Rule 1.
A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.
* The list of items is/are on the desk.
* If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.
Rule 2.
If Two singular subjects connected by or, either/ or, or neither/ nor require a singular verb.
* My mother or my father is arriving by flight today.
* Neither Ram nor Shyam is present here.
* Either Ram or Shyam is helping you in decorations.
Rule 3.
If the verb in an sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun close to or, either/ or, or neither/ nor it.
* Neither the books nor the serving writing pad is not in my bag.
If there is one of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:
* Neither Ram, my friends, nor I am going to the visit.
Or
Neither Ram, I, nor my friends are going to the visit.
OR
Ram, my friends, and I are not going to the visit.
Rule 4.
Use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected with each other.
* A pizza and a burger are my favourite dishes.
This rule is not work with compound nouns. But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:
* Breaking and entering in this permission is against the law.
* The the chowmein and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.
1. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
Rule 6.
If subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words are not part of the subject but they are phrases.
Ignore these words as subject and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
* The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
* Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking
Rule 7.
Parentheses are not part of the subject.
Ram (and his friends) was always welcome.
Rule 8.
If in sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.
* There are four trenches to jump.
* There is a high trenche to jump.
* Here are the keys for making sentences.
Rule 9. Always use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., if they are considered as a unit.
* Four miles is too far to walk.
* Ten years is the big time.
* Hundred dollars is a high amount to pay.
Rule 10.
With words that indicate portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1 given earlier in this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of.
If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb If plural, use a plural verb.
* A lot of the bird has disappeared.
* A lot of the birds have disappeared.
* All of the bird is gone.
* All of the birds are gone.
* Some of the bird is missing.
* Some of the birds are missing.
Rule 11.
With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be singular or plural, it depends on the writer.
* All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
* Most of the people is here OR are here.
Rule 12.
When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular verb.
Rule 13.
The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.
Rule 14.
Nouns such as civics, mathematics, dollars, measles, and news require singular verbs.
Rule 15.
Do not confused by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb.
The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun comes in the phrase.
Rule 16.
Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs. (There are two parts to these things.)
Rule 17.
In sentences beginning with "there is" or "there are," the subject follows the verb. Since "there" is not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
Rule 18.
Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such as group, team, committee, class, and family.
Rule 19. Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
Rule 20.
Writing Numbers
Most people spell out numbers that can be expressed in one or two words and use figures for numbers that have three or more words long.
Note: If you are using a specific citation style, such as MLA or APA, consult the style manual for specific formatting instructions.
Words
Figures
Here are some examples of specific situations:
Days and Years
Time of Day
Addresses
Identification Numbers
Page and Division of Books and Plays
Decimals and Percentages
Large Round Numbers
Notes on Usage
Repeat numbers in commercial writing.
Use numerals in legal writing.
Numbers in series and statistics should be consistent.
Write out numbers beginning sentences.
Use a combination of figures and words for numbers when such a combination will keep your writing clear.
Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects
On prepositions
Prepositions are keywords that indicate the start of a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase begins with the first preposition in the sentence and ends with the object or noun of the phrase. For example, “She sat on the red carpet while reading.” The italicized portion is a prepositional phrase. Generally, prepositional phrases act as adverbs or adjectives in that they modify either verbs, adverbs, or adjectives. This section will demonstrate how to use prepositions for time, place, and objects in American English.
One point in time
“On,” “at”, and “in” are used to describe a moment in time.
On is used with days:
- I will see you on Monday.
- The week begins on Sunday.
At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day:
- My plane leaves at noon.
- The movie starts at 6 p.m.
In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, and with seasons:
- He likes to read in the afternoon.
- The days are long in August.
- The book was published in 1999.
- The flowers will bloom in spring.
Extended time
To express extended time, English uses the following prepositions: since, for, by, from—to, from-until, during, (with)in
- She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)
- I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.)
- The movie showed from August to October. (Beginning in August and ending in October.)
- The decorations were up from spring until fall. (Beginning in spring and ending in fall.)
- I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.)
- We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)
Place
To express notions of place, English uses the following prepositions:
In: to talk about an object being contained.
Inside: to refer more specifically to where the object is contained.
On: to talk about the surface.
At: to talk about a general vicinity.
- There is a wasp in the house. (The wasp is contained in the house.)
- Go look inside the refrigerator. (Inside is used as a specific place, the inside of the refrigerator.)
- I left your keys on the table. (The keys are on the surface of the table).
- She was waiting at the corner. (The corner is a general location she was waiting at.)
Higher than a point
To express notions of an object being higher than a point, English uses the following prepositions: over, above.
Over: to talk about an object that has moved higher and wider than another object.
Above: to talk about an object that has moved higher than another object.
- He threw the ball over the roof. (The ball is somewhere past the height and width of the roof.)
- Hang that picture above the couch. (The picture should be higher in relation to the couch.)
Lower than a point
To express notions of an object being lower than a point, English uses the following prepositions: under, underneath, beneath, below.
Under: to describe an object that is below a general point
Underneath: to describe something that is below a more specific point
Beneath: to describe an object that is directly below another object
Below: to describe an object that is lower or less than another object or point
- The rabbit burrowed under the ground. (The rabbit is somewhere underground.)
- The child hid underneath the blanket. (The child hid in a more specific place, a blanket.)
- We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches. (The shade lies specifically right below the branches.)
- The valley is below sea-level. (The valley is somewhere lower than sea-level)
Close to a point
To describe an object as being close to a point, English uses the following prepositions: near, by, next to, between, among, opposite.
- She lives near the school. (She lives in close proximity to the school.)
- There is an ice cream shop by the store. (The ice cream shop is very close to the store.)
- An oak tree grows next to my house. (An oak tree grows beside the house, likely in the yard.)
- The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street. (Elm and Maple Street sandwich the house).
- I found my pen lying among the books. (The pen could be anywhere around the area that the books occupy.)
- The bathroom is opposite that room. (Similar to “next to,” opposite means that the bathroom faces the room, rather than adjoins.)
To introduce objects of verbs
An object of a verb adds specificity to the verb. In terms of prepositional objects, the object is introduced by a preposition. For example, in the sentence, “They fought about the old chair,” which object did they fight over? The chair. When introducing objects of verbs, there are some prepositions that directly follow specific verbs. Below are some examples:
“At” is used with the following verbs: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare
- She glanced at her reflection.
(exception with mirror: She glanced in the mirror.) - You didn't laugh at his joke.
- I'm looking at the computer monitor.
- We rejoiced at his safe rescue.
- That pretty girl smiled at you.
- Stop staring at me.
“Of” is used with the following verbs: approve, consist, smell
- I don't approve of his speech.
- My contribution to the article consists of many pages.
- He came home smelling of alcohol.
“Of” (or “about”) is used with the following verbs: dream, think
- I dream of finishing college in four years.
- Can you think of a number between one and ten?
- I am thinking about this problem.
“For” is used with the following verbs: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish
- Did someone call for a taxi?
- He hopes for a raise in salary next year.
- I'm looking for my keys.
- We'll wait for her here.
- You go buy the tickets, and I'll watch for the train.
- If you wish for an "A" in this class, you must work hard
The preposition of location determines the meaning of the preposition of direction.
ON + TO = onto: signifies movement toward a surface
The crab washed up onto the shore
The frog jumped onto the lilypad.
IN + TO = into: signifies movement toward the interior of a volume
("To" is part of the directional preposition toward, and the two mean about the same thing.)
The milk went into the glass.
The paper went into the garbage can.
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