Subject–Verb Agreement

Teaching points

• • each/every/everyone = singular
• • a number of + plural noun = plural verb
• • the number of + plural noun = singular verb
• • either...or / neither...nor often agree with the nearer subject
• • ignore nouns inside prepositional phrases when identifying the main subject

each/every/everyone تعامل كمفرد. a number of + جمع يأخذ فعلاً جمعاً. the number of + جمع يأخذ فعلاً مفرداً. مع either/or و neither/nor يتبع الفعل غالباً أقرب فاعل.

Practice

Answer the 3 questions, then check — أجب عن الأسئلة الثلاثة ثم تحقق

1. 1. A number of applicants _____ waiting outside. A. is B. are C. was D. has
2. 2. The number of applications _____ increasing rapidly. A. are B. have C. is D. were
3. 3. Neither the director nor the engineers _____ available. A. is B. was C. are D. has