This grammar exercise tests your understanding of rules regarding agreement.
Fill in the blanks.
1Vermin ............... our property and carry disease.
Wrong!
The plural noun takes the plural verb "destroy".
2Whose cattle ...............?
Wrong!
The plural noun "cattle" needs the plural verb and demonstrative "are these".
3His means ............... small, but he has no debt.
Wrong!
When "means" means resources or wealth, the plural verb "are" is correct.
4A new means of communication ............... invented in the 19th century.
Wrong!
The singular phrase "a new means" takes the singular verb "was".
5I bought two ............... mangoes.
Wrong!
After a number, use the singular form "dozen" before another noun.
6Man is the only animal that ............... fire.
Wrong!
The relative pronoun refers to the singular noun "animal", so "uses" is correct.
7Hunting tigers ............... a favorite sport in this country.
Wrong!
A gerund phrase used as the subject takes the singular verb "is".
8There ............... little hope of his recovery.
Wrong!
With "there" and the uncountable noun "hope", the correct verb is "is".
9Every one of these chairs ............... broken.
Wrong!
The subject "Every one" is singular, so the correct verb is "is".
10He visits us every ...............
Wrong!
After "every" with one time period, use the singular noun "week".
11He visits us every three ...............
Wrong!
After "every three", use the plural noun "days".
12A house divided against ............... cannot stand.
Wrong!
The singular noun "house" takes the reflexive pronoun "itself".
Answers
- Vermin destroy our property and carry disease.
- Whose cattle are these?
- His means are small, but he has no debt.
- A new means of communication was invented in the 19th century.
- I bought two dozen mangoes.
- Man is the only animal that uses fire.
- Hunting tigers is a favorite sport in this country.
- There is little hope of his recovery.
- Every one of these chairs is broken.
- He visits us every week.
- He visits us every three days.
- A house divided against itself cannot stand.