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GNS 102 – CONCORD AND SOME ERRORS

GENIUS ILLUMINATIONS

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TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS

SINGULAR PLURAL
Mother-in-law Mothers-in-law
Joll-of-rice Jolls-of-rice
Auditor General Auditors general
General Secretary General Secretaries
General Commanders General Commanders (military post)
Passer-by passers-by
Woman Doctor Women doctors

CHECK THESE
*Spanking white not sparkling white
*The sun shone yesterday,
* I shined my shoe yesterday
* He lies low not He lies down
* You suck sweet not lick sweet
* I abode with bola when I was in secondary school but now I abide with my uncle,
Everybody abided by the rules then but, no one abides now
* I smoke garri is preferable to I drink garri
* stop pulling my leg not stop pulling my legs
* long time of no see not long time no see
* I voiced not I voiced out
* beep me not flash me
* God of Babalola…. (means Babalola is dead)
* Adeboye’s God…. (Adeboye is alive)
* This is the house of my father…. (the father is dead)
* This is my father’s house (He is alive)
* The leg of the chair…. Not the chair’s leg…… (don’t give possession to inanimate objects)
* I am on the bus, I’m on phone, …. (action in progress/ ‘on’ used with machines/the bus is
moving)
* cannot & can not
* Cannot (negative) – I cannot swim
* Can not (positive, and mostly used with correlative conjunction) –
* Genius can not only sing but also dance
* Olabisi has just completed her secondary education not finished her secondary education
* etc

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CONCORD
Concord in the use of English language means agreement between the subject and
the verb or agreement between a verb and other elements of clause structure.

SOME RULES OF CONCORD: RULE 1

SUBJECT AND VERB CONCORD (NUMBER AGREEMENT)
When the subject in a sentence is singular (Either a noun or a pronoun), the verb
should also be singular.

For example:
* She (singular subject) goes (singular verb) not She go (plural verb). Also, when
the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
* The boys (plural subject) go (plural verb), not The boys (plural subject) goes (
Singular verb ).

Take note of these

* verbs and their numbers
- Is/was/has/had (singular helping verbs)
- Are/were/am/have/had (plural helping verbs)
- Goes/takes/speaks/write (singular principal verbs)
- Go/take/speak/write (plural principal verbs)

Note: It means that a singular principal verb usually carries an s after the verb. You
should not add an s to a plural principal verb.

RULE 2
MANDATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE CONCORD
When prayer, suggestion, wish, demand, recommendation or resolution is used
in a sentence, the verb that follows must be plural, whether the subject is singular
or plural.

For example;
* It has been suggested that he go not goes away.
* The board has recommended that the manager resign not resigns.
* I Pray that God help me on my upcoming examination not God helps.

RULE 3
THE PRINCIPLE OF PROXIMITY
This principle states that when there is a list of nouns or pronouns at the level of the
subject, it is the nearest noun or pronoun to the position of the verb that will
determine the choice of the verb.
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E.g
If Toyosi fails her examination, her teachers, her parents, her friends or Toyosi
( ) to be blame. The correct option to fill that blank is, is not are
Because, at the subject level, we have her teachers, her friends, her parents and
Toyosi (four different people)
In order to choose the correct verb, we will need to choose the nearest subject to the
gap as the subject which is Toyosi.

Note: what makes us consider the only one noun or pronoun used in this sentence is
because of the use of or, but if the conjunction used is and, all the nouns or pronouns
used in the sentence will be considered as the subject

Back to Toyosi.
But if the question comes in this manner, the answer will be different,
E.g
If Toyosi fails her examination, her teachers, her parents, her friends or I ( ) to
be blamed.
The correct answer here is am, because, I is the nearest subject to the gap, so if I is
the subject, the verb that goes with it, is am.

RULE 4
MANY - A CONCORD
When many - a is used, the verb and the noun that follows must be Singular E.g
* Many a candidate (not candidates) hates ( not hate) letter writing.
* Many a lady (not ladies) is (not are) pretty.
* Many a man (not men) likes (not are) ladies.
The real meaning of the statement 1 and 2 are a candidate and a girl.

RULE 5
A PAIR OF CONCORD
When a pair of ... is used, the verb must be singular.
E.g
* A pair of trousers (not trouser) lies (not lie) on the bed.
* I bought a pair of glasses

But if the trousers are many it becomes a pairs of not pair

But if it is only trousers or glasses are used it takes plural verb

* Where are (not is) my glasses?
* My newly bought trousers are (not is) very expensive
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RULE 6
NOTIONAL CONCORD/AGREEMENT/SYNESIS
It means applying subject-verb agreement rules according to the intended meaning
rather than according to syntax
A collective noun: is a noun which stands for many units that constitute that single
word.
E.g
* audience which means people who watch programme.
* congregation which means worshipers.
* clergy which means religion officers.
* Club which means association of members.
So whenever, you use a collective noun, the verb that follows may either be singular
or plural verbs

For example,
Club is a collective noun for members, so, we can also say, members of this
association
Our club meet ( not meets) ones in a week.
But in some situations, singular verb goes with a collective noun.
Here is the principle;
If the collective noun performs an action, a plural verb follows, but if not, a singular
verb follows.
E.g
1) Our Club is celebrating its twentieth anniversary today.
In the above statement, you can see that, Our Club performs no action, hence, we
use a singular verb.
But;
* Our Club are (not is) going on a vacation tomorrow.
You can see that, the above sentence is different from the first sentence, here the
club is performing an action which is going, hence, we will use a plural verb (are)
in compliance with the rule.

RULE 7
PARENTHESIS
Parenthesis statement is additional statement to what has already been said before.
In other words, the verb will agree with the first subject in the sentence.
Note A parenthetical statement should not be considered in choosing the verb that
will follow.
E.g

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* The teacher, not her students is in the class.

The correct answer is, is because ‘not her students’ is just parenthesis, and
parenthesis has nothing to do with choosing the verb.

* The manager, not many of his workers, is (not are) here now.
not many of his workers is just a parenthesis, therefore, the parenthesis should be
totally ignored. The manager is a singular noun, hence a singular verb.

RULE 8
ACCOMPANIMENT CONCORD
When any of these following words are used, the subject of the clause would come
before the marker of accompaniment.
Words like, as much as, alongside, as well as, together with, no less than, in
association with, including, like, with, and in collaboration with, etc.

Example 1
Imoleayo, as well as her friends is ( not are) beautiful.
The answer is, is because Imoleayo is the noun that comes before as well as, hence
Imoleayo is the subject and it is a singular noun hence takes a singular verb.

Example 2

* The little kids alongside their parents are (not is) here.
The answer is are not is because the little kids comes before alongside. The subject
is plural hence a plural verb.

RULE 9
MORE THAN CONCORD
When more than is used, the word or number that comes after more than will
determine the next verb.
For example
 More than two apples are ( not is) here.
 More than one orange is (not are) here.
In the first statement, the answer is are not is because two attracts are but in the
second statement, the correct option is, is not are because one attracts is.
Note: Do not think because more than one means at least two, that you will use a
plural verb after but a singular verb instead.

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RULE 10
INDEFINITE PRONOUN CONCORD
When any of the following words is used, They are always used with Singular verbs
Such words as;
Everybody, everything, everyone, everywhere, no one, nothing, nobody,
nowhere, something, someone, somebody, anyone, anything, anybody,
anywhere and each the next verb must be singular.

For example:
* Nothing goes ( not go).
* Everybody likes (not like) him.
* Everybody thinks (not think) he is rascally.

RULE 11
RELATIVE CONCORD
When who, whose, which and that refers to a previously mentioned noun or
pronoun, such noun is a Relative noun
E.g
* One of the farmers who plant (not plants) on the farm has (not have) been asked
to withdraw.
* One of the pastors who pray (not prays) has been (not have been) promoted

RULE 12
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS OF CONCORD
Countable nouns are nouns that can be quantified in units and numbers, that is, are
nouns that can be counted.
E.g chairs, tables, phones etc.
Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be quantified in units and numbers. E.g
water, information, equipment.

Note: all uncountable nouns will avoid s at the back.

It is very wrong to use any of these words below;
E.g informations, clothes, equiments, furnitures, machineries, datas, advices,
evidences, wealths, etc.
Instead, you say a piece of, information, evidence, data, cloth, equipment, advice,
etc.

Other examples of nouns that attract plural verbs are;

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* The police work hard (not works), but, that policeman (not policemen) works
(not work) hard.
police and policemen are collective nouns that is why they attract a plural verb from
the seventh rule. But policeman is not collective noun but a singular noun, hence a
singular verb

RULE 13
PLURALIA TANTUMS
Pluralia tantum are nouns that comes in plural forms.
Some of these words have finals, while some do not. However, whenever any of the
following forms appears, it must be followed by a singular verb.
School Subject: Mathematics, Economics, Civics, Physics, Statistics etc. you can
see that all of them end with s but it does not show plurality.

* Games : Darts, Snakes and Ladders, Draugths, Billiards, Bowls and Skittles
etc, all end with s but do not show plurality.
* Diseases : Measles, Tuberculosis, Shingles, Mumps etc, all end with s but do
not show plurality.
* Others : titles, news, series, means
E.g
1) The series of incidents makes (not make) me shudder.
2) The means of transport hastens (not hasten) travelling.

Note : There are some nouns that do not appear as singular at all but as plurals and
they often attract plural verbs.
Such words are : Funds (money), annals, spirits, surroundings, guts, earnings,
arms (weapons), auspices, the middle ages, entrails, bowels, quarters (
headquarters), banns, means, holidays, stars, suds, wages, thanks, riches, writs,
savings, remains, ashes, goods ( product), arrears, outskirts, pains, particulars,
fireworks etc.
All these nouns not verbs cannot appear without s and, hence they attract plural
verbs
E.g The remains (corpse) of the boy have (not has) been buried.

RULE 14
DOUBLE TITLE SUBJECT CONCORD
When two subjects are joined together by and but the two subjects refer to only one
person or thing, a singular verb should be used.
E.g
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Our principal and mathematics teacher knows me.

Our principal and mathematics teacher.
In this statement, our principal and mathematics teacher is not two different people
but, our principal is also our mathematics teacher, hence the subject is our
principal, and it is a singular noun, hence, singular verb but if the comes before
mathematics teacher, then it becomes two entities.

Consider this example:

Our principal and the mathematics teacher.
This is quite different from the first statement, because the principal and the
mathematics teacher are two different subjects because of the use of the
Mathematics teacher Hence, in this statement you use a plural verb.

RULE 15
CO-ORDINATE CONCORD
When two subjects are joined together by and, the verb to be used should be plural,
e.g.
* Genius and Excellence are (not is) here.
* Grace and Michael live (not lives) together.
* Jemimah and Patience attend (not attends) Yemisi’s party

RULE 16
CATEGORISATION CONCORD
When a collective name, denoting category (not a collective noun) is used, the verb
to be used must be plural.
Categories like: the poor, the rich, the wealthy, the successful, the gifted, the
weak, the young in spirit, the handicapped, the helpless etc. The verb to be used
should be plural.
For example:
1) The poor need help (not helps or needs) from the government.
2) The young are (not is) disobedient.

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RULE 17
PLURAL NUMBER CONCORD
When amount or unit is mentioned in a statement, unit like, five thousand, three
hundred, percent, twenty meters, five times, etc. The next verb must be singular.
E.g
* Ten children is (not are) enough for me

RULE 18
MATHEMATICAL FACTS
When mathematical facts are used, such as subtraction, multiplication, addition,
division, etc. the verb will be any of Singular or plural, that is, a singular or plural
verb can be used when mathematical facts are used.
For example
* Ten plus ten is or are ( are and is are both correct) twenty.
* Ten multiplied by two is or are twenty.
Both singular and plural are correct.

RULE 19
EVERY + PLURAL NUMBER CONCORD
When every precedes a plural, the next verb is plural.
E.g
* Every ten litres of oil bought come (not comes) with a bonus of an extra litre.
But when every appears without any plural number, the verb is singular.
E.g
* Every boy (not boys) likes girls.
* Every man (not men) likes football.

When and joins two or more subjects with every or each , the verb should be
singular.
E.g
* Every man and woman speaks ( not speak) good English here.
* Every student and teacher comes ( not come) to school early.

RULE 20
MOST OR MUCH CONCORD
When most is used, the verb will either be singular or plural, depending on whether
the referent is a countable or uncountable noun,
E.g
* Most of the boys (countable noun) are tall.

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* Most of the time (uncountable noun), Adeite has (not have) always been there for
us.
When Much is used in a statement, the verb to be used must be singular.
E.g
1) Much of the water has (not have) been spilled.
RULE 21
‘ALL’ CONCORD
When all appears, it means either everything or all the people.
When all means everything, the verb to be used should be Singular but when all
means all the people, the verb to be used should be plural.
E.g
* All are already seated in the hall.
In the above sentence, All means all the people are already seated in the hall) hence
a plural verb.
But;
* All is well with me.
In the above sentence, All means Everything is well with me hence a singular verb.
When all but is used, the following verb should be plural E.g
1) All but Samson are (not is) in the bus. That means, only Samson is absent.

RULE 22
EITHER OR NEITHER CONCORD
When either or neither joins two singular nouns together, the following verb .should
be Singular E.g
1) Either Distinction or Excellence knows (not know) me.
2) Neither Sulvah, Yemi, Esther, Roqeebat nor she was (not were) here.

But, when either or neither joins two subjects (one singular and the other plural),
the verb should be chosen by considering the noun nearer to it.
E.g
1) Either Genius or his friends know me.
His friends is nearer to the verb gap than it is near Genius.
This rule also applies when but or but even joins two subjects.
E.g
1) Not only Amina but also the teachers laugh in school.
2) Not only LASU students but also Awo speaks good English.

RULE 23
EACH AND ONE OF CONCORD
When each appears in a concord, a singular noun + a singular verb will be chosen.
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E.g
1) Each boy (not boys) has a car.
But, when each of or one of appears, the next noun should be plural but the next
verb should be singular.
E.g
1) Each the candidates (not candidate) stands (not stand) a good chance to win a
scholarship.

RULE 24
SELECTION AGREEMENT
Where one or two or any figure or number is selected from among a large unit (a
plural noun), it is the number selected (whether singular or plural) that will determine
the VERB e.g.
* I have ten teachers. One of them is wicked

Now consider this;

One of my teachers is/are wicked. We should choose is which is a singular verb
like one or, one of my teachers goes to cinema everyday.
Both one and goes are singular. Always remember that in this situation, because
there are many teachers (But I am talking about one of them) we should use teachers
not teacher:
* One of my teachers knows me
* Two of my teachers know me

RULE 25
AGREEMENT OF QUANTITY/PERCENTAGE
when a particular percentage % is mentioned with a plural count noun in a statement
involving of (e.g. ten percent of the students), the verb to follow must be a plural,
e.g. speak, take, see, have, were, are etc.
e.g. 40% of the teachers know (not knows) me

RULE 26
“A NUMBER OF” AGREEMENT
When a number of is involved, a plural verb, e.g. have, go, speak, are, were
must be used e.g.
A number of houses have (NOT HAS) been demolished. This law also governs a
range of; a survey of etc.

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RULE 27
AGREEMENT OF ABSTRACT NOUN
When an abstract noun or idea is in a sentence, it is regarded as singular and attracts
verbs such as is/was/has/had/goes/takes take etc.
* The benefit one gets from watching plays is (not are) comparable to that of taking
a university course in drama

RULE 28
THE THEORY OF NEARNESS
When there are two or more nouns or pronouns, and there is confusion as to which
one will be chosen as the subject, this theory says, it is the noun or pronoun nearest
to the space for the verb that must be regarded as the subject e.g.
* My friends, Shola, our principal, the teachers or I am (not are) going to London
* My friends, Shola, our principal or Opeyemi is coming to the lecture

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To God be the glory!

“When MERCY is crowned with GRACE, the race to peak is devoid of odds.
It may take mercy to participate in a competition of distinction but it takes grace to come out top.
Your effort may not give birth to wealth when you have not gotten the real key for success
activation because MERCY MAY NOT GO FARTHER IN THE ABSENCE OF GRACE.”

- Genius Quotes
I am nothing without His grace

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