At this time yesterday they ............ watching TV.
✅ Plural subject (they) take plural verb (were)"> eat '
He didn’t dare to ............what he thought.
✅ Modal auxiliary verbs such as can/ could/shall/should/will/would/ may/might /must/ ought to/need to/dare to/used to, etc. are always followed by plural verbs even if the subject is singular'
The shop, with its articles, ............ burnt down.
✅ Two or more subjects joined by ‘as well as’, ‘with’, ‘together with’, ‘along with’, accompanied by’, ‘including’, ‘in addition’, ‘no less than’, etc. take verb according to the former subject'
Politics ......... governance and societal decision-making.
✅ Some nouns ending in –s are plural in form, but singular in meaning like: mathematics, linguistics, statistics, economics, ethics, politics, gymnastics'
AIDS ........... caused by the HIV virus and weakens the immune system.
✅ Some nouns ending in –s are plural in form, but singular in meaning like: measles, shambles, rabies, AIDS, mumps, tuberculosis, syphilis, paralysis, crisis, diabetes, shingles, rickets [Diseases and Injuries]'
People ........... excited about the upcoming event.
✅ Some nouns like staff, cattle, livestock, people, vermin, poultry, sheep, deer, salmon, fish, police, outskirts, stairs, arms, swine, gentry and clergymen take plural verb [V1: go/eat/look/eat/are (were/have)]'
Clergymen .......... spiritual guidance.
✅ Some nouns like staff, cattle, livestock, people, vermin, poultry, sheep, deer, salmon, fish, police, outskirts, stairs, arms, swine, gentry and clergymen take plural verb [V1: go/eat/look/eat/are (were/have)]'
Neither Rita nor her friends .......... good at singing.
✅ Two or more nouns/pronouns corrected by ‘either.....or.....’ and ‘neither......nor......’ take verb according to the latter subject'
Eighty thousand rupees ........... enough for my study.
✅ Subjects that are about specific quantity or amount, distance, measurement and arithmetic sums often have a singular verb (is/was/has/equals/means)'
Shorts .......... comfortable in warm weather.
✅ Scissors, shorts, pants, jeans, trousers, binoculars, tongs, and pliers take plural verbs (are/were/have). However, when referred to as "a pair of," they take a singular verb (is/was/has).'
A pair of shorts .......... on the chair.
✅ Scissors, shorts, pants, jeans, trousers, binoculars, tongs, and pliers take plural verbs (are/were/have). However, when referred to as "a pair of," they take a singular verb (is/was/has). '
The jury...... returned a verdict of guilty.
✅ EXPLANATION '
Every girl and every boy .......... in school uniform.
✅ Two or more nouns qualified by each or every, joined by ‘and’ require singular verb'
What ........ the boys doing?
✅ WH + plural verb + plural noun'
The number of boys today .......... eighteen.
✅ The number + plural noun + singular verb'
Here ........ some books.
✅ Here + plural verb + plural noun'
We .......... human
✅ Plural subject (we) take plural verb (are) '
Economics .......... the production, distribution, and consumption of goods.
✅ Some nouns ending in –s are plural in form, but singular in meaning like: mathematics, linguistics, statistics, economics, ethics, politics, gymnastics '
They ought to ............for their mistake.
✅Modal auxiliary verbs such as can/ could/shall/should/will/would/ may/might /must/ ought to/need to/dare to/used to, etc. are always followed by plural verbs even if the subject is singular '
Slow and steady ......... the race.
✅ When the noun, even joined by 'and', suggests one idea to the mind or refers to something, the verb is singular'
No one, besides James, ........... it.
✅ Two or more subjects joined by ‘as well as’, ‘with’, ‘together with’, ‘along with’, accompanied by’, ‘including’, ‘in addition’, ‘no less than’, etc. take verb according to the former subject'
Sheep .......... freely on the hills. They look satisfied.
✅ Some nouns like staff, cattle, livestock, people, vermin, poultry, sheep, deer, salmon, fish, police, outskirts, stairs, arms, swine, gentry and clergymen take plural verb [V1: go/eat/look/eat/are (were/have)]'
Every girl and every boy ............ in school uniform.
✅ Two or more nouns qualified by each or every, joined by ‘and’ require singular verb: V5 (goes/eats/has/is/was)'
Either Sony or I .......... ready to do it.
✅ Two or more nouns/pronouns corrected by ‘either.....or.....’ and ‘neither......nor......’ take verb according to the latter subject'
A bouquet of roses ......... the dining table.
✅ Phrases beginning with a chain of / a bunch of / a bouquet of / a batch of / a galaxy of / a series of / a packet of +plural nouns generally take singular verb'
Six months ........... enough to finish this task.
✅ Subjects that are about specific quantity or amount, distance, measurement and arithmetic sums often have a singular verb (is/was/has/equals/means)'