Agreement in Tense

When the main clause is in present tenses, the subordinate clause may be in various
tenses. When the main clause is in past tenses, the subordinate clause must be in past
tenses.
Basic rules of agreement in tense:

Main clause Subordinate clause

Present simple, I am aware that Present, future, past tenses
present perfect tenses he is/was/will be involved in that
scandal.
Pasttense The man told me Past tenses
that he joined/had joined/would join the
team a few months ago.

Exceptions

Main clause Subordinate clause

When the event is a The management told Present tenses
the truth/general fact staff members
that the company is having financial
difficulties.
When the event is a The professor says Past tenses
historical data
that the Second World War started in
1939.

Choose the correct option in brackets for each sentence.

1 The president said that he (laid/would lay) off some of the
employees. 2 Jack told me that he (enjoys/will enjoy) his current job
very much now.
3 The newspaper says that Furnish & Co. (went/had gone) bankrupt a few days
ago.
4 The doctor said that washing your hands frequently (prevents/will prevent) infection.

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1 The driver told me that I train tickets at any station.
(A) purchase (B)willpurchase (C)coud
puchase (D)has purchased

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 2 Everybody knows that this company in the 1920s.
(A) is established (B) was established
(C) has been established (D) would be established

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 Agreement in Number (1)
(Singular/Plural Nouns)
The basic rule is that a singular subject goes with a singular verb, while a plural subject
goes with a plural verb.

Subjects Examples

Singular/plural The flowers Parel supposed to arrive in 10 minutes.

nouns plural N plural V

The flower is/ beautifully placed on the balcony.

singular N singular V

Subject +
prepositional The professors at my university fared mostly from the United States.
phrase plural N plural V

Subject + The letter offering me a job Lhasa finally arrived.

participial phrase singular N singular V

Subject + relative The students whom I met at the seminar fwere/ interested in my research.
clause plural N plural V

Many of the employees/in this office/are not satisfied with/their salaries.

Choose the correct option in brackets for each sentence.

1 Most senior citizens in developed countries (are/is) enjoying a lot of social
benefits. 2 The staff members at this hotel (are/is) willing to help you during
your stay.
3 Factory workers who are suffering from backaches (need/needs) to see a company
doctor. 4 A small-business owner seeking promotional ideas (has/have) visited the PR
agency.

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1 Most of the classes on politics taught by professor Chang difficult to understand.
(A) is (B) are (C) was (D) be

2 People driving long distances

often reported to be more tired at work.
(A) is (B) are (C) being (D) to be
 Agreement in Number (2)
(Uncountable Nouns, To-infinitives,
Gerunds, Clauses Introduced by that)
Besides, you must use singular verbs in the following cases:
When the subject is an uncountable noun
When the subject is a to-infinitive or a gerund
When the subject is a noun clause introduced by that
Types of subjects Examples

Uncountable nouns Your satisfaction is our priority.

My luggage ' is/ missing again.

To-infinitives To meet your needs ‹‘ is our priority.

Gerunds Working out regularly keepsg your heart healthy.
Noun clauses That she (should) be at the meeting list essential.
introduced by = It his essential that she (should) be at the meeting.
that

Advertising/is absolutely necessary/when/you launch a new product.

Choose the correct option in brackets for each sentence.

1 The damage to the car (were/was) worse than we

thought. 2 Working with parents (is/are) so stressful for

teachers.

3 There (has/have) been an increasing demand for solar energy.

4 To hire a sales representative with a lot of experience (is/are) crucial now.

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1 Experiencing a high level of stress often serious diseases.
(A) cause (B) causes (C) causing (D) have caused

2 It extremely difficult to find a qualified candidate for this position.

(A) is (B) be (C) are (D) were

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The table below shows the verb forms that agree with their subjects indicating quantities.

most/all/some/any/half/many of Most of the parFlpicant were satisfied with

the the + plural noun + plural verbpresentation.

most/all/some/any/half/much of Some of theiedent be ongs to that

department. the + singular/uncountable noun +
singular verb

every/each + singular noun

+ singular verb Ever roduct labeled with a price.

each of the + plural noun + singular Each of the seats has

a headset. verb

a number of + plural noun + plural A numbe of eo ie traveling abroad nowadays.

verb

the number of + plural

noun + singular verb The number of eo Ie traveling abroad increasing.

There exists the possibility/that the new printer is not compatible/with our computers.

* Choose the correct option in brackets for each sentence.

1 Most of the details in this brochure (is/are) considered wrong.

2 Half of this money (have/has) to be spent on purchasing office

supplies. 3 The number of applicants (is/are) not known to us.

4 Every computer (are/is) carefully maintained by the Technical Department.

B Choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

1 A number of athletes from Europe in the tournament every year.
(A) participate (B) participates (C) participating (D) participated

2 The number of children using been growing for the past few years.
smartphones
(C) have (D)are
(A) is (B) has
 PART 5

1. Sales receipts given to customers 5. The people doing jobs with heavy
sometimes credit card information.
workloads already ready to quit.
(A) contain (A) is
(B) contains (B) are
(C) containing (C) being
(D) to contain (D)am

2. The housekeeper claimed that 6. Each of the hotel guests given a

she every sink in the house last free beach bag and towel after arriving.
week.
(A) to
(A) clean be
(B) cleans (B)was
(C) cleaned (C)are
(D) have cleaned (D)were

3. Some of the workers in this plant to 7. The number of patients reporting side
improve their working environment. effects from this medicine been
(A) want increasing since last month.
(B) wants (A) has
(C) has wanted (B)have
(D) wanting (C)had
(D) having
4. A number of tourists visiting Korea
that the purpose of their visit is shopping. 8. Most of the workers at the construction
(A) say site exhausted from the extra
(B) says work.
(C) saying (A) was
(D) be said (B) were
(C) has
(D) have

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 PART §

Questions 9—12 refer to the following letter.

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I have been a member of your fitness center for the past 3 years. And I have been enjoying
working out there. However, recently, going to the spa something
9.
I want to avoid. I find it so unpleasant. Most of the shower rooms so dirty. The
10.

floors are always littered with paper.

I would like to my membership at the center. I hope these conditions can

11.12.

be improved for the benefit of all concerned.

9. (A) have become 11. (A) reserve

(B) had become (B) stay
(C)has become (C) maintain
(D)havng become (D)go on

10. (A) is 12. (A) And I want to cancel my registration.

(B) are (B) But I want to get good value for
(C) am my money.
(D) being (C) And I am sorry about
the inconvenience.
(D) But I would like a full refund.