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Subject Verb Agreement Using All

by bamsco October. 17, 21 3 Comments

Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of the English language, and using “all” in a sentence can sometimes make it a bit tricky. “All” is a determiner, and it can be used with a singular or plural verb, depending on the noun it modifies.

When “all” is used with a singular noun, the verb that follows should also be singular. For example:

– All the cake was eaten by the dogs.

– All the water in the pool has evaporated.

In these sentences, “cake” and “water” are singular nouns, so the singular verbs “was” and “has” are used after “all.”

On the other hand, when “all” is used with a plural noun, the verb that follows should also be plural. For example:

– All the cars were parked in the garage.

– All the books on the shelf need to be dusted.

In these sentences, “cars” and “books” are plural nouns, so the plural verbs “were” and “need” are used after “all.”

It`s important to note that when “all” is used with a group of nouns that include both singular and plural terms, the verb that follows should be plural. For example:

– All the students and the teacher were excited for the field trip.

In this sentence, “students” is a plural noun, while “teacher” is a singular noun. However, because “all” is used to refer to the entire group, the plural verb “were” is used.

In summary, when using “all” in a sentence, it`s important to pay attention to the noun it modifies. If the noun is singular, use a singular verb; if the noun is plural, use a plural verb. And if the group includes both singular and plural nouns, use a plural verb. Following these guidelines will ensure subject-verb agreement and a clear, concise sentence.

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