14 is and as in plural: the films are and concord of person, for example, as in 1st
person: I am and as in 2nd person: you are p. 260. Furthermore, Quirk and Greenbaum 1973 state that the selected form of a
verb, which permits a distinction between singular and plural, depends on whether the subject is singular as in the man makes, or plural as in the men make p. 11.
Greenbaum 1989 adds that the agreement of subject and verb is always applied whenever the verb displays disctinctions in number and in person p. 208.
Greenbaum 1989 further states that for all verbs other than be, the distinctions only happen in Present Tense, where the third person singular has the –s form and
the third person plural, which is like the first and the second persons, has the base form p. 208.
a. Subject Verb Concord in Number
According to Langan 1996, subject-verb concord in number means that a verb must agree with its subject in number p. 338. The concord of number
occurs between a subject and its finite verb. Langan 1996 states that a singular subject, which is one person or thing, takes a singular verb, while a plural subject,
which is more than one person or thing, takes a plural verb p. 338. For examples:
[1] The man buys a new car.
[2] Budi is a student.
[3] The boys in our class are more numerous than girls.
[4] My friends come from Solo.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
15 The subject in sentence [1] and in sentence [2] is singular, so it should be
followed by a singular verb. However, the subject in sentence [3] and in sentence [4] is plural, so a plural verb should follow the subject.
Greenbaum 1989 states that the rule of subject-verb agreement in number should also be applied to all finite clauses, whether they are main clauses or
subordinate clauses p. 209. Then, according to Langan 1996, if subjects in a sentence are joined by either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, the verb should
agree with the subject that is closer to the verb p. 340. The examples are: [5]
Neither Desta nor my friends want to come to the room. [6]
Either Agus or Tia drinks a glass of milk everyday. In sentence [5], the nearest subject, my friends, is plural, so the verb that follows
the subject should be plural. However, in sentence [6], the nearest subject, Tia, is singular, so the singular verb should follow the subject.
In addition, Greenbaum 1989 mentions that if a subject in a sentence consists of two or more phrases that are linked by and, even if each subject is
singular, the subject has plural meaning p. 211. The examples are: [7]
Your bicycle, your car, and your motorcycle are expensive. [8]
The book, the pen, and the pencil are new. Besides, the subject will still be plural if and is simplified though not actually
present in a sentence Greenbaum, 1989, p. 211. Sentence [9] and sentence [10] are the examples.
[9] Your bicycle, your car, your motorcycle are expensive.
[10] The book, the pen, the pencil are new.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
16 Furthermore, Greenbaum 1989 mentions that if the noun phrases are introduced
by each or every, the subject is considered singular p. 211. For examples: [11]
Every student and every teacher has to buy the ticket. [12]
Each man and each woman is given a new book. In addition, Langan 1996 states that a verb must agree with its subject
even when the verb comes before the subject p. 339. Langan 1996 adds that words that may precede the subject include there, here and, in questions, who,
which, what, and where p. 339. [13]
There are ten students in the classroom. [14]
Here is the book. [15]
Where are your pencils? Furthermore, Langan 1996 mentions that words that come between the subject
and the verb in a sentence do not change the subject-verb agreement within the sentence p. 338.
[16] An old televsion with a round screen shows the best quality.
[17] The dogs in the gardens eat a plate of rice every morning.
The subject of sentence [16], television, is singular, so the verb which follows the subject is plural. However, the subject of sentence [17], dogs, is plural. Therefore,
the plural verb should follow the plural subject in sentence [17].
b. Subject Verb Concord in Person
