ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: subject verb agreement ^^

dave_amateur — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:27:53 GMT

thanks for the help from all 3 of you =]
It's much clearer to me now.

=]

Re: subject verb agreement ^^

Cool Breeze — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:45:59 GMT

Avangi
Kooyeen's "music and writing is" raises a thorny problem. I'm not sure of the solution.

Hi A

Is or are, depending on how you look at it. If the two things are considered one whole: is, if not: are.

Re: subject verb agreement ^^

Avangi — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:46:43 GMT

they bring         news is

laptops are       she brings

laptops are        they bring

There's an "understood" which she brings. This relative clause takes the pronoun out of contention for subject of the sentence, since it is instead subject of "brings" in the clause. The clause modifies "news."

shorts are

pair is    (one pair)

pairs are      What do you mean by "one noun"?   In "pair of shorts," "shorts" is object of the preposition, and not part of the simple subject. The prepositional phrase then modifies "pair."

music and writing are          her talent lies     OR her talents lie   (talent may be countable or uncountable)

no effort!

Once you identify the verb, think a little bit about what the subject really is   -   what/who is performing that exact action, etc.

Edit. Kooyeen's "music and writing is" raises a thorny problem. I'm not sure of the solution.

Where did you do your undergraduate work? (reply) Harvard and Yale. / I did it at Harvard and Yale. / Harvard and Yale is /are where I did my undergraduate work.

Re: subject verb agreement ^^

Kooyeen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:34:28 GMT

Hi,
The news is encouraging. She brings it. The news she brings is encouraging.
The laptops are stylish. She brings them. The laptops she brings are very stylish.

I hope that will help you understand which subject goes with which verb.
As for the other questions, they might be a little tricky. I can only tell you what I would say, but consider I am not a native speaker.

His pair of spectacles is broken. His pair of shorts is torn. ("pair" is singular)
His spectacles are broken. His shorts are torn. (They are plural, and this is the common way to say it. You really don't need to add "a pair")

Music and writing is where her talent lies (But I wouldn't be surprised to hear "are" instead, or even find myself saying it, although I think I would add "...are the places/areas where...").

Now you need to see if the native speakers agree, but remember sometimes subject-verb agreement can be tricky to native speakers too.

subject verb agreement ^^

dave_amateur — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:07:58 GMT

Please help to clarify. thanks alot peeps =]

1a) The good news she brings is encouraging. Yes, I am sure because news is always used with singular verbs.
      The good news they brings/bring is/are encouraging.

1b) The laptops she bring/brings is/are very stylish.
     The latptops they bring/brings is/are very stylish.

in the above, how do we determine whether the subjects are both news and laptops or 3rd persons (she and they)? or vice versa?
i believe they are both news and laptops?

2a) His spectacles are broken. Yes, i am sure because spectacles is always used with plural verbs.
      His pair of spectacles is/are broken.

2b) His shorts is/are torn?
      His pairs of shorts is/are torn?

Is both the pairs of short & spectacles considered as one noun or still plural.

3a) Music is where her talent lies. Yes i am sure this is correct.

3b) Music and writing is/are where her talent/talents lie/lies.

appreciate the help and clarification. thanks!
overall, is there any rude to abide in the abovementioned case? how to look out for subjects, so that my verbs are grammatically correct.
thanks for taking the time and effort!