Correct usage of Verbs:(With examples)

Correct usage of Verbs:

a. The subject of the sentence should not be left without a verb.

Example:(1 one is wrong, 2 one is correct)

1. Those who have been affected most by the change, let them speak.
2. Those who have been affected most by the change should speak.

b. In a compound sentence a single verb can be made to work for two subjects, only when the form of the verb allows it.

Example:   
Not a voice was heard, not a sound.

1. Her hardwork was meaningless, her efforts useless.
2. Her hard work was meaningless, her efforts useless.

c. When there is only one auxiliary to two principal verbs, it should be such that it may be correctly associated with both.

Example:

1. Five students have joined the course and one has been dropped out.
2. Five students have joined the course and one has dropped out.

   
      d. An infinitive should be in the present tense unless it represents action prior to that of the governing verb.

Example:

1. I should have liked to have joined the programme.
2. I should have liked to join the programme.

e. A present participle should not be used to express an action, which is not contemporaneous with the action of the principal verb.

Example:

1. He took five minutes to climb each floor, reaching the top floor in forty minutes.
2. He took five minutes to climb each floor, and reached the top floor in forty minutes.

f. The Subjunctive Mood is sometimes wrongly used for the Indicative. When the statement introduced by 'if' or 'though' is an actual fact, or what is assumed as a fact, the proper Mood to be used is the Indicative and not the Subjunctive. The Subjunctive is correctly used in the following sentences:

Example:

1. If he were you, he should agree.
2. If she were here, she would praise me.

     g. A verb should agree with its subject, and not with the complement.

Example:
His wants is but a handful.
His wants are but a handful.

1. The meetings is a matter of utmost importance.
2. The meetings are a matter of utmost importance.

h. Two auxiliaries can be used with one principal verb, only when the form of the principal verb is appropriate to both the auxiliaries.

Example:
She never has, and never will, take such decisions.
She has never taken such decisions, and never will.

i. The verbs 'lay' and 'lie' should be distinguished carefully. The verb 'lay' is transitive and is always followed by an object; the verb 'lie' is intransitive and cannot have an object.

Example:
Let them lie there.
We lay under the banyan tree.
Lay the baby down to sleep.
She laid the file on the desk.
The duck has laid an egg.

     j. One common mistake that is usually committed is to leave the Participle without proper agreement or with no agreement at all.

Example:
Walking down the road, a car hit him.
While he was walking down the road, a car hit him.

Being very hot, I couldn't drink the coffee immediately.
It being very hot, I couldn't drink the coffee immediately.
(Better still - The coffee was very hot so I couldn't drink it immediately.)

Note: In certain circumstances like the following, the usage is permitted.

Example:
Taking his skills into consideration, he should aim for something higher.

     k. The pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in the Possessive case.

Example:

1. What is the purpose of she going there?
2. What is the purpose of her going there?

1. It is of no use you saying so.
2. It is of no use your saying so.

1. Can you please forgive me saying so?
2. Can you please forgive my saying so?

Note: The noun governing a Gerund should also be put in the Possessive case, with 's, if it is of such a kind as to take that inflection, and if it is not too far removed from the Gerund.

Example:
They were unprepared for the umpire's comments.
I have no memory of Ravi's explaining the problem to me.

     Additional information for the correct usage of the Verb:

1. It is true that an adjective describes a noun whereas an adverb explains a verb, an adjective and another adverb. There are, however, certain verbs which allow only adjectives to explain them. They are look, remain, feel, sound, taste, smell, etc.

He looks innocent, don't believe him (not innocently).
She hardly felt sore about not being invited to dinner (not : sorely).

2. Note the following cases and use only singular verb after them.

- if many a is the subject in a sentence.
- if the number of is the subject in a sentence.
- if two singular nouns jointly convey a sense.
- after more than one though it carries a plural sense.
- with a plural subject denoting quantity or a definite amount.
- if each or every precedes two singular subjects joined by 'and'.

Example:
Many a student of mine has gone abroad (Many students of mine have gone abroad).
The number of thefts in the city now is very low.
Bread and butter is not enough for me now.
More than one tiger has died in the zoo till now this year.
Five thousand rupees suffices for the trip.
Every boy and every girl in this section is meritorious.


     3. 'A great many' takes a plural noun and a plural verb with it.

Example:
A great many fans have gathered to see him.
A great many students will stand by me if I ask.

4. More about verb - subject Agreement:

if two subjects are joined by 'as well as', 'along with', 'together with', 'no less than', 'in addition to', 'with', 'not', etc, the verb will always agree with the first subject :

My uncle (together) with his family is joining us for supper this evening. (not : are).
If the subjects are joined by 'or', or 'nor', the verb will always agree with the nearest subject to it : as,

You, he nor I am suitable for her. (not : are)


      in case of relative clauses, the verb has to agree with the antecedent but not with the relative pronoun (who, which, that, etc) :

It is Mr. David that looks after budgeting activity in the company.

- a verb will have to agree with a subject but not with the subject complement : as,

Two fours are eight. But four and four is also eight!

- In a sentence having apposition, the verb must agree with the real subject but not with the apposition restricted between commas :

Dad, I, your son, am going to look after you, do not worry about anything.

     4. An infinitive (e.g. to see) often indicates 'purpose' while a gerund i.e., 'an - ing form' (e.g. seeing) often denotes cause.

Example:   
1. He has come to see you once before leaving for Paris (Why has he came to see you).
2. 'You are always scolded for lying to me', said my mother.

5. A full infinitive (to infinitive) not a gerund has to go after the verbs : decide, plan, expert, want, ask, request, fail, learn, promise, hope, agree, try, refuse, tell, order, allow, etc.

Example:
1. The manager has asked him to wait for a while (not : waiting).
2. He tried enough to get information from me, but I did not allow him to learn it (not : getting; learning).

However, a gerund, not an infinitive, goes in case of these verbs : stop, enjoy, remember, avoid, finish, mind, practice, risk, like, excuse; also after : insist on, object to, prevent from, succeed in, think of, look forward to, to be + used/accustomed to, etc.

Example:
Have you finished reading this book? (not : (to) read).
We are not accustomed to getting up early (not : get).

     6. There are certain verbs which admit only a bare infinitive i.e., an infinitive without 'to' before it. They are : see, hear, notice, let, make, dare, need, etc., and also after : had better, would rather, etc.

Example:   
I noticed that the girl bit the boy (not : to bite).
We would rather walk than wait for the bus (not : to walk).

7. Verbs like 'appoint', 'elect', 'call', 'consider', 'think' should not be followed by 'as' whereas 'regard', 'describe' and 'think of' can be.

Example:
They consider me his son (not : as his son).
I regard your suggestion is worth considering (not simply :suggestion worth considering).

     8. Every verb cannot permit every conjunction to go with it, for example 'doubt' takes 'if or whether' but not 'that' after it.

Example:

1. Don't doubt that I am all right
2. Don't doubt whether I am all right (or not)