Name.... Grade... EXERCISE 53 Supply "would" or "should" in the blank spaces in the following sentences: LESSON XXVI PERSON AND NUMBER OF VERBS RULE 1 A finite verb must agree with its subject in person and number; as, "Chicago is a large city." "Chicago and New York are large cities." teacher." "He is a teacher." "They are teachers." RULE 2 "I am a A plural subject requires a plural verb, unless it be plural in form with a unitary meaning; as, "Birds fly." "The birds are singing." "Two years seems a long time." "Two hours is a long time to wait." "Ten dollars is sufficient for my expenses to-day.” RULE 3 Two or more singular subjects connected by "or" or "nor" require a singular verb; as, "Either John or James is coming." "Neither he nor she is coming." RULE 4 When two or more subjects connected by "or" or "nor" differ in person or number, the verb usually agrees with the word next to it; as, “The general or his aids are to be there." "Neither he nor I am going." "Neither you nor he knows anything about it." RULE 5 Two or more singular subjects connected by "and" usually require a plural verb; as, “John and James are coming." "He and she are coming." RULE 6 Two or more singular subjects connected by "and" require a singular verb when they refer to the same person; when they represent one idea or are very closely connected in thought; when they are preceded by "each," "every," "no," "many a," etc.; as, "My friend and neighbor has moved away." "Bread and butter is a wholesome food." "Where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." "Each day and hour brings its duties." "Every senator and representative was present." "No time and money has been spared to make the appointments perfect." "No wife, no mother, was there to comfort him." RULE 7 A singular verb is often used when it precedes a number of subjects connected by "and;" as, "Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, "For wide is heard the thundering fray, The rout, the ruin, the dismay." RULE 8 Two or more singular subjects connected by "as well as," "and also," "and too," etc., require a singular verb; as, "Justice as well as mercy allows it." "John, and also James, is excused from the class." "John and James, too, is to blame." RULE 9 When a singular subject is immediately followed by a modifier containing a noun or pronoun in the plural, the singular verb is required; as, "The Mayor, with all his attendants, was there." "A basket of flowers was sitting in the window." "The inforcement of such laws as these is very difficult." "Each of the foregoing sentences expresses a complete thought." RULE 10 When a collective noun refers to its individuals as acting separately or independently, it should be followed by a plural verb, but when it refers to its individuals as acting as a whole, the singular verb and the singular neuter pronoun are required; as, "The audience was held by the speaker as if it were one man.” “When he ceased, his audience were free to go their ways." |