2.4: Appendix D- Plural Agreement and Basic Article Use

Practice D1

Errors in subject/verb agreement and plural agreement are affected by the kind of noun that you are using. The three kinds of nouns in English are:

1. Count – Singular Examples:
2. Count – Plural Examples:
3. Noncount Examples:

When you write about a topic in general, for example, about “teenagers”, “people” or “sports,” count nouns will need a plural “s.” When you are using a singular or noncount noun, there is no “s” on the noun, but the verb will need to agree with a singular subject, thus requiring “s.”

To use articles (a, an, the, and Ø) in English correctly, first ask yourself, “What kind of noun is it?” Then ask yourself, “Which article do I need?”

Practice D2

Write a, an, the or Ø in the spaces.

1. I have _____ big family. My mother shows _____ love to all of us. _____ first time my husband met my family, he was impressed with _____ love that my mother showed everyone.
2. I’m so busy. I rarely have _____ time to do _____ homework. If I have _____ chance, I will study tonight.
3. I talked to _____ interesting person on _____ bus. She gave me _____ good advice about _____ money.
4. Is that _____ good book? Yes, but it’s too hard for me. Maybe I should _____ study literature next year.
5. _____ Friendships can help you learn _____ language. Talking with _____ friend over _____ cup of _____ coffee can help you learn _____ vocabulary.
6. Mogadishu is _____ capital of my country.