.

National University of Engineering

UNI

Methodological presentation

English II

Unit: I Cause and Effect

Teacher: Zela Lopez Martinez

Date: From august 15th to 28th, 2020

Class Presentation # 3

Week # 3

OBJECTIVES:

To identify the cause and effect relationship between two or more event, paragraph structure
and appropriate use of subject and verb agreement, all of them necessary to analyze text
related to their degree course.

To apply the rhetorical function of cause and effect, paragraph structure and correct use of
verbs, when analyzing event related to each other, found in text of their mayor

To write cause-effect sentences using appropriate subject-and-verb agreement.

1
What is subject verb agreement?
Subject verb agreement simply means the subject and verb must agree in number A singular verb is used
with a singular subject, and a plural verb is used with a plural subject. When they agree with each other,
we call it that a subject and the verb agree.
Which one is the singular form and which is the plural
form? Here’s a tip for you. Ask yourself which you would
use with the word they and which would you use
with him or her.
He walks.
She walks.
They walk.
Since he and she are singular pronouns walks is a singular verb. The word they is plural so walk is the
plural form.

Rule 1. Subject and verb must agree with each other in number. Both must be singular, or both must be a
plural
Example:
o He eats spaghetti.

o They eat spaghetti.

Rule 2. Some words come between the subject and verb and state something about the subject. They
don’t affect the agreement.
Example:
o The man, carrying the bag, goes to the market.

Rule 3.A subject will come before a prepositional phrase.

Example:
o A bunch of roses is spreading the beauty of this stage. (correct)
o A bunch of roses are spreading the beauty of this stage. (incorrect)

2
Rule 4. Two singular subjects that are connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor, use a singular verb.
Example:
o My brother or my sister is coming today.
o Either Mou or Akash is trying to buy the smartphone.
o Neither Asif nor Abir is going to Chittagong.

Rule 5. The sentence contains or, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun
closest to it.
Example:
o Either you or he has gone to the party.
o Neither she nor I have attended the meeting.
o Neither she, her friends, nor I am going to the competition.

Rule 6. If both the subjects are plural and connected with the words “and”, “or”, “nor”, “neither/nor”,
“either/or”, and “not only/but also”, then the verb will be in plural form.
Example:
o Men and women both are entered the room.
o Not only teachers and but also students are requested to
participate the event.

Rule 7. A plural verb is used when two or more subjects are

connected by ‘and’.
Example:
o I, you and Marsha are going to attend the party.

o My uncle, aunt, and cousin are coming to visit our village.

Rule 8. When two or more subjects are connected by ‘and’ and refer to a singular thing, then the verb will
be a singular form.
Example:
o Fried rice and chicken is his favorite

3
Rule 9. ‘Along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. are not the part of the subject. They may separate the
subject and verb in a sentence, but they are not the part of the sentence.
Example:
o The great, writer, along with the cameramen, is given a
short
o Excitement, as well as, nervousness is the main reason to
fail in the exam.

Rule 10. Parentheses are not the part of the subject.

Example:
o She (and her make-up men) was always helpful.

Rule 11. When the sentence begins with the word ‘there’ or ‘here’, the subject is placed after the verb.So,
it is important to identify the verb correctly.
Example:
o There is a problem with this experiment.

o Here are the pens you wanted.

Rule 12. The verb will be a singular verb if the words “each”, “every”, or “no” come before the subject.
Example:
o No smoking is allowed.
o Every girl and boy is needed to pass the written test.
o Each of the girls is showing their ID cards.
13.  When “some”, “half”, “none”, “more” or “all” comes before a prepositional phrase then the verb will
be determined by the object of the preposition.
Example:
o Some of the boys were present.
o All of the girls were very cute.
o All of the girls were very nice.
o None of the girls was present in the class.

14. The singular verb is used during the units of measurement and time sums of money, etc., when
considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.

4
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.in the sentence.
Five liters of water is needed to prepare the food.
Twenty hours is required to make the boiler.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were found on the floor.

15.  If the subject is “everyone”, “everybody”, “none” or “nobody”, the verb will be singular form.
Example:
o Everybody is welcome here.

o Everyone likes to be rewarded.

o Nobody comes home.

o None is perfect.

16. If the subject is “few”, “all”, “many”, “both”, “several”, and “some”, then the verb will be plural form.
Example:
o Few are attended in the class.
o All are requested to take the seat.
17.  When gerunds or infinitives are used as the subject in a sentence, then the verb will follow the
singular form.
Example:
o To stand under the tree during an earthquake is not safe.
o Doing morning walk is very good for health and blood circulation.

18. Collective noun, “Herd”, “Senate”, “class”, “crowd” take a singular verb form.

Example:
1. The class is canceled.
19. If the subject is the name or the title of books, novels, movies, etc. then the verb is singular.
Example:
o Hajar Bochor Dhore is a novel written by Jahir Raihan.
o Doob is a movie made by Mostafa Sarwar Faruki.

5
20.  If the sentence contains a positive and a negative subject, one is singular, and another is plural form,
then the verb will follow the positive subject.
Example:
o Not the villagers but the chairman tries to do well for the village.

o The villagers but not the chairman try to do well for the village.

REVIEW

Please watch the video to understand better this topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfJPA8GwTdk

EXERCISES

A. SELECT THE CORRECT ANSWER AND IDENTIFY WHICH GRAMMAR RULE IS FULFILLED

1. Nowadays, everyone ______________ to be aware of the importance of production

security.

Has

Have

6
2. Each of the students at the University _______________to have at least general
knowledge of English.

Needs

Need

3. It is not the teacher but the students ______________the last word.

Has

Have

4. Every Enterprises ______________ in top of a line security systems.

Invest

Invests

5. Six plus seven ______________ thirteen.

Are

Is

B WRITE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB AGREES WITH THE SUBJECT.

1. Anna and I     (go) to the movie theater every Friday.

2. Those apples    (taste) so good that I can't stop eating them.

3. My mother never    (come) with us to the beach.

4. Jose  (cry) all the time.

5. Fifi    (bury) his toys in the yard.

6. We     (spoil) our daughter too much.