Don't make your verbs disagree.Let's befriend them and make them agree.

By Ranjana S.

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Which of the following sentences are correct?

• Each one of these problems is to be dealt separately.
• The cost of food grains are increasing.
• The price of new cars is dropping.

In the aforementioned illustrations; the first and third one is correct, whereas, the second one incorrect.

To determine, whether we use 'is' or 'are' in a sentence, we need to understand that we are dealing with the number of a verb.

As we know, there are two numbers in grammar-singular and plural.

• Is is singular.
• Are is plural.
• One is...
• Two are....
• The girl is....
• The girls are....
• The girl was.....
• The girls were.....
• The girl has....
• The girls have....
• The girl goes....
• The girls go....

A singular verb is used with a singular subject.

A plural verb is used with a plural subject.

Now, the question arises-What is a subject?

• A subject is one of the two main parts into which every sentence is divided into.
• The other part is the predicate of the sentence.
• A subject in a sentence is what or whom we are referring to.
• The predicate of the sentence is what we are saying about the subject.

Look at this illustration:

• The Allied Reformers took the debate very lightly.

Explaination:

What are we talking about in the above mentioned illustration?  The Allied Reformers.

What further information do we get about the subject? took the debate very lightly.

Hence, the sentence formation has a subject and a predicate.

"The Allied Reformers"(subject) "took the debate very lightly"(predicate).

Examples:

• Mahatma Gandhi espoused non-violence.

Explanation:
Whom are we talking about? Mahatma Gandhi.What further information about him do we get? espoused non-violence.

The subject of a sentence may consist of a single noun or pronoun:

•  Boys love soccer.
•  Jeromy Brookfield wrote the bestseller book entitled 'The Adolescent'.
• The strike continued for many weeks.

This single noun or pronoun is called the subject of the verb. This single noun or pronoun basically influences the number of the verb in a sentence.

We shouldn't be confused between the subject of a sentence and the subject of a verb ( although, they are almost identical).

The subject of a sentence may consist of the subject of the verb, prepositional phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunction, or any other parts of speech.

In the illustration below, notice how we start with a single-word subject; which is the subject of the verb and subject of the sentence, and weave other parts of speech.

• Men are attractive species.

 Subject of the sentence and subject of the verb: Men.

Let's add a prepositional phrase:

• Men of intelligence are attractive species.

Now, what becomes of the subject?

• Subject of the sentence: Men of intelligence.
• Subject of the verb: Men.

Let's try adding some adjectives, adverb, prepositional phrase, and a conjunction:

Example:

•  Handsome men of great intelligence and impressive sense of humor are attractive species.

Explanation:

Subject of the sentence: Handsome men of great intelligence and impressive sense of humor.

Subject of the verb: Men.

The subject of the verb need not always precede the verb. In questions, the verb, or a part of the verb, precedes its subject.

Examples:

•  Are men attractive species?-----verb 'are'.

Sometimes, the subject may split a verb phrase:

• How do men improve  their attractiveness?----do, improve-verb phrase.

A verb may precede its subject commonly:

• There are many reasons for the price hike---verb 'are'.

We are able to find the subject of a sentence very conveniently. However, finding the subject of a verb- I.e, identifying the single noun or pronoun which regulates the number of verbs- is a bit cumbersome.

Please remember this important point: Though the subject of a sentence often contains one or more prepositional phrases, the subject of the verb-noun or pronoun is never found within or part of the prepositional phrase.

Let us identify the subject in the following sentences:

• In the economy boom, Roggers minted money.

Subject: Roggers Verb: minted.

•  Frightening, eerie and wierd was the silence.

Subject: silence. The subject silence follows the adjectives frightening,eerie and wierd modifying the noun silence.

• Has either of your sisters gone for the excursion.

Subject: either. Verb: gone. Of your sisters is a prepositional phrase. Either here means, either one; hence, it is singular and takes the verb has gone.

• The President, with his coterie, colleagues, delegates and family by the dozens, is coming to the Cyprus extravaganza.

Subject: President. Verb:visited. All the other nouns preceding the verb-visited are contained within the prepositional phrase introduced by the preposition with. The dozens is again a prepositional phrase introduced by the preposition by. Here the subject of the sentence is-The President, with his coterie, colleagues, delegates and family by the dozens. However, the subject of the verb is the single word President. The noun President is singular, so is coming is singular.

Some more examples and explanation:

§  One of my best friends was interviewed yesterday.

Subject: One. 

'Of my best friends' is a prepositional phrase. One is a pronoun subject of the verb 'was interviewed'.As you see both the subject and verb are singular.

§  My blood pressure, as well as my temperature, is high today.

Subject:Pressure.

'As well as my temperature' is a prepositional phrase introduced by the triple-ply preposition 'as well as'. The subject, I reiterate, is never found after a preposition.

§  Samantha's gorgeous looks, as well as her exuberance, intelligence and versatility, has made her famous.

Subject: Looks. This sentence is similar to the preceding one. 'As well as her exuberance, intelligence and versatility' is a prepositional phrase introduced by the triple-ply preposition 'as well as'.The subject is never found after a preposition.

§  The cost of food products has just risen 30 percent.

Subject: Cost.

The noun within a prepositional phrase becomes the object of the preposition. So here, 'of food products', food products become the object of the preposition'of', and can never be the subject.

'Cost' is singular and the verb 'has risen'is is also singular.

So, by now, the concept is crystal clear to all of us. However, let's recapitulate the basics:

§  The subject of the verb is usually a single-word noun or pronoun.

§  The subject is never found within a prepositional phrase.

§  The subject usually precedes the verb but in certain sentences may follow the verb.

§  Singular subjects take singular verbs.

• The cost of foodgrains is dropping, or The cost of foodgrains are dropping?

Subject of the sentence: The cost of foodgrains.

Subject of the verb: cost.

Prepositional Phrase: of foodgrains(this has no influence on the number of the verb).

Cost is a singular noun.

The verb should be singular too. Therefore, the correct sentence: 'The cost of foodgrains is dropping.'

Happy Learning!!!