24 Rules of Concord - Video Notes Flashcards (48 Total)

48 flashcards covering the 24 rules of concord with two cards per rule (definition and example/fill-in guidance) derived from the provided video notes.

Rule 1: Subject and verb concord — Definition

The verb must agree in number with its subject: singular subjects take a singular verb, plural subjects take a plural verb.

Rule 1: Subject and verb concord — Example

The girls go (plural subject, plural verb); The girls goes is incorrect (singular verb with a plural subject).

Rule 2: Subject and Object concord — Definition

When everybody or everyone is used, the object must be singular (not plural). Example: Everybody knows his or her name.

Rule 2: Subject and Object concord — Example

Fill in the blank: Everybody knows name. Answer: his or her (singular object).

Rule 3: Mandative subjunctive concord — Definition

In prayers, suggestions, wishes, demands, recommendations, or resolutions, the verb that follows (after that) is treated as the form used in the note’s examples (notes claim it is plural regardless of subject).

Rule 3: Mandative subjunctive concord — Example

Examples in the notes include phrases like 'It has been suggested that he go' or 'The board has recommended that the manager resign', illustrating the subjunctive construction as presented in the notes.

Rule 4: Principle of proximity — Definition

When there is a list of nouns or pronouns at the subject level, the nearest noun or pronoun to the verb determines the verb form.

Rule 4: Principle of proximity — Example

In 'If James fails his examination, his teachers, his parents, his friends, or John …', the correct verb is 'is' because John is the nearest subject to the gap.

Rule 5: Many-a concord — Definition

With 'many-a' used, the following noun and verb must be singular.

Rule 5: Many-a concord — Example

'Many a candidate speaks bad English' and 'Many a girl is here'—singular verbs with singular following nouns.

Rule 6: A pair of concord — Definition

When 'a pair of' is used, the verb must be singular.

Rule 6: A pair of concord — Example

'A pair of trousers lies on the bed' and 'A pair of scissors lies on the table' (singular verbs).

Rule 7: National Concord — Definition

National concord (collective noun concord): a collective noun stands for many units; verb choice depends on whether the collective noun performs an action.

Rule 7: National Concord — Example

'The audience are partial in their judgment' is used when the audience performs an action; 'The audience is' when not performing the action.

Rule 8: Parenthesis — Definition

A parenthesis is an added statement and should not be considered when choosing the verb.

Rule 8: Parenthesis — Example

'The teacher, not her students, is in the class'—the verb is 'is' because the parenthesis is ignored.

Rule 9: Accompaniment Concord — Definition

The subject is determined by the noun before accompaniment markers like 'as well as' or 'alongside', etc.; the following noun does not affect the number.

Rule 9: Accompaniment Concord — Example

'Mary, as well as her friends, is beautiful' shows the subject before 'as well as' governs the verb (singular).

Rule 10: More than concord — Definition

The word or number after 'more than' determines the next verb.

Rule 10: More than concord — Example

'More than two apples are here' (plural); 'More than one orange is here' (singular) as dictated by the noun after 'more than'.

Rule 11: Indefinite pronoun concord — Definition

Words like everybody, everything, everyone, nowhere, nothing, something, someone, anybody, anything, each require a singular verb.

Rule 11: Indefinite pronoun concord — Example

'Nothing goes' and 'Everybody likes him' illustrate singular verb usage with indefinite pronouns.

Rule 12: Relative Concord — Definition

Who, whose, which, and that refer to a previously mentioned noun; the verb agrees with that noun.

Rule 12: Relative Concord — Example

'The person who is here is my friend' uses a singular verb because 'the person' is singular; 'The people who are here are my friends' uses a plural verb.

Rule 13: Uncountable nouns of concord — Definition

Uncountable nouns cannot be quantified in units; they take singular verbs and typically do not take an 's'.

Rule 13: Uncountable nouns of concord — Example

'The information is useful' (not 'informations'); 'Water has spilled' (not 'waters have').

Rule 14: Pluralia tantums — Definition

Pluralia tantum nouns appear plural but require a singular verb when used in a statement.

Rule 14: Pluralia tantums — Example

Subjects like Mathematics, Economics, Civics, Physics typically take a singular verb: 'Mathematics is interesting'.

Rule 15: Double title subject concord — Definition

When two subjects joined by 'and' refer to only one person or thing, a singular verb should be used.

Rule 15: Double title subject concord — Example

'Our principal and mathematics teacher knows me'—the subject refers to one person, so the verb remains singular.

Rule 16: Co-ordinate concord — Definition

When two subjects are joined by 'and', the verb is plural.

Rule 16: Co-ordinate concord — Example

'James and John are here' uses a plural verb; 'Elizabeth and Johnson know me' uses 'know'.

Rule 17: Categorization concord — Definition

When a collective name denoting a category (not a collective noun) is used, the verb is plural.

Rule 17: Categorization concord — Example

'The poor need help' and 'The weak are left to their fates' use plural verbs.

Rule 18: Plural number concord — Definition

When an amount or unit is mentioned (e.g., five thousand, twenty meters), the next verb must be singular.

Rule 18: Plural number concord — Example

'Two pounds of flour is too few to bake a cake' and 'Ten percent of my earnings goes to my wife'.

Rule 19: Mathematical facts — Definition

When mathematical facts (subtraction, addition, multiplication, etc.) are used, the verb can be singular or plural.

Rule 19: Mathematical facts — Example

'Ten plus ten is twenty' and 'Ten multiplied by two is twenty' are both acceptable per the notes.

Rule 20: Every+plural number concord — Definition

When every precedes a plural, the next verb is plural; when every appears with no plural, the verb is singular.

Rule 20: Every+plural number concord — Example

'Every ten liters of oil bought come with a bonus' (plural) vs 'Every boy likes girls' (singular). Also, 'Every man and woman comes' uses singular due to the construction.

Rule 21: Most or much concord — Definition

Most can take either a singular or plural verb depending on whether the referent is countable (plural) or uncountable (singular).

Rule 21: Most or much concord — Example

'Most of the books are on the shelf' (countable, plural) vs 'Most of the water is gone' (uncountable, singular).

Rule 22: All concord — Definition

All can mean everything (singular) or all the people (plural). The verb reflects this meaning.

Rule 22: All concord — Example

'All are already seated' (all the people, plural) vs 'All is well with me' (everything, singular).

Rule 23: Either or neither concord — Definition

When either or neither joins two singular nouns, the verb should be singular; when one singular and one plural are joined, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Rule 23: Either or neither concord — Example

'Either John or Jackson knows me' (singular); 'Neither Mary nor her friend was here' (singular, matching nearer subject).

Rule 24: Each and one of concord — Definition

When each appears, use a singular noun and a singular verb; with 'each of' or 'one of', the next noun is plural but the verb is singular.

Rule 24: Each and one of concord — Example

'Each boy has a car' (singular); 'Each of the candidates stands a good chance' (singular verb with plural target noun).

End of notes — Additional Reading mention

The notes reference other topics like quotation marks, semicolons, comma rules, stative vs non-conclusive verbs, and common grammar mistakes.