And all the while he felt the presence of Pat and had to keep
on resistingthe impulse to turn round. (Lindsay)
Something happened nearly a year ago that altered my whole life.
I had to begin livingall over again. (Da Maurier)
He ought to stop doingnothing and criticizingeverybody.
(Lindsay)
AGREEMENT OFTHE PREDICATE WITH THE SUBJECT
§ 19. In the English language the predicate agrees with the subject in person and number.
Agreement implies that the use of one form necessitates the use of the other, for example: a singular subject requires a predicate in the singular, a plural subject requires a predicate in the plural.
The house was alive with soft, quick steps and running voices.
(Mansfield)
This evening there was nobright sunset; west and east were
one cloud ... (Ch. Bronte)
But in Modern English there is often a conflict between form and meaning; in these cases the predicate does not agree with the subject.
The Durham family were at breakfast, father, mother and seven children. (O'Conor)
"Great Expectations" was written by Dickens in 1860. He further intimated that the United States was so interested in its own internal affairs that it would not be drawn into the question. (Graves)
In Modern English, with its few inflexions, agreement of the predicate with the subject is restricted to the present tense apart from the verb to be. The verb to be is an exception because it agrees with the subject not only in the present but in the past tense as well.
I am serious myself... (Lindsay)
We are men and women who respect ourselves and love our
families. (Burke)
And Joseph was there with me. (Abrahams)
All the blinds were pulled down at the hall and rectory.
(Thackeray)
§ 20. The following rules of agreementof the predicate with the subject should be observed:
1. The predicate is used in the plural when there are two or more homogeneous subjects connected by the conjunction and or asyndetically.
Her father and mother... were obviously haunted and harassed. (Galsworthy) The topof a low black cabinet, theold oak table, the chairs
in tawny leather, were littered with the children's toys, books, and garden garments. (Eliot)
If two or more homogeneous subjects are expressed by infinitives the predicate is in the singular.
To labour in peace,and devote her labour and her life to her poor son, was all the widow sought. (Dickens) To leave the quiet court, to gain the Strand, to hail a belated hansom was the work of a moment. (T hurst on)
2. When the predicate-verb precedes a number of subjects it is often in the singular, especially if the sentence begins with here or there.
And here was a man, was experience and culture.(Galsworthy) Besides the chair at the writing-table there is aneasy-chair at the medicine table, and a chairat each side of the dressing table. (Shaw)
The wind drove down the rain and everywhere there was standing water and mud.(Hemingway)
If the subjects are of different number the predicate agrees with the subject that stands first.
There was much trafficat night and many muleson the roads with boxes of ammunition on each of their pack saddles. (Hemingway)
3. When two homogeneous subjects in the singular are connect ed by the conjunctions not only... but (also), neither... nor, either ... or, or, nor, the predicate is usually in the singular.
There was neither heroic swift defeatnor heroic swift victory.
(Wells)
Not only the anchor of hope,but the footing of fortitude was
gone at least for a moment. (Ch. Bronte)
If the subjects are of different person or number, the predicate agrees with the one next to it.
Neither Inor my sister is to blame. Neithei your sisternor you are to blame.
4. When two subjects in the singular are connected by the conjunction as well as the predicate is in the singular.
Activityas well as cell structure is an essential condition of life. (Young)
If the subjects are of different person or number, the predicate agrees with the subject that stands first.