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Agreement with verbs and subjects

Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: ______ Date: _____________

Exercise 1. Use the singular or the plural form of the verbs given in brackets to fill in the
blanks in the following sentences.
1. Twenty miles ______________ (be) a long distance.
2. The police ________________ (pay) a lot of attention to juvenile delinquency.
3. Fifth pounds of potatoes ________________ (be) too heavy for one servant to carry.
4. Ten minutes _______________ (seem) to be a long time to wait.
5. Two thousand dollars __________________ (be) an unreasonable price for that second-
hand lorry.
6. None of this meat ______________ (be) fresh. I’m not going to buy any from this shop.
7. It ____________ (be) these boys who _________________ (have) made so many
mistakes.
8. The rich and the poor ______________ (be) equal in the eyes of the law.
9. It ________________ (be) I who should be blamed.
10. None of your models _____________ (be) carefully labeled.
11. Gold, as well as iron, _______________ (be) found in Mexico.
12. None of the boys here _____________ (be) known to me.
13. The jewel, together with my passport, ________________ (have) been stolen.
14. She who _________________ (be) beautiful will have a head-start in life.
15. The principal, with all the teachers, _______________ (be) present at the meeting.
16. The building, with its contents, __________________ (be) insured.
17. Mr Wong, accompanied by his wife, ___________________ (attend) the social
gathering.
18. Tom, together with David, ___________________ (be) going to visit us on Sunday
morning.
19. It _______________ (be) my mother who ______________ (cook) food for us.
20. He who ___________________ (work) hard will succeed in life.

Exercise 2 In each of the following questions, decide which one of the four choices would
most suitably complete the sentence if inserted at the place marked.

1. One thousand dollars…too much for that bicycle.

A. is B. are C. bas been D. have been

2. Neither Mr. Wong nor his brothers…to Ocean Park yet.

A. has been B. are C. is D. have been

3. We bought four detective novels but none of them…cheap.

A. is B. being C. was D. were

4. Many a man … see the importance of home education for children.

A. have not B. has not C. does not……D. do not

5. Only one or two athletes … chosen for the Joint School Sports Day last month.
A. was B. were C. is D. are
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6. One of the excuses given by the lazy student … ridiculous.
A. sounds B. sound…… C. has sounded D. have sounded

7. It is Paul who … the expedition.

A. are leading B. lead C. is leading D. have led

8. Mary, it … wrong of you to interfere in this matter.

A. is B. are C. am D. were

9. When I was young, reading comedies … my favourite pastime.

A. is B. are……C. was…….D. were

10. The luggage … just been checked.

A. are……B. have C. has D. is

11. The police …looking for a young coolie who is believed to have murdered Mrs White.
A. am B. was C. is D. are

12. A group of ten members … chosen to investigate the theft last month.
A. is B. are C. was D. were

13. Too much moisture in the air … metal things to rust.

A. cause B. causes C. causing D. are causing

14. A pair of scissors … a useful tool for a tailor.

A. is B. are C. are being D. were

15. The prisoner who … sick has been sent to hospital.

A. was B. were C. are being D. are

16. In Elizabethan times a lot of people …jobless.

A. is B. was C. are D. were

17. The rich …. often look down on the poor.

A. has not B. have not C. does not D. do not

18. The theme of the story … been clearly expressed by the author.
A. has B. have C. is D. are

19. Their results … not satisfactory and more effort … needed.

A. is/is B. is/are C. are/are D. are/is

20. To take pay and then not to put any effort into one’s work …dishonest.
A. is B. am C. are D. were

21. Homer was one of the greatest poets that … ever lived.
A. have B. has C. is D. are

22. Neither of them … chosen for the coming competition.

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A. am B. were C. will be D. have been

23. Sheep … reared for wool in Australia.

A. is B. are C. was D. am

24. Two.. six… twelve.

A. times/equals B. time/equal C. times/equal D. time/equals

25. At the present moment, our favourite subject … Geography.

A. is B. are C. was D. were

26. I won’t choose one because neither of them … me.

A. suit B. suits C. suited D. have suited

27. Although there … an explanation for these exercises, I still don’t know how to do them.
A. is B. are C. am D. were

28. News of the strike of the Government workers …rapidly through Hong Kong.
A. were spreading B. is spreading C. are spreading D have spread

29. A strong spirit of nationalism … among these youths.

A. exist B. exists C. were existing D. have existed

30. To err … human, to forgive divine.

A. is B. are C. were being D. were

31. A little knowledge … a dangerous thing.

A. is B. are C. am D. were

32. Rousseau’s teachings … us to build a new democratic society.

A. inspire B. inspires C. was inspiring D. has inspired

33. More freedom … been given to students in our school.

A. has B. have C. are D. is

33. Steak and chips … my favourite dish when I was in England.

A. is B. are C. was D. were

34. A flock of sheep … grazing in the field.

A. is B. are C. were D. were being