AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUBJECT AND VERB

Exercise 1. A policeman is talking about his job:

1. Every policeman is / are given special training for the job. 2. No two days are the same. Each day is / are different. 3. But the job isn't / aren't as exciting or glamorous as some people think. 4. Not all policemen is / are allowed to carry guns. 5. A number of police officers here works / work with dogs. 6. An officer and his dog has / have to work closely together. 7. One of our jobs is_/ are to prevent crime happening in the first place. 8. A lot of crime is / are caused by people being careless. 9. Sorry, I have to go now. Someone has / have just reported a robbery.

Exercise 2. Choose the correct form of the verb. Sometimes both forms are possible.

Example: Gymnastics is / are my favourite sport. ('is' is correct)

1. The trousers you bought for me doesn't / don't fit me. 2. Physics was / were my best subject at school. 3. Fortunately the news wasn't / weren't as bad as we had expected. 4.The police wants / want to interview Fred about a robbery. 5. Three days isn't / aren't long enough for a good holiday. 6. Where does / do your family live? 7. England has / have lost all their football matches this season. 8. Does / Do the police know about the stolen money? 9. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine isn't / aren't sharp enough. 10. I'm going to take a taxi. Six miles is / are too far for me to walk.

Exercise 3. Comment on the collective nouns. Translate into Russian paying attention to the form of the verb.

1. According to modern standards my family isn't big. 2. My family are early birds. 3. The board consists of twelve people. 4. I know what the board think of me. They regard me as the spoiled granddaughter of a rich and powerful woman. And the board are very aware of that. 5. This council is responsible for looking after roads. 6. The council have been promising to mend the fences, doors and windows for years. 7. The public stop and stare. 8. "You could join us," he suggested helpfully. "We're a jolly crowd." 9. The government has cut back on public expenditure. 10. Some people said darkly that the Government were behind it. 11. The staff are going to buy a leaving present for their boss. 12. His staff is very efficient. 13. This team plays for Spain. 14. The team are training hard for the coming match. 15. Statistics is the study of figures. 16. Statistics are often misleading. 17. Politics is a popular topic now. 18. What are his politics? 19. The jury were in disagreement. 20. The jury has announced its verdict.

Exercise 4. Translate the following nouns into English and put them into three columns according to the form of the verb (only singular; only plural; can be used with both singular and plural verb). There are 15 words in each column.

Би-би-си, совет, полиция, герб, деньги, команда, интеллект, форель, рахит, оркестр, бинокль, шашки, статистика, железо, крупный рогатый скот, завод, домино, политика, кофе, плесень (грибок), штаб-квартира, подонки, весы, волосы, рис, порода, одежда, молодежь, свинка, любовь, люди, дюжина, часы, пинцет, сахар, сборная Англии, “Спартак”, физика, благодарность, казарма, большинство, гимнастика, зарплата, духовенство, рейтузы.

Exercise 5. Read and translate the sentences paying particular attention to the form of the verb.

1. These scales are not correct. 2. My glasses have become too weak for me. 3. The scissors are blunt. 4. My kid's pyjamas are made of cotton. 5. These tights were made in Italy. 6. Don't you think your trousers are too short? 7. What are your earrings made of? 8. The goods have arrived. 9. Give my best regards to your family. 10. The surroundings were unfamiliar to him. 11. The cleaner collected all the floor sweepings and potato peelings lying near the rubbish pipe. 12. My wages have risen considerably lately. 13. The outskirts of this town are shabby looking. 14. Her clothes are very trendy. 15. Clothes make the man: the old saying is rather to the point. 16. Clothes are no longer something one doesn't discuss. Clothes are part of the image.

Exercise 6. Use the right form of the verb to be.

1. The information about this company __ encouraging. 2. All the furniture in this office __ the latest design. 3. My knowledge of German __ very limited. 4. These shorts __ too long. 5. They __ a big family, with many branches. 6. This equipment __ for camping. 7. The scissors __ here a minute ago. 8. The Government __ of the opinion that money in the accounts __ siphoned out of the country. 9. These trousers __ too tight. 10. The weather __ fabulous in Italy in early autumn. 11. These stairs __ dangerous. 12. Where __ your clothes made? 13. The headphones on my new walkman __ great. 14. __ the scales over there electronic? 15. There __ a hair on my dinner plate. 16. Yesterday's homework __ rather difficult. 17. Her luggage __ on the scales already. 18. Your advice __ very timely. Thank you. 19. The news __ too good to be true. 20. The team __ no more than seven young men. 21. The hospital staff __ all very young.

Exercise 7. Which of the following words are singular in meaning; which are plural; and which can be used either singular or plural?

Exercise 8. Put in the nouns and add -s if necessary.

1. Claire had to take her luggage through ____ (custom). 2. Please accept this gift as an expression of our ____ (thank). 3. The woman is demanding ____ (damage) for her injuries. 4. The ____ (pain) was so bad I called the doctor. 5. The old man carried his few ____ (belonging) in a plastic bag. 6. If we pay in cash, we make a ____ (saving) of ten percent. 7. More ____ (good) should be transported by rail instead of by road. 8. The gas explosion caused some ____ (damage) to the flats. 9. We're going to spend all our ____ (saving) on a new car. 10. The company always takes ____ (pain) to protect its image.

Exercise 9. Choose the correct verb form.

1. The television news is / are at ten o'clock. 2. These clothes is / are the latest fashion. 3. Maths is / are Emma's favourite subject. 4. The troops was / were involved in a training exercise. 5. The contents of the briefcase seems / seem to have disappeared. 6. Darts is / are sometimes played in pubs in England. 7. The athletics we watched was / were quite exciting. 8. The remains of the meal was / were thrown in the bin.

Exercise 10. Choose the correct forms. Complete this email Rachel has received from her sister.

Thank / Thanks for your email. Your news was / were interesting. We must talk soon.

What about us? Well, we're living on the outskirt / outskirts of town, not far from the company headquarter / headquarters, where Jeremy works. We've spent nearly all our saving / savings on the house. That wouldn't matter so much if I hadn't crashed the car last week and done some damage / damages to the front of it. More bills! But at least I wasn't hurt. The house is nice actually, but the surroundings isn't / aren't very pleasant. We're on a very busy crossroad / crossroads.

I'm doing the course I told you about. Statistics is / are an easy subject, I find, but economics gives / give me problems!

Exercise 11. Trevor and Laura are shopping for clothes. Choose the correct form.

Trevor: These trousers is / are a bit tight They doesn't / don't feel very comfortable. And I think the blue ones goes / go better with the jacket.

Laura: That jacket is / are too long.

Trevor: Well, the jeans fits / fit all right. Perhaps I'll buy the jeans instead.

Laura: Yes, the jeans looks / look good on you. I like the style. I think they suits/suit you. Now you get changed while I look for a / some shorts. And I might get a / some skirt.

Exercise 12. Put in a group noun and is or are.

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