- Right: The crowd is waiting.
- Right: The crowd are not agreed.
- Right: Webster maintained that the United States is an inseparable union; Hayne that the United States are a separable union.
- English usage: The government were considering a new bill regarding labor.
- American usage: The government was glad to place our troops at the disposal of General Foch.
[d.] Do not use don't in the third person singular. Use doesn't. Don't is contraction of do not.
- Wrong: He don't get up early on Sunday morning.
- Right: He doesn't get up early on Sunday morning.
Exercise:
- She said not to buy those sort of carpet tacks. These kind of apples won't keep. I don't care for these boasting kind of travelers.
- Neither of us were in condition to run the race. Every one assured Mrs. Merton they had spent a pleasant evening.
- He don't suffer much now. I don't care if she don't come today.
- Each of us in that dismal waiting room were angry with the agent for telling us the train was not late.
- No one of the girls will tell their age. It don't matter.
[Agreement]
[52a.] A verb agrees in number with the subject, not with a noun which intervenes between it and the subject.
- Wrong: The size of the plantations vary.
- Right: The size of the plantations varies.
- Wrong: The increasing use of luxuries are a menace to the country.
- Right: The increasing use of luxuries is a menace to the country.
- Wrong: The prices of grain fluctuates in response to the demand.
- Right: The prices of grain fluctuate in response to the demand. [Or] The price of grain fluctuates in response to the demand.
[b.] The number of the verb is not affected by the addition to the subject of words introduced by with, together with, no less than, as well as, and the like.
- Wrong: The mayor of the city, as well as several aldermen, have investigated the charges.
- Right: The mayor of the city, as well as several aldermen, has investigated the charges.