HBSE 9th Class English Grammar Subject Verb Agreement

Haryana State Board HBSE 9th Class English Solutions Grammar Subject Verb Agreement Exercise Questions and Answers.

Haryana Board 9th Class English Grammar Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement :
(Agreement on Verb and Subject)
A verb must agree with its subject in number and person. In this connection the following are some important points to remember.
(एक Verb संख्या एवं व्यक्ति (person) के मामले में अवश्य अपने subject (कत्ता) के अनुरूप होता है। इस विषय में निम्नलिखित महत्त्वपूर्ण बातें याद रखने योग्य हैं।)

1. In the present tense of most English verbs the third person singular ends in -s, but there is no -5 on the third person plural.
(Present Tense में अंग्रेज़ी में III person एकवचन के अधिकतर verbs के पीछे ‘s’ लगता है। मगर III person plural के पीछे ‘s’ नहीं लगता।)
A cow eats grass.
Cows eat grass.

My friend likes swimming.
My friends like swimming.

The chief exceptions to this rule are he is- they are, where different words are used, and he does-they do, he goes—they go, where the singular ending is not -s, but -es, because the previous letter is a vowel. Can, may, must and ought, and the auxiliaries will and shall do not have -s on either the singular or the plural.
He will do it if you ask him.
They will do it if you ask them.

But when will is a full verb, and not an auxiliary, it follows the rule for most other verbs, and takes the ending -s on the third person singular.
Whatever God wills, man cannot alter.

Note that in verbs that end in y preceded by a consonant (fly, try, pity), the y is changed to an i and -es is added.
A bird flies.
He tries.
She pities the unfortunate child.

2. When the subject is one of, followed by a plural noun (one of the teachers, one of the employees), the verb is singular, to agree with one. There is often a temptation to make it agree with the plural noun that immediately precedes it, but this, is incorrect.
(जब subject हो one of और उसके बाद कोई बहुवचन संज्ञा (अध्यापकों में से एक, कर्मचारियों में से एक) हो तो one के अनुसार verb एकवचन ही रहता है। कई बार छात्र उस बहुवचन noun को देखते हुए बहुवचन क्रिया लगा देते हैं जो कि गलत है।)

One of my teachers lives next door to my aunt, (not live)
One of my friends has a fine collection of postage stamps, (not have)

3. If a clause or any other long group of words separates the subject from the verb, special care is necessary to remember the actual subject-word, and to make the verb agree with it.
(अगर कोई clause या शब्दों का समूह subject को verb से अलग करता है तो वास्तविक subject-word को ध्यान में रखकर verb को प्रयोग किया जाता है।)

All the books which have been placed on that table by the window need re-binding.
The radio which you gave my children works perfectly.

4. When the subject is the formal there, the verb agrees with the ‘real’ subject that follows it.
(जब subject औपचारिक There हो तो verb वास्तविक subject के अनुसार होता है जो इसके बाद आता है।)

There is no reason to doubt his honesty.
There are thirty pupils in our class. .

5. Normally, when a subject consists of two or more nouns, it has the force of a plural, and takes a plural verb.
(आमतौर पर जब कर्ता में दो या अधिक nouns हो तो इसमें बहुवचन की ताकत होती है और इसकी बहुवचन क्रिया होती है।)

John and Mary have gone for a holiday.
Barley, wheat and rice are cereals.

But when two or more nouns represent a compound name of one thing, then the compound is thought of as singular, and takes a singular verb.
(मगर जब दो या अधिक noun एक वस्तु के मिश्रित noun को बनाते हैं तो singular मानते हैं और एकवचन क्रिया लगाते हैं।)

Bread and butter is a wholesome food.
There’s eggs and bacon for breakfast.

6. Similarly when a plural number applies to distances, weights, heights or amounts of money, and represents a single figure or quantity, it is treated as a singular and takes a singular verb.
(इसी प्रकार जब कोई बहुवचन संख्या, दूरी, वजन, ऊँचाई या पैसों की राशि के बारे में हो और एक अंक या मात्रा को दर्शाता है तो उसे एकवचन माना जाता है और उसके बाद एकवचन क्रिया लगती है।)

Ten pounds is a lot of money, (not are)
Twenty miles is not a great distance in. these days of rapid travel, (not are)
Two pounds of coffee costs seven and sixpence, (not cost)

7. If the title of a literary work, or the name of a house or a hotel, is a plural, for purposes of agreement it is treated as a singular, since it is only one title or one building.
(अगर किसी साहित्यिक कृति का शीर्षक, किसी घर या होटल का नाम बहुवचन हो तो उसे एकवचन माना जाता है क्योंकि यह केवल एक शीर्षक तथा एक इमारत है।)

The Thirty-Nine Steps was written by John Buchan.
The Rose and, Crown is situated in the High Street.

Exercises For Practice (Solved)

Exercise 1

Insert the correct form of the present tense of the verb in the blank spaces in the following sentences. The verb to be used is given in brackets at the end of each sentence.

1. A new car a lot of money. (cost)
2. Most things more now than they did a few years ago. (cost)
3. Jet aeroplanes very fast. (fly)
4. An aeroplane more quickly than a bird. (fly)
5. The countryside very beautiful in spring. (look)
Answers :
1. A new car costs a lot of money. (cost)
2. Most things cost more now than they did a few years ago. (cost)
3. Jet aeroplanes fly very fast. (fly)
4. An aeroplane flies more quickly than a bird. (fly)
5. The countryside looks very beautiful in spring. (look)

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with is/am/are or with has/have :

1. People ………… waiting for new government.
2. Indian politics ………… very complex.
3. The public ………… in no mood to listen to him.
4. The sheep ………… a big source of wool.
5. A great number of students ………… waiting for their results.
Answers :
1. People are waiting for new government.
2. Indian politics is very complex.
3. The public is in no mood to listen to him.
4. The sheep is a big source of wool.
5. A great number of students are waiting for their results.

Exercise 3

Insert the correct form of the present tense of the verb in the blank spaces in the following sentences. The verb to be used is given in brackets at the end of each sentence.

1. Those children ………… very healthy (look).
2. One of the players ………… from the same village as myself, (come)
3. In Britain many workers ………… to work in their own cars, (go)
4. All the pupils in our school ………… English, (learn)
5. The owner of that factory ………… very rich and …………. in a large house, (be, live)
Answers :
1. Those children look very healthy (look).
2. One of the players comes from the same village as myself. (come)
3. In Britain many workers go to work in their own cars. (go)
4. All the pupils in our school learn English. (learn)
5. The owner of that factory is very rich and lives in a large house, (be, live)

Exercise 4

Fill in the blanks with is/am/are or with has/have :

1. Each of the matches ………… different from the other.
2. There ………… a group of public men waiting to see the CM.
3. The staff ………… agreed to work overtime.
4. Either he or his friends ………… going to win the prize.
5. Neither he nor I ………… keen to see this movie.
Answers :
1. Each of the matches is different from the other.
2. There is a group of public men waiting to see the CM.
3. The staff has agreed to work overtime.
4. Either he or his friends are going to win the prize.
5. Neither he nor I am keen to see this movie.

Exercise 5

Insert the correct form of the present tense of’the verb in the blank spaces in the following sentences. The verb to be used is given in brackets at the end of each sentence.

1. One of the pupils in our class ………… a motor cycle, (own)
2. Some people ………… travelling by sea, as it ………… them sea-sick, (dislike, make)
3. The postman ………… each morning with the letters, (call)
4. A snail ………… very slowly, (move)
5. All the books on that shelf ………… to me. (belong)
Answers :
1. One of the pupils in our class owns a motor cycle (own)
2. Some people dislike travelling by sea, as it makes them sea-sick. (dislike, make)
3. The postman calls each morning with the letters. (call)
4. A snail moves very slowly, (move)
5. All the books on that shelf belong to me. (belong)

Exercise 6

Fill in the blanks with is/am/are or with has/have :

1. A lot of pullution ………… caused by the noise of the factories.
2. Either your eyessight or your brackes ………… at fault.
3. Bread and butter ………… my main worry.
4. Mr. John or Mr. Samuel ………… likely to mave the resolution.
5. Either those children or Mohan ………… picked all the flowers.
Answers :
1. A lot of pullution is caused by the noise of the factories.
2. Either your eyessight or your brackes are at fault.
3. Bread and butter is my main worry.
4. Mr. John or Mr. Samuel is likely to mave the resolution.
5. Either those children or Mohan has picked all the flowers.

Exercise 7

Insert the correct form of the present tense of the verb in the blank spaces in the following sentences. The verb to be used is given in brackets at the end of each sentence.

1. Her aunt and uncle ………… a house in the country, (have)
2. Four ounces ………… the smallest quantity we sell, (be)
3. Apple pie and custard ………… my favourite dish, (be)
4. Ten miles ………… a long way to walk, (be)
5. The tallest on the three boys ………… next door to me. (live)
Answers :
1. Her aunt and uncle have a house in the country, (have)
2. Four ounces is the smallest quantity we sell, (be)
3. Apple pie and custard is my favourite dish, (be)
4. Ten miles is a long way to walk, (be)
5. The tallest on the three boys lives next door to me. (live)

Exercise 8