Grammar - Agreement

• We use singular verbs with words like 'every', 'each' ,'one', 'any', 'anyone', 'anybody', 'no one', 'nobody', 'either of', 'neither of'
• "Either... or" and "Neither ... nor" (when do we use singular and plural?)

Example:

1. Neither Jane nor Sally is going to the Zoo. (Both in blue are singular therefore we use singular verb.)
2. Neither of the girls is going to the Zoo. (We use singular verbs with 'either of', 'neither of'.)
3. Either Tom or Zhenfu has a ball. (Both in blue are singular therefore we use singular verb.)
4. Either of them has a boy. (We use singular verbs with 'either of', 'neither of'.)
5. Neither the girls nor the boys are going to the Zoo. (Both in purple are plural therefore we use plural verb.)
6. Either the girls or the boys have a ball. (Both in purple are plural therefore we use plural verb.)
7. Neither Julie nor the girls are going to the Zoo. (We have both singular and plural. In such cases, the verb always agrees with the subject nearest to it. In this case, "the girls" is the subject nearest to the verb.)
8. Either the boys or Susan has a ball. (We have both singular and plural. In such cases, the verb always agrees with the subject nearest to it. In this case, "Susan" is the subject nearest to the verb.)

• The expressions used to join singular subjects and other words in these phrases are 'with', 'like' and 'as well as'.

Example:

1. Guoming, with his friends is going to the library.
2. Mary, like Jenny, loves swimming.
3. Mr Lin, as well as his brothers owns the hotel.