VELAMMAL VIDYALAYA, ALAPAKKAM

ENGLISH CLASS -10

1. Smoking cigarettes is injurious to health. (Here the subject is the gerund
smoking; gerunds are treated as singular.)
2. She makes a living by writing stories.
3. Collecting stamps is his hobby. (Here the subject is the ing form collecting.)
4. Neither Janet nor Maria owns a car.
5. Either he or his parents have to pay the dues.
6. The headmaster as well as the teachers was present at the meeting. (When we
connect two nouns with as well as, the verb agrees with the former noun.)
7. He along with his friends is holidaying in Morocco. (When we connect two
nouns with ‘along with’, the verb agrees with the former noun.)
8. Two-thousand pounds is not a small sum.
9. Mathematics is difficult for many students.
10. Rohan and Sania are cousins. (When we connect two singular nouns with
and, the verb is plural.)
11. Neither ghee nor butter agrees with me. (When you connect two singular
nouns with neither/nor, the verb is singular.)
1. Neither my wife nor my parents were in favour of my decision to quit job.
2. Every student has to take the test.
3. Much money is required to finish the project.
4. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
6. Plenty of people want to buy cars.
7. Too much mathematics is taught in high school.
8. My jeans are too tight for me.
9. My family consist / consists of my parents, my wife, my children and me.
10. The team is / are confident of winning.
11. The committee has / have not announced its decision yet.
12. Some of my friends are going abroad.
13. A number of people want to emigrate.
14. The majority of us are against the proposal.

The Number vs. A Number

The expression the number is followed by a singular verb while the
expression a number is followed by a plural verb
Examples:
The number of people we need to hire is thirteen.
A number of people have written in about this subject.
1. The number of people lined up for tickets was four hundred.
2. A number of suggestions were made.
3. There are a number of important announcements in the bulletin.
4. Here is the number of milk shakes you requested.

We will use the standard of underlining subjects once and verbs twice.

Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of
subject-verb agreement.

Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes,
shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Example: 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.
Exceptions to the Basic rule:
a. The first person pronoun I takes a plural verb (I go, I drive).
b. The basic form of the verb is used after certain main verbs such as watch,
see, hear, feel, help, let, and make. (He watched Ronaldo score the winning
goal).
Rule 1. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key
rule for understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps
most, subject-verb mistakes.
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common
mistake in the following sentence:
Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the
room.Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends,
not roses lend)

Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by or,

either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.
Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the
noun or pronoun closest to it.
 Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or
more) subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:
Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.
If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward
sentences.

Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they
are connected by and.

Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
Examples:
I, my dad, and my step-mom are going to the movies.
She and Orville bought a dog.

While not grammatically incorrect per se, it is a courtesy to place the pronoun
last, except when awkward to do so as shown under Rule 3 above.

Rule 5a. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words
as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part
of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.

Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 5b. Parentheses are not part of the subject.
 Example: Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.
If this seems awkward, try rewriting the sentence.
Rule 6. In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the
verb.

Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
NOTE:

The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal
sentences like There's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say
"there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with a plural subject.

Rule 7. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc.,
when considered as a unit.

Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Rule 8a. 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 it is plural, use a
plural verb.

Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
 All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.Rule 8b. With collective nouns such
as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be singular or
plural, depending on the writer's intent.
Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
NOTE

Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun must take care to be
accurate—and also consistent. It must not be done carelessly. The following is
the sort of flawed sentence one sees and hears a lot these days:

The staff is deciding how they want to vote.

Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the
plural they to staff in the same sentence.Consistent: The staff are deciding
how they want to vote.Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever
possible. The preceding sentence would read even better as:The staff
members are deciding how they want to vote.

Rule 9. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are
contrary to fact:Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.Shouldn't Joe be
followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually
here, so we say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive
mood, which is used to express a hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually
contradictory thought. The subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what
we usually think of as plural verbs.Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
The foreman demanded that Joe wear safety goggles.In the first example, a
wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were, which we
usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular it. (Technically, it is
the singular subject of the object clause in the subjunctive mood: it were
Friday.)
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example,
where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still
be used in formal speech and writing.

When a sentence starts with “one third of/ two thirds of/ three fourths of”
plus plural countable nouns, we always use plural verbs
For Ex:-
 One third of the students is or are
 One third of the students are (correct)
 One third of the population is or are
 One third of the population are (correct)
 One third of the villages receives or receive
 One third of the villages receive (correct)
When a sentence starts with “one third of/two thirds of/three fourths of”
plus singular uncountable nouns (knowledge, luggage, milk, work…), we
always use singular verbs (is, has, was, and has been). When we use “one third
of” with a singular countable noun, it represents quantity.
For Ex:-
 One third of the milk has been wasted.
 Two thirds of information is shared.
 Three fourths of work is done now.
 It is easy to understand one third subject verb agreement.

(i) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the following
sentence. (1)
A theory …………….. only when a hypothesis ……………… by consistent
results from many observations or experiments.
(a) may have been developed, was being supported
(b) can be developed, has been supported
(c) will be developed, was supported
(d) has been developed, had been supported
Answer:
(b) can be developed, has been supported

(ii) Read the given sentence from an article. Identify the error and supply the
correction in the sentence. (1)
A person living a sedentary lifestyle is often sitting or lying down while
engaged in an activity like reading, socialising, watching television, playing
video games, eating or using a mobile phone/computer for much of the day all
the while consuming much and more fast food.
Use the given format for your response

(iii) Report the given statement. (1)

I said to my friend. “Can you pick me up after work?”.

(iv) Complete the sentence keeping the meaning of the statement intact. (‘Turn
around.’ he told her.
He ……………….. .
(a) asked to her to turn around.
(b) asked turn around.
(c) told her turn around.
(d) asked her to turn around.
(v) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option. (1)
When the river was flooded, the farmhouse was surrounded by water on
……………… .
(every, either, all) sides.
Answer:
all

(vi) Identify the error in the given sentence. (1)

It has taking almost a year for India to let its pessimism translate into lewer
jobs. Use the given format for your response.

(vii) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the
following line. (1)
Millions of Jews lost their kith and kin in Hitler concentration camps.

(viii) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line. (1)
I’ve seen ……………… of his work to know that he’s ready for a promotion.
(a) both
(b) a few
(c) several
(d) enough
Answer:
(d) enough

(ix) Read the dialogue between Sameera and her Brother. (1)
Brother : Gaaaaahhhh!
Sameera : I decided to try something different with my hair.
Select the correct option to complete the dialogue.
When Sameera came back from the hair salon, her brother was waiting for her.
He was shocked to see his sister. She told him ………………………
Answer:
that she had decided to try something different with her hajr.

(x) Complete the given sentence from a report, by filling in the blank with the
correct option. (1)
Helen her driving test five times so far without success.
(a) takes
(b) has taken
(c) was taking
(d) is taking”
Answer:
(b) has taken

(xi) Complete the line from a self- awareness song, by filling the blank with the
correct option. (1)
Yupik Elder asked me ………………… of an illness he had found
Affecting all the Gussuck folk that he had been around.
“Why do they chase the dollar so? What is this strange disease?
Whatever are they striving for? What does it take to please?’
I answered that I did not know the causes nor the cure.
(a) once
(b) many
(c) lot
(d) all
Answer:
(a) once

(xii) Identify the error in the given sentence. (1)

Police reports claim that substantial seizure of cocaine have been made in the
last two months.
Question 6.
Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two,
given. (5)
A. He was silent, stupefied, in dismay, at the sight of his wife weeping. He
stammered, ………from the economical clerk. (The Necklace)

(ii) State True or False. (1)

None of the terms (a) – (d) below, can be applied to the statement –
(a) A hypothesis – a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption – something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true
without proof
(c) A premise – a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
(d) A theory – a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon
Answer:
False

(vi) Identify the error in the given sentence. (1)

All works of creative writing have aesthetics appeal.
Use the given format for your response.

(ii) Read the given sentence from an article. Identify the error and supply the
correction in the sentence.
Today, we are living in a society where information is everything and different
forms of media has becoming the strapping tool of communication and
connectivity.
(x) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option.
………………… students succeeded in passing than last year.
(a) Few
(b) Fewer
(c) Little
(d) Much
Answer:
(b) Fewer

(xii) Identify the error in the given sentence.

Science and technology and their fallouts do not complete human culture.

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two,
given. (5)
A. I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly
—it was early November-and a light drizzle added to my discomfort……, but
now I had it all. (The Thief’s Story)

(i) State True or False. None of the terms (a) – (d) below, can be applied to the
question – Hari came to the maidan from the railway station. (1)
(a) A hypothesis – a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption – something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true
without proof
(c) A premise – a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
(d) A theory – a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon
Answer:
True

iii) What was Hari Singh thinking while sitting in the shelter of clock tower? (1)
1. Education can one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees.
2. I cannot cook his meals, run to the bazaar.
3. I should go back to Anil for the sake of learning to read and write.
4. I cannot learn to write whole sentences anymore.
Codes
(a) 1 and 4
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Answer:
(c) 1,2, 3 and 4
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In
the first decade of the …….ever known.
(iv) Read the following descriptions (a) – (d) and identify which one correctly
corresponds to the extract. (1)
(a) A deb
(b) A soliloquy
(c) An aside
(d) A reflection