A verb should agree with its subject in person and number.

A few applications of the rule need special explanation.

(1) A compound subject whose parts are connected by and is generally considered plural; but it is singular in the following cases: (a) When its parts represent the same subject of thought; (6) When it is modified by each or every.

(2) A compound subject whose parts are connected by or, nor, either . . . or, or neither . . . nor is singular or plural according to the number of the last term.

(3) A compound subject whose parts are connected by as well as is singular or plural according to the number of the first term.

(4) A collective noun in the singular form is considered singular if the individuals composing the collection are thought of as a unit, but it is plural if the individuals are thought of as individuals.

(5) The nouns news, molasses, and suds take singular verbs. The tendency is to make nouns ending in ics, like mathematics and politics, singular.

The nouns scissors, ashes, and tidings take plural verbs.

(6) If the subject of a verb is a conjunctive pronoun, the person and number of the pronoun and therefore of the verb must be determined by the antecedent of the pronoun.

Exercise 253

Choose between the forms in parenthesis. First decide what the subject is, then decide whether it is singular or plural. Refer to § 210, if uncertain. Review conjugation and notice that the third person, singular number, present indicative form of most verbs ends in s.

1. In this book - found many interesting stories. (is, are)

2. Only one of all you girls - remembered my request. (has, have)

3. The child and the dog - missing, (was, were)

4. The cost of things - never mentioned in that house. (was, were)

5. There - many kinds of wild flowers in South Dakota. (is, are)

6. The oldest of the sisters ------ in Chicago. (live, lives)

7. Mary ------ understand me. (doesn't, don't)

8. He, with two assistants, ------ all of the work of the office. (does, do) (What part of speech is with?)

9. This book and the one on the table ------ interesting. (is, are)

10. One of the girls who ------ not ready detained all of the rest. (was, were)

11. Each of the girls who ------ present -- given a bunch of flowers. (was, were)

12. House and garden ------ searched. (was, were)

13. Every nook and cranny ------ searched. (Was, were)

14. Neither of my sisters ------ to school. (go, goes)

15. One of you people ------ mistaken. (is, are)

16. All of the pupils of the class ------ recited well. (has, have)

17. She ------ remember me. (don't, doesn't)

18. A laggard in love and a dastard in war ----- to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar. (was,* were)

19. Either the boys or their sister ------ going to do the errand. (is, are)

20. Either Mary or her brothers ------ coming. (is, are)

21. Either Mary or Alice ------ coming. (is, are)

22. There ------ going to be a great number of teachers and pupils. (is, are)

23. Recently there ------ been two cables completed. (has, have)

24. The jury ----- divided in ------ opinions. (was, were, its, their)

25. The jury ------ ready to present ------ decision. (is, are, its, their)

26. The crowd ------ hurried forward by mounted police. (was, were).

27. The crowd ------ angry, each and every one of them. (was, were)

28. Every one of these books ------ good. (is, are)

29. All of these books ------ good. (is, are)

30. The child, as well as its parents, ------ been very sick with the disease. (has, have)

31. The old bear with its young ------ captured. (was, were)

32. The one of the books that I like best ------ loaned. (is, are)

33. There ------ never haste nor excitement in her voice. (was, were)

34. The class ------ preparing to-morrow's lessons . (was, were)

35. She is one of the people who ------ easily offended. (is, are)

36. One of us ------ not understand the game. (do, does)

37. Give me one of the apples that ----- in the basket. (is, are)

38. Congress ------ adjourned. (has, have)

39. All of the pictures ------ me. (please, pleases)

40. Each of the boys ------ on doing the errand. (insist, insists)

41. Only a small number of adventurers ------ left to tell the tale. (was, were)

42. Neither of these processes ------ the correct result. (give, gives)

43. Mathematics ------ my hardest line of work. (is, are)

44. The news ------ disappointing. (is, are)

45. The scissors ------ not sharp. (is, are)

46. Pure molasses ------ hard to get. (is, are)

47. Politics ------ an absorbing occupation. (is, are)

48. The ashes ------ put into a pile. (was, were)

49. The ship with the entire crew ----- lost. (was, were)

50. Her learning, her gentleness, and her modesty ------ her to all. (endears, endear)

51. You who ------ study should go to school. (enjoy, enjoys)

52. This is one of the best books that ------ been put into our library. (has, have)

53. Your committee ------ finished work. (has, have)

54. Your committee ------ not been able to agree. (has, have)

Exercise 254. Development

1. You are wise.

2. If you were wise, you would not do so.

3. If you be wise, you do not show it.

4. Be wise.

Of what verb is each italicized word a form? What time is expressed by each verb? In what number is the subject of each? In what person is each subject?

Since different forms are not used here to show a difference in time or in the number or person of the subject, it must be that verbs are inflected for a fourth purpose. Let us see what it is. Why did the speaker use different forms of the verb? If you think carefully, you will see that in the first case he knew that the person addressed was wise; in the second, he knew that this person was not wise; in the third, he didn't know whether he was wise or not, but apparently thought he was not; and in the fourth, he either commanded or entreated him to be wise. This shows that different forms of the verb be are used to show different states or attitudes of the speaker's mind towards somebody's being wise.

5. Thy kingdom comes.

6. Thy kingdom come.

What attitude of the speaker's mind is shown by the verb in the first of these sentences? By the verb in the second? How do the forms of the verb differ?