Connecting Words And Subject-Verb Agreement Grammar For IELTS

Candidates willing to study abroad and appear for the IELTS exam need to have highly developed English language skills. Accordingly, before appearing for the IELTS exam candidates need to make use of the fact that their grammar is highly proficient. Moreover, enhancing grammatical skills would help acing the IELTS writing and speaking section. However, it is important to gain knowledge in the area of connecting words and subject-verb agreement grammar for IELTS which would help in English language proficiency. Candidates can opt for IELTS Practice papers for developing skills for their IELTS exam.

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Connecting Words and Subject-Verb Agreement 

There are certain rules which need to be followed for the connecting words and subject-verb agreement in IELTS grammar. Candidates while developing their grammar skills need to focus on these rules for achieving a higher IELTS band score. These are:

• With a singular third person subject, the verb used must have an s-ending
• For a plural subject, the verb must have a singular ending
• When there are and there is is used, there is never the subject. The subject comes after the verb
• The connecting words in Grammar for IELTS, that consists of a verb, need to agree with the subject which is closer to the verb.
• With connecting words, the verb must agree with the foremost mentioned noun in the sentence

Examples of connecting words and subject-Verb Agreement 

For better understanding about the connecting words and the rules of subject-verb agreement, the following examples can be helpful. These would help them ace their IELTS Speaking and writing sections effectively:

• Neither the professor nor the students are in the classroom
• Either he woke up late or he missed the bus
• Neither she ate nor did she drink the whole day because of her sickness
• The fiction section books, along with the books in nonfiction section, look brand new
• Mary, together with her friends, went to the coffee shop
• The guide, along with the visitors, provided a tour of the museum
• Every morning, he takes the bus to the office
• His family was waiting for him at the station

In order to enhance their skills in the English language, candidates can also follow certain IELTS preparation tips that might help them for their IELTS exam.

Exercise for Connecting Words and Subject-Verb Agreement 

The phrases in the first column are subjects, and the phrases in the second column are verbs plus objects or prepositional phrases. Match the second column of verb phrases with their corresponding subjects. One answer will not be used. The first one has been done for you.

Question 1

Answer: c
Explanation: The committee members, along with the company president are evaluating the annual report where President is the committee members is the first subject connect with along with and are is the verb used.

Question 2

Answer: e
Explanation: some of the most recent history books discuss oppression of Native Americans were books is the plural subject and discuss is the singular noun used hence, the correct answer

Question 3

Answer: g
Explanation: none of the storm victims is going to get government aid is correct as the subject victims is plural with which is as the singular verb has been used

Question 4

Answer: f
Explanation: Either the romantic comedy or the action film is going to win the movie award. This sentence has connecting words either and or where the subject film is used and the verb is agrees with the verb is which is closer to the subject

Question 5

Answer: d
Explanation: everyone in the modern dance class is excited about the performance where everyone is the plural subject with which the verb used is singular is.

Question 6

Answer: a
Explanation: two-thirds of the band members want to change the musical style. Here the sentence has members which is the subject used for which the verb want is used focusing on an agreement which is closer to the subject

Question 7

Answer: b
Explanation: anyone born in the United States is eligible to become President. With the United States being plural, the verb used must be singular which is followed hence, is correct.

Question 8

Answer: i
Explanation: half of the class isn’t ready for the exam. Here the sentence has half of the class as the plural subject for which singular verb isn’t has been used hence, being the correct answer.