MDCAT: TOPIC-1

CONCORD RULES

BY:
FARAZ AHMED
PGC BAHAWALPUR
 • SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
1.

• NOUN PRONOUN AGREEMENT

2.

• NOUN QUANTIFIER AGREEMENT

3.
 What it SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
is about
(OR)
Who and
what SUBJECT
performs
action

WHAT is a TYPES OF HOW TO FIND

Subject? SUBJECT A SUBJECT?

• Simple Who/what
• Compound (Noun/Pronoun/Noun Phrase)
• Complete
 RULE-1(A)

Singular subjects need singular verb.

Often a singular verb in the present form ends with an
“s” such as the verbs gives, takes, receives, writes, etc.
Examples:
 If an elephant (know/knows) how strong he is, he takes
advantage of the situation.
 A girl in my neighborhood (play/plays) in the band.
RULE-1(B)

Plural subjects need plural verb.

A plural verb does not take an “S” with it.

Examples:
 As always, they (require/requires) more funds.

 Many people (prefer/prefers) to live in Europe.

 Several girls in my neighborhood (play/plays) in the band.

RULE-2(A)
S.1 + AND + S.2______V./H.V(Plural)

Examples:
 The beginning of the story and the end of the story (was/were)
exciting.
 The college newspaper and the literary magazine (fail/fails) to
attract the experienced staff.
She and her friend is at the fair.
A BC D
The percentage of employees who called in sick and the number of employees who left their
A B C
jobs within 2 years is reflective of the level of job satisfaction.
D
RULE-2(B) (one idea/person/thing)

S.1+AND+S.2______Verb/H.V(singular)

Examples:
 Red beans and rice (is/are) my mom's favorite dish.

 The brown and white dog (is/are)chasing the cat.

A. Our German master and friend, Herr staefel, were killed on the western front.
B. Our German master and friend, Herr staefel, was killed on the western front.

A red and white bull are brought to altar to perform the holy ceremony.
A B C D
RULE-3
With, along with, together with,
like, besides, except, of, and not,
but not, including, excluding,
S.1+ in addition to, accompanied by, + S.2 V/H.V(S.1)
instead of, as well as,
in accordance with, comprising,
holding, consisting, having,
possessing.
Examples:
 My boss, as well as her staff (leave / leaves) early every Friday.
 Extra benefits besides salary (make/makes) government job attractive.

The guru as well as his disciples are committed to the ritual.

A B C D
RULE-4(A)
Either or
Neither +S.1+ nor + S.2 V/H.V(S.2)
Not only but also
Examples:  Either the boys or the girls (take/takes) the garbage out.
 Not only the directors but also the chairman (is/are) interested
in this plan.

Neither the addled coach nor the incompetent players has performed in the current match.
A B C D
RULE-4(B)
Two or more singular subjects connected by “or/nor”,
require a singular V./H.V.
Examples:  No nook or corner was left unexplored.
 Our happiness or our sorrow is largely due to our own actions.
When the subjects joined by “or/nor” are of different numbers, the
verb agrees with the nearer SUBJECT.
RULE-5
When the sentence begins with Here or There,
the subject comes after the VERB and decides
whether the verb is singular or plural.
Examples:

 Here (is/are) my reasons for quitting.

 There (is/are) no need to pay me next week.
 Here into the main ring of the circus (come/comes) the trained
elephants.

A. There comes the locusts.

B. There come the locusts.
 RULE-6
A phrase or clause between SUBJECT and VERB
does not affect the SUBJECT.
Examples:

 The interest shown in the Romeo and Juliet movie (has/have)

been amazing.
 The pictures beside the window (is/are) fading from the sunlight.
 The witch between the ghost and the monster (was/were) very ugly.
 The cottages between the sea and the road beyond the board walk
(is/are) for sale.
 RULE-7(A)
These Indefinite Pronouns are always SINGULAR
even if they seem PLURAL.
• Either, neither, any.
• One, someone, no one, everyone, each one.
• Something, everything, nothing, anything.
• Somebody, nobody, everybody, anybody.
Examples:
 Anybody who (come/comes) onto the stage will get a chance to win a prize.
 Nothing (costs/cost) higher than the wastage of time.
 Everyone of the friends (was/were) involved with the prank.
 She asked me whether either of the applicants (was/were) suitable.
 RULE-7(B)
These INDEFINITE PRONOUN are PLURAL, so
they take PLURAL V/H.V.
Several, few, both,
many, others
Examples:

 Both (do/does) a good deal of work in this office.

 Few of his fans (is/are) buying his recent book.
 Many (has/have) gained from the recent stock market rise.
 Several (indicate/indicates) that they will be late.

Few reads this well at such a young age.

A B C D
 RULE-7(C)
Some INDEFINITE PRONOUNS may be either
SINGULAR or PLURAL.
• with uncountable, use singular. SOME,
• with countable, use plural.
ANY,
Examples: None
ALL,
 Some of the sugar (is/are) on the floor. MOST
 Some of the marbles (is/are) on the floor.
 All the typing (has been/have been) finished.
 All the reports (has been/have been) typed.

Most of the rules applies to me than to you.

A B C D
RULE-8
Fractions, portions and percentages may take singular or
plural verbs depending on the noun that comes after ‘of’
phrase..
Examples:
With a singular or non-count noun, use a singular v/h.v:

 A portion of his wealth (was/were) donated to cancer patients.

 Two-fifths of this land (is/are) uncultivated.
With a plural Noun use a plural verb/helping verb:

 One-third of the students (has/have) graduate degrees.

 Fifty percent of the computers (has/have) CD-ROM drives.

A. In India during 1913, 93% of the British garrisons was inoculated.

B. In India during 1913, 93% of the British garrisons were inoculated.
 RULE-9
Units of time, money, distance, and weight use
singular verb/H.V.
Examples:

 Ten thousand dollars (is/are) a good amount.

 Five hours (is/are) too short a time to judge one’s character.
 Six gallons of paint (was/were) used on the house.
 Ten pounds (makes/make) a large bag.
 Twenty kilometres (is/are) a long distance to skate to work each
day.
 That Rs.100,000 (was/were) inheritance from his father.
RULE-10
The +Adjective ________Verb/H.V(Plural)
(representing the whole class)
Examples:
 The dead (is/are) not forgotten.
 The poor (need/needs) our help.
 The blind (faces/face) many hardships.

A. Through love the dead rise to life.

B. Through love the dead rises to life.
RULE-11
Titles of books, movies, novels, magazines etc.
are treated as SINGULAR and take a SINGULAR
VERB.
Examples:
 Gulliver’s travels (was/were) written by Jonathan Swift.
 The Times (was/were) Mr. Chips’ favourite newspaper.
 The Simpsons (is/are) my favourite TV show.
 Lost Horizons (is/are) a book about a utopia.
 The Burbs (is/are) a movie starring Tom Hanks.
RULE-12
Collective Nouns (Jury, chorus, family, troop, class, army,
audience, committee, team, band, crowd, group,
congregation, crew, camp, etc.) may be SINGULAR/PLURAL
depends on the context.
Examples:

 The class (is/are) always loud and annoying.

 The faculty (meet/meets) every Wednesday.
 The jury (was/were) divided in (its/their) judgment.
 The class (has, have) completed (its/their) projects.
RULE-13
One of + Noun(P) +who/which/that____V./H.V(P)

Examples:

 He is one of the students who (is/are) absent.

 This is one of the books which (was/were) my favourite.
 He is one of those managers who (favour/favours) increasing the staff.
RULE-14
The only One of + Noun(P) +who/which/that____V./H.V(S)

Examples:

 He is the only one of the boys who always (win/wins).

 Ali is the only one of the employees who (works/work) long hours.
 RULE-15
A number of + Noun (Plural) _____V./H.V (Plural)

Examples:
 A number of students (is/are) out of the campus.
 A number of reasons (was/were) listed in the letter.
RULE-16
The number of + Noun (Plural) _____V./H.V (singular)

Examples:
 The number of students registered in the class (is/are) 40.
 The number of orders still to be executed (is/are) estimated
at nearly a hundred.
 RULE-17
A majority of + Noun(P) _____V./H.V (P)

Examples:
 A majority of workers (was/were) paid on on Friday.
 A majority of Canadians (has/have) voted for change.
RULE-18
majority+ Noun(S) _____V./H.V (S)
Examples:
 Majority in this class (has/have) paid the admission fee.
 The majority (holds/hold) no strong views.
 A small minority (indicate/indicates) it supports the proposal.
RULE-19
Many a + Noun(S) ______V./H.V (S)+ Pronoun(S)

Examples:

 Many a soldier/soldiers (has/have) met (his/their) death.

 Many a children/child (dream/dreams) about becoming
famous one day.
 Many a man/men (was/were) shot dead in a war.
 RULE-20
When each or every comes before two [or more]
singular nouns joined by and, use Singular Verb/H.V.
Examples:
 Every boy and every girl (was/were) ready to attend the seminar.
 Every shirt, tie and coat (is/are) marked for reduction sale.

EXCEPTION : If ‘each’ follows a plural noun or pronoun,

the verb should be plural.
Examples:

 The members each (feel/feels) their responsibility.

 They each (has/have) their own problem.
 RULE-21
Inversion: Verb before the Subject

INVERSION means putting the verb before the subject or normal

order of words is reversed, generally for emphasis or special effect.
e.g. never, seldom, rarely, hardly, scarcely, no sooner, etc.
Examples:
 So also no doubt were the pieces of the sun when they were first
thrown off.
 Seldom have I seen such a beautiful view.
 Rarely did he pay anyone a compliment.
 Little did he imagine how dangerous it would be.
 Hardly had I begun to speak when I was interrupted.
 No sooner had I arrived than they all started to argue.
RULE-22
A Gerund, Noun phrase or clause acting as a
SUBJECT of a sentence, requires a SINGULAR
VERB/H.V.

Examples:  Swimming (is/are) difficult.

 Playing games in childhood (was/were) fun.
 What I need (is/are) to be loved.
 Having good friends (is/are) a wonderful thing.

Playing the piano in front of a crowd cause anxiety.

A B C D
RULE-23
Two GERUNDS and Two INFINITIVES linked
by “AND” take a plural VERB/H.V.

Examples:
 To run and to read (is/are) my two favorite “Free-time” activities.
 Dancing and singing (come/comes) naturally to me.
RULE-24
A Linking verb usually agrees with its SUBJECT,
not with its complement.

Examples:
 Excessive absences (was/were) the reason for his failure.
 The reason for his failure (was/were) excessive absences.
 RULE-25
when a lot of, a great deal of, plenty of, most of and
some of refer to number, a plural V/H.V is used.

Example:
 A lot of people (was/were) present at the meeting.
But, if these expressions refer to an amount, the
VERB/H.V is in the singular.

Example:

 A lot of work (has to/have to) be completed before we go.

 RULE-26
SINGULAR

N V
Who
O E
Which
U R
That
N B

PLURAL
Examples:
1. The movie was about a woman who win/wins the lottery.
2. She knows the boys who has/have broken the glass.

A. I could not help the slight unease which come to all who is eyed suspiciously by the
police.
B. I could not help the slight unease which comes to all who are eyed suspiciously by
the police.
RULE-27 NOUN…….. Quantifiers Agreement

Quantifiers….Noun

Numerable Measureable
Many Much
People Sugar
Words Expressing Quantity
With Singular Nouns and Verbs With Plural Nouns and Verbs
Much Many
(a) Little (a) Few
A great deal of Several
A large amount of A large number of
Less Fewer
Another Both
 RULE-28
NOUN (antecedent)……………. PRONOUN Agreement

SINGULAR

NOUN PRNOUN

Example: PLURAL

When students arrive on the first day of school, they need help finding the right classroom.

Teachers should carefully choose professional development opportunities that

A B
address his gaps in knowledge.
C D
Thank You