Winners' English

Either/Neither:

When either and neither are followed by "Or and Nor", the verb may be 'Singular or Plural', depending on whether the noun following 'Or and Nor' is 'Singular or Plural'. If 'Or or Nor' appears alone, the same rules applies. The following formulas are given below:

Rule 1: Either/Neither + noun + or/nor + plural noun + plural verb.

Examples are given below:
1. Either Ritu and his friends are going to Australia today.
2. Neither Ritu nor his friends are going to Australia today.

Rule 2: Either/Neither + noun + or/nor + singular noun + singular verb.

Examples are given below:
1. Either Giti and Ritu is going to Australia.
2. Neither Giti nor Ritu is going to Australia.

Some other examples are given below:
1. Either Helal or Belal drive the car.
2. Neither Helal nor Belal drive the car.
3. Either the boys nor Salina has seen the movie before.
4. Neither Salina nor the boys have seen the movie before.
5. Either the the director or the secretary wants to leave yet.
6. Neither the director nor the officials want to leave yet.
7. Either I or my business partners leave for Dubai - UAE.
8. Neither I nor my business partner leaves for Dubai - UAE.

None/No:

None can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on the noun which follows it.

Formula 1: None + of the + non-count noun + singular verb.
Example: 1. None of the counterfeit money has been found.

Formula 2: None + of the + plural count noun + plural verb.
Example 2. None of the students have finished the exam yet.

No: can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it.
Formula 1: No + singular non-count + singular verb.
Example 1: No example is relevant to this case.

Formula 2: No + plural noun + plural verb.
Formula 2: No examples are relevant to this case.

Words that always take singular verbs and pronouns:

Some words are often confused by learners/students as being plural. The following words must be followed by singular verbs and pronoun in formal written English. They are in the following:

1. any + singular noun
2. anyone/anybody
3. anything
4. every + singular noun
5. everyone/everybody
6. everything
7. no + singular noun
8. no one/nobody
9. nothing
10. each + singular noun
11. either/neither
12. some + singular noun
13. someone/somebody
14. something

Note: Either and neither are singular if they are not used with or and nor.

Examples are given below:
1. Everyone/Everybody who has not bought/purchased a ticket should be in the queue/line.
2. Something was under the house.
3. If either of you takes a vacation/holiday now, we will not be able to finish the work at the right time.
4. If neither of you takes a vacation/holiday tomorrow, we will be able to finish the work at the right time.
5. Anybody/Anyone who has lost his ticket should report to the desk immediately.
6. No problem is harder to solve than this one.
7. Nobody works harder than Abraham does.
8. Something is important for me now.
9. Anybody is at home! (Asking - if somebody is at home.)
10. Nothing is impossible.

Agreement - Subject and Appositive:

In all patterns, there must be agreement of the subject and the appositive, an explanatory phrases that follows the subject.

Some examples are shown below:
1. The students in my class, mostly international students, are very friendly.
2. The final exam, an essay test, will be given durning the last week of the classes.
3. I didn’t sleep because of Ritu's dog, a little puddle puppy that missed its mother.
4. I haven’t seen my cousins, now young women, for many years.
5. The notes that I took, some of them with extensive drawings, are missing from my folder.
6. Clones, plants grown from a single specimen, are genetically homogenous.
7. The Gray Wolf, a species reintroduced into its native habitat in Yellowstone National Park, has begun to breed naturally there.

Agreement - Impersonal Pronouns:

We should remember that for 'Formal writing', it's necessary to continue using the impersonal pronoun one throughout a sentence. For more informal writing, she/he may be used instead of one or one's to refer to a previous use of the pronoun one.
Moreover, we should also remember that we have to avoid using - you, your, they, or their to refer to the impersonal pronoun one.

Some examples are given below:
1. At a large University, one will almost always be able to find a friend who speaks one's (or, his) language.
2. If one knew the facts, one (or, he) would not be so quick to criticise/criticize.
3. In order to graduate, one must present one's/ (his) thesis thirty days prior to the last day of classes.
4. Regardless of one's personal beliefs, one (he) has the responsibility to report the facts as impertially as possible.
5. If one/he does not work hard, one/he can't expect to succeed in one's/his life.
6. The more hemoglobin one/he has, the more oxygen is carried to one's/his cells.
7. One/He can only live without water for about ten days because almost 60 percent of one's/his body is water.

Agreement - Noun and Pronoun:

In all patterns, there must be aggrement of noun and pronoun.

Some examples are given below:
1. If you want to leave a message for Mr. and Mrs. John Abraham, I'll be glad to take it.
2. A1 is interested in mathematics and its application.
3. It's easier to talk about a problem than to resolve it.
4. Although their visas will expire in January, 2027, they can have them extended for three months.
5. In spite of their small size, these I-phones take very good pictures.
6. A College bookstore that sells used textbooks stocks them along with the new ones on the shelf under the course title.
7. Magnesium, the lightest of our structural metals, has an important place among common engineering materials because of its weight.

Transitive verbs VS Intransitive verbs:

In a "Transitive verbs" must have a 'Object' in a sentence, but in the "Intransitive verbs" has no 'object' in the sentence at all. There are some examples in the following below:

Transitive verbs:
1. I love her.
2. We enjoyed the movie.
3. He lost his wallet.
4. My mother boiled rice.
5. The authority will announce the programme tomorrow.
6. Can your horse jump the gate?
7. An idea struck me.
8. The workmen dug a deep tubewell.
9. The news surprised us.
10. Have you ever climbed the Everest.

Note: All the above (1 - 10) are transitive verbs and have objects. Accordingly we can make the sentences 'Voice change' from 'Active to Passive

Intransitive verbs:
1. My friend is a lawyer.
2. This is a book.
3. The total was Tk.500/-
4. Seeing is believing.
5. The girls were about the same height.
6. Some parts of my house are 15th century.
7. Who is the girl?
8. It was dark.
9. Is the old man still alive?
10. The ship is still afloat.

Note: The above sentences (1 - 10) are intransitive verbs. We can't change it from active to passive.

N.B. Learn English precisely using grammar and be smart.

Agreement - Collective subjects and verbs:

* It is important to note that the following collective subjects agrees with 'Singular verbs'.
They are:
1. Team,
2. Group,
3. Class,
4. Committee,
5. Family,
6. Police,
7. Band,
8. Public,
9. Audience,
10. Staff,
11. Series,
12. Faculty,
13. Orchestra,
14. Chorus,
15. Majority

Some examples are given below:
1. Our team wins the game.
2. Their group is in the final round.
3. Chairman's committee finally wins to form the selection committee.
4. Twenty-five dollars is the exact price.
5. An audience usually does not applaud in a Buddhist Temple.
6. Four miles is the difference to my office.
7. The staff is meeting in the conference hall.
8. A good team is a recruit of both recruiting and coaching as well as performing.
9. Because entertaining is such a competitive business, a group of singers or musicians need a manager to help market the music.
10. A popular singer is singing, some audience are applauding themselves.

* Moreover, it is also important to understand that the following subjects agrees with 'Plural verb' i.e. 'People'.
But in certain cases, to express the separate nature of individuals in a group, we may use a plural verb with collective subjects.

Some examples are given below:
1. Two teams fight each other to win the match.
2. Many people are coming to the graduation.
3. A majority of the people are coming to join in the police force.
4. Sometimes, public have an excitement in a public sentiment.

Agreement - Indefinite subject - Verb:

We should know that the following subjects require a singular verb.

* anyone, anybody, no one.
* everyone, everybody, no body.
* anything, everything, nothing.
* each, what, whatever, whoever.
* either, neither.

Furthermore, we should also know that the following subjects require either a singular or plural verb depending on a qualifying phrases or other context from the sentence.

* all, any, some, the rest.

Some examples are given below:
1. Everyone who majors in "Finance and Banking" studies 'History of Art' 600.
2. Either of these trains goes past the downtown.
3. Anyone who wishes to participate in the state lottery may do so by purchasing a ticket at a store that display the official lottery seal.
4. Neither Canada nor Mexico requires that citizens of the United States have passports.
5. The first two problems are very difficult, but the rest (of the problems) are easy.
6. Each of the radioisotopes produced artificially has its own distinct structure.
7. Everyone who has travelled across the United States by car, train, or bus is surprised to see such a large expense of territory with such variation among the lifestyle of the people.

To be continued

Causative verbs:
Causative verbs are main verbs. They are used to indicate that one person causes a second person to do something for the first person. One can cause somebody to do something for him or her by paying, asking, or forcing the person. The causative verbs are:
1. Have,
2. Get,
3. Make,
4. Let
5. Help

Have/Get:

Note -1:
The causative verb in the following 'have' may be active or passive. Please check the following rules:
1. ACTIVE:
Subject - Have (any tense) - complement (usually person) - Verb-1.
2. ACTIVE:
Subject - Get (any tense) - complement (usually person) - to infinitive.
3. PASSIVE:
Subject - Have/Got (any tense) - complement (usually thing) - Verb-3.

1. Ritu had Abul wash the car. (Abul washed the car.)
2. Ritu got Abdul to wash the car. (Abdul washed the car.)
3. Ritu got the car washed. (The car was washed by somebody.)
4. Ritu had the car washed. (The car was washed by somebody.)
5. I have John do the work. (John does the work.)
6. I had John do the work. (John did the work.)
7. I have him teach English. He teaches English.)
8. I had him teach English. (He taught English.)
9. I have someone cook for me. (Someone cooks for me.)
10. I got someone to cook for me.

Some more examples are shown below:
1. The president had his advisors arrange a press conference. (The president's advisers arranged a press conference.)
2. Ritu has had a friend type all of her papers. (Ritu's friend has typed all of her papers.)
3. Ritu is having her mother contact the officials. (Ritu's mother is contacting the officials.)
4. The editor had the contributors attend the
composition workshop. (The contributors attended a composition workshop.)
5. Ritu is getting her teachers to give her a make-up exam. (Ritu's teachers are giving her a make-up exam.)
6. Ritu got her dog to bring her the newspaper. (Ritu's dog brought her the newspaper.)
7. Babul has his shirts cleaned at the drycleaners. (Babul's shirts have been cleaned at the drycleaners.)
8. Ritu is having her car repaired this week. (Ritu's car is being repaired this week.)
9. Ritu got her paper typed by a friend. (Ritu's paper was typed by a friend.)
10. The president is having a press conference arranged by his advisors. (A press conference is being arranged by the president's advisers.)
11. Ritu got her father arrested. (Ritu's father was arrested.)
12. Ritu was having her hair cut when Monisha called. (Ritu's hair was being cut when Monisha called.)

Note - 2:
We should remember that 'have' can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. 'Have' has even less force and authority than 'Get'.

Examples are given below:
1. My manager had us give oral reports.
2. I want to have this historical book reprinted.
3. Ritu had a tooth filled.
4. Have you had your temperature taken yet?
5. They had their lawyer change their wills.
6. I like the way you had the beautician do your hair.
7. We are going to have our car fixed before we go to travelling somewhere else.
8. Like human beings, zoo animals must have a dentist fill their teeth.

Note - 3:
We should also remember that 'get' can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. 'Get' has less force and authority than 'Make'.

Examples are given below:
1. Let's get Ritu to go with us.
2. Let's get our car fixed first.
3. Do you think that we can get Johnathan to take us to Bangkok?
4. We want to get the house painted before winter.
5. Let's get some of our money exchanged with dollars.
6. Ritu got her younger sister's wedding dress altered so that it fit perfectly.
7. I will have to get someone to fix the cell phone right away.

Make:
Note - 1:
The verb 'Make' can be followed only by a cause in the active voice. It is stronger than 'Have/Get'. It means force.

Please check the following rule:
1. Active:
(Subject - any tense - complement - verb-1)

Some examples are given below:
1. The robbers made the teller give them the money.
Or, The robbers forced the teller to give them the money.
2. The owner of the shop made the salesmen attend the conference.
Or, The owner of the shop forced the salesmen to attend the conference.
3. The teacher always makes the students stay in their seats.
Or, The teacher always forces the students to stay in their seats.
4. Ritu made her mother be quiet in the theatre.
Or, Ritu forced her mother to be quiet in the theatre.
5. The president is making his cabinet members sign this document.
Or, The president is forcing his cabinet members to sign this document.
6. Some teachers had made the students attend the class during the rainy season.
Or, Some teachers had forced the students to attend the class during the rainy season.

Note -2:
We should remember that 'Make' can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. The person causes it to happen by forcing another person to do it.
Some examples are shown below:
1. My family members made me take my medicine.
2. I made the medicine work.
3. The mother made the baby take a nap.
4. Professor Ajoy tripura did not make us type up our lab reports.
5. Are you going to make yor son work part time in the store this summer?
6. I can not seem to make this dishwasher run.
7. Ritu makes everyone do this share around the house.
8. Psychologist believe that incentives make us want to increase our productivity.

Let:
Note - 1:
The verb 'Let' is usually added to the list of causatives in grammar textbooks. It is not actually causative and it means allow/permit. Please check the difference in grammar.
* Subject - let - complement - verb -1
* Subject - permit/allow - complement - to infinitive
* Let is not interchangeable with leave, which means to go away.

Some important examples are given below:
1. Salina let her daughter swim with her friends.
Or, Salina allowed/permitted her daughter to swim with her friends.
2. The teacher let the students leave class early.
Or, The teacher allowed/permitted the students to leave class early.
3. The policeman let the suspect make one phone call.
Or, The policeman allowed/permitted the suspect to make one phone call.
4. Ritu is letting the students hand in the papers on Monday.
Or, Ritu is allowing/permitting the students to hand in the papers on Monday.
5. My mother let me spend the night with my friends.
Or, My mother allowed/permitted me to spend the night with my friends.
6. My boss is going to let me write the CV.
Or, My boss is going to allow/permit me to write the CV.
7. Johnathan always lets his children watch cartoons on Friday mornings.
Or, Johnathon always leys his children to watch cartoons on Friday mornings.

Note - 2:
We should remember that 'Let' can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. With 'Let', a person gives permission for another person to do it.
* Subject - let - someone - verb word.
* Subject - let - something - verb word.

Some examples are shown below:
1. My mother let me go to office in the rainy day.
2. We are letting the machine cool.
3. Professor Johnathan let me write a paper instead of taking a final exam.
4. When I was learning to drive, my friend let me use his car.
5. Would you let us borrow your notes?
6. Ritu is so good-hearted, she lets her friends take advantage of her.
7. Don't let that bother you.
8. The immigration and Naturalization Service often lets students extend their visas if they fill out the appropriate papers.

Help:
Note - 1:
It is to remember that the verb 'Help' can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. With 'help', a person assists another person to do it.
* Subject - help - someone - verb word/infinitive.
Some examples are given below:
1. Her husband always helps her do (to do) the laundry.
2. Don't you help each other study (to study) for tests.
3. My teacher helped me get (to get) this job.
4. Ritu said that she would help me find (to find) the place.
5. This book should help you understand (to understand) the main points.
6. In partnership with Ritu, Shaila helped form (to form) the business.
7. Ritu helped her mother wash (to wash) the dishes.
8. My author helped me find (to find) the research materials.
9. Suniti Roy helped Sunanda with the packages find (to find) a taxi.
10. We have to help Ritu find (to find) her luggage.