added to this highway next year.
Money	ü 2 million dollars is a lot of money.	ü 2 dollars are on the table.
Time	ü 10 years is a long time.	ü 3 years are missing from this set of calendars for the 20^th century.

4. Basic arithmetical operations: 基本運算程序

	Examples
Addition	ü Two plus two is/equals four.
Subtraction	ü Six minus two is/equals four.
Multiplication	ü Two times two is/equals four.
Division	ü Eight divided by two is/equals four.

5. Clausal and phrasal subjects: 子句和短語的主語

	Examples
that-clause	ü That the children want friends doesn’t surprise me.
wh-clause	ü What we need is a sharp knife.

6. Gerund (verb + ing) and infinitive (to + verb) subjects:

動名詞和分詞主語

	Examples
Gerund (verb + *ing*)	ü Listening to music is my hobby.
Infinitive ( to + verb)	ü To err is human.

7. With each (noun), every (noun) and every one as subjects:

以each (名詞), every (名詞) 和every one作主語

	Examples
Each	ü Each student has a textbook.
Every	ü Every student has a lunch box.
Every one	ü Every one has a textbook.

8. With none of (noun) as subject:

以none of (名詞) 作主語

e.g. None of the books is here.

9. With either or neither as subject : 以either或neither作主語

e.g. Either/neither was acceptable to me.

Let’s do some exercises now!