5
1.5 number-verb agreement • Generally speaking the noun closest to the verb determines whether the verb is in a singular or plural form. Example
The majority of books have now been digitized by Google. In this example there are two nouns –
majority and
books – but
books is closest to the verb (
have been digitized ).
•
A number of requires
a verb in its plural form the number of requires a verb in its singular form.
•
A set of or
a series of requires a verb in its singular form.
•
The verb before more than one is in its singular form.
YES NO 1 Around 40% of the
funds have been deposited. Around
40% of the funds
has been deposited.
1 The
majority of
those interviewed were African
Americans . The
majority of those interviewed
was African Americans.
1
Only a quarter of these men are still alive. Only ab quarterb of all these men
is still alive.
2
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