Correct the following sentences and state your reasons for so doing. - He, with his father, were among the first to arrive.
- Their lives, their liberties, and their religions is in danger.
- Mr Smith, with his wife and children, live next door.
- The fleet are under orders to sail.
- Fifty miles are a long distance.
- The books borrowed from the library is on my desk.
- The boss, as well as his colleagues, have been robbed.
- Many a students have made the same mistake.
- Neither his father nor his brothers help him.
- The quality of the books are poor.
Dear Student,
1. He with his father was among the first to arrive.
- He is the main subject here and is accompanied by the father. Since the subject is singular, 'was' will be used in place of 'were'.
2. Their lives, their liberties and their religions are in danger.
- The subjects in the statement - lives, liberties and religions are all in the plural. Hence, the use of 'are' instead of 'is' is correct.
3. Mr Smith, with his wife and children, lives next door.
- Here, the word 'live' is used in the sense of a verb and hence the form 'lives'.
4. The fleet is under orders to sail.
- Fleet is a collective noun and hence the use of 'is' instead of 'are' as the singular form of a verb is used with collective nouns.
5. Fifty miles is a long distance.
- For counting measures singular form is used. Hence, the use of 'is' instead of 'are'.
6. The books borrowed from the library are on my desk.
- Since books are in plural, hence 'are' will be used instead of 'is'.
7. The boss, as well as his colleagues, has been robbed.
- The main subject is the boss who is accompanied by colleagues, thus 'has been' instead of 'have been'.
8. Many students have made the same mistake.
- The use of 'a' is wrong as students are plural.
9. Neither his father nor brothers helps him.
- The verb should agree with the subject in term of numbers and hence the use of 'help'.
10. The quality of the books is poor.
- Books is plural and hence the use of 'is'.
Regards
1. He with his father was among the first to arrive.
- He is the main subject here and is accompanied by the father. Since the subject is singular, 'was' will be used in place of 'were'.
2. Their lives, their liberties and their religions are in danger.
- The subjects in the statement - lives, liberties and religions are all in the plural. Hence, the use of 'are' instead of 'is' is correct.
3. Mr Smith, with his wife and children, lives next door.
- Here, the word 'live' is used in the sense of a verb and hence the form 'lives'.
4. The fleet is under orders to sail.
- Fleet is a collective noun and hence the use of 'is' instead of 'are' as the singular form of a verb is used with collective nouns.
5. Fifty miles is a long distance.
- For counting measures singular form is used. Hence, the use of 'is' instead of 'are'.
6. The books borrowed from the library are on my desk.
- Since books are in plural, hence 'are' will be used instead of 'is'.
7. The boss, as well as his colleagues, has been robbed.
- The main subject is the boss who is accompanied by colleagues, thus 'has been' instead of 'have been'.
8. Many students have made the same mistake.
- The use of 'a' is wrong as students are plural.
9. Neither his father nor brothers helps him.
- The verb should agree with the subject in term of numbers and hence the use of 'help'.
10. The quality of the books is poor.
- Books is plural and hence the use of 'is'.
Regards