Essential Rules for Grammatical Verb Agreement
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The following rules dictate proper subject-verb agreement, particularly focusing on impersonal constructions and specific verb usages.
Key Rules for Subject-Verb Concordance
Transitive Verb + Direct SE (Passive Voice)
The verb agrees with the subject (the words that come after SE) in number and gender.
- Singular: A letter will be written.
- Plural: The rules are being discussed.
Intransitive, Transitive Indirect, or Impersonal Verbs + SE
The verb is always used in the singular (impersonal construction).
- Employees are needed.
- One doubts his honesty.
The Verb 'Haver' (To Have/There Is/Are)
When indicating existence or elapsed time, the verb 'Haver' is always used in the singular (impersonal).
- There were outstanding issues.
The Verb 'Fazer' (To Do/Make) Indicating Elapsed Time
The verb 'Fazer' is always used in the singular (impersonal).
- It has been three hours to get here.
The Verb 'To Be' Indicating Time or Hours
The verb agrees with the number of hours.
- What time is it? It is one hour.
- What time is it? It is 14 hours.
Compound Subject Postponed (After the Verb)
The verb may agree with the closest subject element or agree in the plural (preferred).
- Eduardo and his colleague left soon. (Implied agreement)
Compound Subjects Linked by 'OR'
Agreement depends on context:
- Singular: If the subjects are mutually exclusive (e.g., Ieda or Tarsus will be elected in the 2nd round).
- Plural: If the subjects are potentially inclusive or synonymous (e.g., Meriva or Vectra are Chevrolet cars).
Expressions of Quantity (e.g., 'It is much,' 'It is little')
These expressions are invariable (singular).
- Three pounds of sugar is little.
- Ten pounds of beef is a lot.
- Four days is enough.
Note on Adverbial vs. Adjectival Use
- Only: (Adverb) Invariable.
- Not alone: (Adjective) Must agree in number and gender.
Examples of Corrected Verb Agreement
The following sentences illustrate the application of the rules above, often correcting common errors in subject-verb concordance or passive constructions.
- Passive Construction: Some people will be rewarded.
- Passive Construction: Several letters are written.
- Passive Construction: Two schools may be built.
- Passive Construction: The animals were captured by biologists.
- Subject Agreement: The same complications happen every day.
- Impersonal Construction: There are currently different types of insecticides injurious to man.
- Implied Verb: [There is a] high degree of toxicity of the defensive type phosphide.
- Implied Verb: [There is a] lack of better alternatives for underdeveloped countries.
- Complex Agreement: Reasons for anxiety cannot exist in Brazilian football, since unmatched talent is not lacking on the field.
- Quantity/Time Agreement: For the well-trained, a few minutes is sufficient, but for the inexperienced, three hours would be sufficient to complete the test.
- Postponed Subject: The three representatives of Argentina arrived today; there are still participants who have come from Uruguay.
- Subject Agreement: Do authors as important as this exist in Brazil?
- Postponed Subject: The results of the competition will be released tomorrow.
- Subject Agreement: Only three minutes are missing until noon.
- Conditional Agreement: If he were the director, not as many dropouts would occur.
- Passive Construction: Immediate measures are agreed upon.
- Postponed Subject: The dates of the tests are not contained in the announcement.
- Postponed Subject: In this game, many empty chairs will be left at the end.
- Multiple Agreements: Abundant grass grows on both banks; however, there are dangerous areas where herbs grow that cattle and horses graze upon.
- Quantity Agreement: They think a dozen tickets may be missing.
- Postponed Subject: Unpleasant situations will eventually occur.
- Quantity Agreement: Ten dollars should be left over.
- Quantity Agreement: I think two tablespoons of sugar should suffice.