28. Agreement of the predicate with the subject.!!!!

In the English language the predicate agrees with the subject in person and number.

Agreement implies that the use of one form necessitates the use of the other. Узгодження передбачає, що використання однієї форми вимагає використання іншої. The house was alive with soft, quick steps and running voices. (Mansfield) This evening there was no bright sunset; west and east were one cloud… (Ch. Bronte)

In Modern English, agreement of the predicate with the subject is restricted to the present tense apart from the verb to be.Узгодження обмежується теперішнім часом незалежно від дієслова бути.

The verb to be is an exception because it agrees with the subject not only in the present but in the past tense as well. Дієслово бути це виняток, тому що це узгоджується з підметом не тільки в сьогоденні, але в минулому часі також. I am serious myself.. (Lindsay) We are men and women who respect ourselves and love our families. (Burke)

Rules of agreement

1.The predicate is used in the plural when there are two or more homogeneous subjects connected by the conjunction and or asyndetically. Присудок використовується у множині, коли є два або більше однорідних підмети, пов'язаних спільно або синтетично. Her father and mother .. were obviously haunted and harassed. (Galsworthy)

♥If two or more homogeneous subjects are expressed by infinitives the predicate is in the singular. Якщо 2 підмети виражені інфінітивом, то присудок викор. у однині.

2.When the predicate-verb precedes a number of subjects it is often in the singular, especially if the sentence begins with here or there. Коли присудку-дієслову передує ряд підметів він викор. в однині. And here was a man, was experience and culture.

If the subjects are of different number the predicate agrees with the subject that stands first. Якщо підмети різного числа, то присудок узгоджується з підметом, що стоїть першим.

3.When two homogeneous subjects in the singular are connect by the conjunctions not only.. but (also), neither.. nor, either .. or, or, nor, the predicate is usually in the singular. There was neither heroic swift defeat nor heroic swift victory. (Wells)

4.When two subjects in the singular are connected by the conjunction as well as the predicate is in the singular.

5.If a subject expressed by a noun is modified by two or more attributes (означення) connected by and, the predicate is in the singular when one person, thing, or idea is meant. The complete and beautiful quiet was almost the quiet from beyond the grave.

♥If 2 or more persons, things, or ideas are meant the predicate is in the plural. The red and the white rose are both beautiful. The red and white roses are both beautiful.

7. If the subject is expressed by an interrogative pronoun(who, what) the predicate is usually in the singular. "Who is to apply to her for permission?" I asked. (Collins) If the question refers to more than one person the predicate may be used in the plural.

Who were to be the subjects of their piracies was a matter that did not occur to him. (Twain)

8.If the subject is expressed by a relative pronoun(who, which, that) the predicate agrees with its antecedent(попереднім).

9.If the subject is expressed by the emphatic it the predicate is in the singular no matter what follows. ТОЛЬКО IT IS

10.If the subject is expressed by a noun in the plural which is the title of a book, or the name of a newspaper or magazine, the predicate is usually in the singular. "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club" was written when Dickens was twenty-four years of age.

11.If the subject is expressed by a noun in the plural denoting time, measure, or distance, the predicate is in the singular when the noun represents the amount or mass as a whole. Three dollars is the sum laid aside for all other purposes and pleasures. (Dreiser)

12. If the subject is expressed by a collective noun denoting a group or collection of similar individuals taken as a whole(mankind, humanity, etc.) the predicate-verb is in the singular. If the subject is expressed by a noun of multitude, i. e. a collective noun denoting the individuals of the group taken separately the predicate-verb is as a rule in the plural. The weather was warm, and the people were sitting at their doors. (Dickens)

With collective nouns (family, committee, crew, army, board,chorus, government, party, team, company, band, etc.) as subject the predicate is either in the singular or in the plural; this depends on what is uppermost in the mind, the idea of oneness or plurality.