Determining the Real Subject
Incorrect: A list of seventy students have been sent to me.
Correct: A list of seventy students has been sent to me.
Note: উপরের বাক্যে subject হলো মূলত a list, আর of seventy students হলো a list-এর plural modifier. A list যেহেতু singular এর পরে singular verb-ই বসবে।
Incorrect: A trio of girls were scheduled to sing.
Correct: A trio of girls was scheduled to sing.
Incorrect: The cluster of grapes are thick.
Correct: The cluster of grapes is thick.
Parenthetical Elements Between Subject and Verb
Incorrect: Dr. Umar, with his five fraternity brothers, are in the club.
Correct: Dr. Umar, with his five fraternity brothers, is in the club.
Note: Subject এবং verb-এর মধ্যে কোনো parenthetical element বসলে তা subject-এর উপর কোনো প্রভাব ফেলতে পারে না। তাই subject অনুসারেই verb নির্ধারিত হয়। উপরের বাক্যে Dr. Umar-এর number অনুসারে verb-এর number নির্ধারিত হয়েছে।
Incorrect: Mr. Arif, together with some friends and neighbors, are planning a celebration.
Correct: Mr. Arif, together with some friends and neighbors, is planning a celebration.
Collective Nouns
Incorrect: The jury are giving their verdict now.
Correct: The jury is giving its verdict now.
Incorrect: The committee are empowered to make a recommendation.
Correct: The committee is empowered to make a recommendation.
Note: Collective noun হচ্ছে দুই বা ততোধিক ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর সমষ্টিগত রূপ এবং তা হয় singular. তবে অনেকসময় collective noun-গুলো plural idea দিয়ে থাকে। তখন এদের noun of multitude বলা হয় এবং এদের পরে plural verb বসে।
Incorrect: The jury is arguing among itself.
Correct: The jury are arguing among themselves.
Collective Ideas
Incorrect: Soup and salad, are too light a lunch.
Correct: Soup and salad, is too light a lunch.
Incorrect: Playing the piano and singing simultaneously are difficult.
Correct: Playing the piano and singing simultaneously is difficult.
Note: উপরের বর্ণিত দুটি subject-ই collective idea প্রকাশ করে, আর collective idea-এর পরে সবসময়ই singular verb বসে।
Subjects Joined by Conjunction ‘Or’
Incorrect: Luna or I are to lead the discussion.
Correct: Luna or I am to lead the discussion.
Incorrect: They or he are certain to be called.
Correct: They or he is certain to be called.
Note: Conjunction ‘or’, ‘nor’ দ্বারা দুটি subject হলে নিকটবর্তী subject অনুযায়ী verb নির্ধারিত হয়।
Incorrect: Saira or her sisters has done it.
Correct: Saira or her sisters have done it.
Double Subject
Incorrect: Nila and I we took the long road.
Correct: Nila and I took the long road.
Incorrect: Nira’s sister she took the car home.
Correct: Nira’s sister took the car home.
Note: অনেক সময় অনেকে অতিরিক্ত subject ব্যবহার করেন যা ভুল। Subject এবং double subject-এর মধ্যে কমা (,) ব্যবহার করলেও তা সঠিক হয় না।
Incorrect: The teachers, they like the idea.
Correct: The teachers like the idea.
Correlative Conjunctions and Subjects
যে conjunction-গুলো জোড়ায় জোড়ায় ব্যবহৃত হয় সেগুলো correlative conjunction. আর এই correlative conjunctions দ্বারা subject যুক্ত হলে দ্বিতীয় subject অনুযায়ী verb নির্ধারিত হয়।
Incorrect: Neither Jack nor Jim are responsible.
Correct: Neither Jack nor Jim is responsible.
Incorrect: Either Charlie or his brothers has done it.
Correct: Either Charlie or his brothers have done it.