Improve your grammar for VA Qs (Part 2) - By: MBA

English grammar based questions, asked in the Verbal Ability section of CAT exam, are a nightmare for many CAT aspirants. In the first article for this series for MBAUniverse.com, Sidharth Balakrishna, CAT expert, author and IIM Calcutta alumnus had shared the need to know certain rules of Grammar. In this second article, he shares a few more rules. But don’t memorize these rules! Instead try to try to improve your knowledge and ability to use this through regular practice. This can be done through reading good literature, writing and speaking in English and also, doing practice exercises, says Balakrishna.
Here are some more rules from author Balakrishna, that you must pay attention to:
1. If a sentence contains a phrase, separated from the subject and the verb by commas on either side, then the verb agrees with the subject only (and not the noun or pronoun in the phrase).
For example:
• The politician, along with his attendants, is receiving presents (not ‘are receiving presents)
• The captain, as well as his team, is happy (not ‘are happy’)
• The king, along with his ministers, is outside (not ‘are outside’)

2. Some words always are used with singular verbs. These are:
• Everyone
• Someone
• No one
• One of
• Somebody
• Everybody
• Each
• Each one
• Either
• Anybody
• Anyone
• ‘Many a’
Some examples:
• Everybody was outside (not ‘everybody were outside’)
• Each one must do his duty (not ‘their duty’)
• Someone is outside (not ‘someone are outside’)
• Everybody was making noise (not ‘were making noise’)
• No one was capable of this (not ‘were capable’)
• Either answer is correct (not ‘are correct’)
• Everybody respects him (not ‘respect him’)
• Many a game was won by sheer luck (not ‘were’)
• One of the boys was destined to succeed (not ‘were’)
• He is one of those who appear correct (not ‘appears’)
• If anyone calls, take his/ her number (not ‘take their number’)
• However, there is one exception:
The pronoun ‘none’ can take both singular or plural forms, depending on the particular context.
3. Always singular
Some nouns are always singular. These apply to nouns dealing with currency, subjects etc.
Examples:
• Ten Rupees is kept on the table (not ‘are’)
• Civics is an interesting subject (not ‘are an interesting subject’)
• Mathematics is useful (not ‘are’)

4. Always Plural
Similarly, some nouns are always plural. These include nouns such as ‘scissors’, ‘jeans’, ‘shorts’, ‘trousers’ etc
• The scissors have become blunt (not ‘has become’)
• The trousers are made of cotton (not ‘is made of cotton’)
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on Verbal Ability section of CAT exam

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