Countable and uncountable Nouns (2)

Some nouns with a singular form can be treated either as singular (with a singular verb) or plural ( with a plural verb).

Association, audience, class, club, college, committee, community, company, crowd, council, department, electorate, enemy, family, firm, generation, government, group, jury, orchestra, population, press, public, school, staff, team, university, the Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony

Singular verb

Plural verb

- if we see the institution or organisation as a whole unit: The council has postponed a decision on the new road. Mostly used in formal writing (academic writing) - Some nouns look as if they are plural, but they take a singular verb: news ________________ means _______________ economics ____________ linguistics ____________ politics ______________ statistics _____________ phonetics ____________ mathematics __________ physics ______________ gymnastics ___________ athletics _____________ diabetes _____________ measles _____________ rabies бешенство ____

- if we see it as a collection of individuals   The council have postponed a decision on the new road. - Sometimes a plural form is needed: The committee usually raise their hands to vote. - Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb. Belongings – имущество; вещи, пожитки Clothes ______________________ Congratulations ________________ Earnings _____________________заработок, прибыль Goods _______________________ Outskirts _____________________ Particulars ____________________ Premises _____________________ Riches _______________________богатство, обилие Savings – сбережения saving – экономия; спасение Stairs _______________________ Surroundings _________________ Thanks _____________________ Wages_____________ заработок, доход, вознаграждение Contents – содержимое; содержание, оглавление (книги) Police/people/staff have a plural verb Whereabouts can be used with either a sing. or pl. verb.

 

I. Fill in each space in the following sentences with an appropriate form of a countable or uncountable noun.

1. I need some ............................................. about buying a house. I’ve never bought one before.

2 This type of bear has been declared an endangered ..........................................................................

3 You should eat fresh .........................................................such as oranges every day.

4 ....................................................................which is used by dentists should be kept clean.

5 Beverly Hills 90210 is a TV ...........................................about young people in America.

6 She got ..............................................to leave class early because she wasn’t feeling well.

7 Jane has long blond ...............................................that comes down to her shoulders.

8   Kids can use ..........................................................for games but they can also have access to the Internet.

9 You’ll find all the ..................................................................you need in the shed.

10. I have so much maths ................................................................to do that I won’t be able to watch TV.

 

Unit 51.                                                                      Agreement between subject and verb (1)                                                                                                                                               A. If a sentence has a singular subject it is followed by a singular verb, and if it has a plural subject it is followed by a plural verb; that is, the verb agrees with the subject. Compare:                                                                                                                                    •                                                     She lives in China. And • More people live in Asia than in any other continent.
When the subject of the sentence is complex the following verb must agree with the main noun in the subject. In the examples below the subject is underlined and the main noun is placed in brackets. Notice how the verb, in italics, agrees with the main noun:                                                                                                                                                         • Many leading (members) of the opposition party have tried to justify the decision.                                                                   • The only (excuse) that he gave for his actions was that he was tired.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      B. Some nouns with a singular form can be treated either as singular (with a singular verb) or plural (with a plural verb):                                                                                                                                                                       • The council has (or have) postponed a decision on the new road.                                                                                                         Other words like this include association, audience, class, club, college, committee, community (общность;сообщество), company, crowd, department, electorate, enemy, family, firm, generation, government, group, jury, orchestra, population, press, public, school, staff, team, university, and the names of specific organisations such as the Bank of England, the BBC, IBM, Sony. We use a singular verb if we see the institution or organisation as a whole unit, and a plural verb if we see it as a collection of individuals. Often you can use either with very little difference in meaning, although in formal writing (such as academic writing) it is more common to use a singular verb. In some contexts a plural form of the verb is needed. We would say:                                                                                                     • The committee usually raise their hands to vote 'Yes', (not ...raises its hands...) as this is something that the individuals do, not the committee as a whole. In others, a singular form is preferred. We would say:                                       •                                  The school is to close next year. (not The school are...) as we are talking about something which happens to the school as a building or institution, not to the individuals that comprise it.                                                                                  C. Some nouns are usually plural and take a plural verb. These include belongings (принадлежности, имущество; вещи, пожитки), clothes, congratulations, earnings, goods, outskirts, particulars (= information), premises (= building),    riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks:                                                                                                                                                                             • The company's earnings have increased for the last five years.                                                                                                    ! The nouns police and people also always have a plural verb. The noun whereabouts can be used with either a singular or plural verb.                                                                                                                                                                         D. Some nouns always end in -s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the subject of a sentence they have a singular verb (see also Unit 52C):                                                                                                                •                                             The news from the Middle East seems very encouraging.                                                                                                    Other words like this include means (= 'method' or 'money'); some academic disciplines, e.g. economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, politics, statistics, physics; some sports, e.g. gymnastics, athletics; and some diseases, e.g. diabetes, measles, rabies. However, compare:

academic disciplines · Politics is popular at this university.  · Statistics was always my worst subject. · Economics has only recently been recognized as a scientific study.

general use • Her politics are bordering on the fascist. (= political belief) • Statistics are able to prove anything you want them to. (= numerical information) • The economics behind their policies are unreasonable. (= the financial system)

 

Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings

51.1 In the following sentences underline the complex subject; circle the main noun in the subject; and write the verb in brackets in the space either as a singular verb or plural verb so that it agrees with the main noun. (А)

1 The issues which have been considered in the previous section allow us to speculate on problems that learners might encounter. ( allow).

2 Smuggling illegal immigrants out of Mexico ________________ against the law (be)

3 The country’s first general election since it won independence _____________ to be held next month (be).

4 The only people who are interested in the book ____________to be lawyers. (seem)

5 The view of the manufacturing and tourist industries ___________ that the economy is improving (be).

6 An early analysis of the results _____________ that the Socialists have won. (show)

7 Reliance only on written tests of English to measure language ability _________ to be a cheap option. (appear)

51.2. Complete the following extracts from newspapers with either was/were or has/have. If both forms are possible, write them both. (B & С)

1 The crowd ____________ growing restless as the day got hotter.

2 Sony _________ announced rising profits for the third year running.

3 The police ____________ issued a warrant for Adamson’s arrest.

4 When she was found, her face was bruised and her clothes ___________ torn.

5 The public __________ a right to know how the money is to be spent.

6 Thomas was thought to be in Spain, although his exact whereabouts ___________ unknown.

7 The stairs leading to the exit ___________ steep and dangerous, said the report.

8 Lord Traver’s family ___________ lived in the house for twelve generations.

9 The college _____________spent over 500,000 pounds on a new sports centre.

10 People ___________running in all directions, trying to get away.

51.3. Correct any mistakes in these sentences or put * if they are already correct (A & D)

1 The island’s politics is complex, with over twelve parties competing for power.

2 Gymnasts from over 40 countries are competing in Madrid this weekend.

3 Economics has become an increasingly popular course at university.

4 The latest news of the earthquake survivors are very disturbing.

5 Jim’s politics has changed considerably since he was in his twenties.

6 Diabetes are an illness caused by too much sugar in the blood.

7 Recent government statistics show a sharp decline in crime.

8 Women’s gymnastics are no longer dominated by Eastern Europeans.

9 Statistics are now compulsory for all students taking a course in engineering.

10 Most years, over three hundred athletes competes in the games.

11 The economics of the plan is worrying investors.

12 Measles is still a fairly serious childhood disease in some countries.

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