2. "You (John) will fall." She says that you (John) will fall. She said that I (John) should (not

3. "He (John) will fall."

'would') fall.

She says that he (John) will fall. She said that I (John) should (not 'would') fall.

4. " Will he (John) fall?" She asks me if he (John) will fall. She asked me if you (John) would

fall.

She asked you if I (John) should (not ' would ') fall.

NOTE. When an indirect quotation or an indirect question depends on a verb in past time, we cannot always tell whether the direct form had shall or should, will or would:

1. He said that he would go. (Direct, ' I will go' or 'I would go '.) 2. They asked if he would be happy there. (Direct, Will he be happy there?' or 'Would he be happy there?')

Read aloud each of the following sentences (§ 361); then turn the subordinate clause into the direct form, and read that aloud (the proper auxiliary of the direct form is given in parentheses):

1. Polly said that she should go home to-morrow. (I shall.)

He said that he should arrive early, and would wait for us.

(I shall ... will.)

2. He promised that he would walk with us. (I will.)

3. I asked you if you should like to travel with us. (Should you?) I asked her if you (John) would like to travel. (Would John?) 4. He feared that we should get lost. (They will; or, You will.) He feared that he should get lost. (I shall.) 5. She often told him that she should be glad to help him. (I shall or should.)

6. I promised him that he should not regret what he had done. (You shall.)

7. They declared that I (Dick) should be happy anywhere. (Dick will or would.)

8. They asked me why I (John) should like to go to Europe. (Why should you?)

They asked her why I (John) should like to go to Europe. (Why would John ?)

Give some reasons why you should like to go to Europe. (Why should you?)

9. They asked me when I would call for the letters. (When will you?)

10. They told him that I (Jane) should have it. (She shall.) 11. Let her say what shall be done with it. (What shall?)

They told her that she should have the reward. (You shall.) 12. It is a subject which we shall be justified in omitting.

They considered (that) it (was) a subject which they should be justified in omitting. (We shall.)

13. They are going where they will have to build houses.

He knew that they (not including himself; § 179) were going... would have... (They will.)

He knew that they (including himself; § 179) were going... should have... (We shall.)

14. If you had had a brother like me, do you think you should have loved him as well as Tom? - GEORGE ELIOT. (Should you?)

15. Is it a place where you think you shall be happy? (Here shall is in indirect quotation after think, and is not affected by the question. If you think is omitted, shall must be changed to will, as in §179, 8, and § 187, 8.) (Exercise XXII, § 567.)

196. Agreement of verb. A verb agrees with its subject in person and number (§ 168):

1. This field was yellow with wheat.

These fields were yellow with wheat.

2. Hawthorne's romances are interesting.

Hawthorne's "Twice-told Tales" is interesting. (A title is

singular, and takes a singular verb.)

3. What avail all your tears? Of what use are such things?

4. To these four questions was added a fifth.

5. Has either of you read this book? (Not 'Have '.)

6. Why doesn't one of you try it?
7. You were not there at the time.
8. What kind of trees are these?

(Not' don't '.)

(Not 'was '.)
(These is the subject.)

197. Verb with collective noun. A collective noun (§ 36) in the singular number is grammatically singular, and regularly takes a singular verb; but if the persons or things denoted by the noun are thought of as separate individuals, the verb is made plural (except that a collective noun should not be singular and plural in the same sentence; see Ex. 8):

1. Congress is in session.

2. The committee adheres to its decision.

3. The family is at home. The family are not all at home (the negative with all makes two groups of the family).

4. The public is alive to its wants. The public are admitted. 5. Every people has its rights. The people wish to be free. 6. The majority rules. The majority of them are happy. 7. The crowd were pushing, quarreling, joking. - DICKENS. 8. The jury is now agreed; but an hour ago it was (do not shift to 'they were ') not agreed.

9. A corporation which declares that its liabilities, etc.

10. A series of experiments was made.

11. What sort (or kind) of tales were told? (§ 72.)

12. The better sort do not ask for money.

198. Verb with noun of weight, etc. A plural noun denoting weight or measure in a collective sense takes a singular verb:

1. Ten pounds of flour is sufficient. (An amount; but, 'Ten bags of flour now cost forty dollars '.)

2. Fifty dollars was collected (or were, if collected at different times; see Ex. 5). (But, 'The fifty dollars are new bills '.)

Sixty cents of it was in pennies. (An amount.)

3. Three quarters of the money was wasted. (An amount.)
4. Five per cent of the proceeds was profit. (An amount.)
5. Ten inches of rain have fallen during the month. See Ex. 2.

199. Verb with numeral. In the reading and writing of numbers care should be taken not to confuse the concrete with the abstract (§ 123). Concrete numbers require a verb in the singular or the plural according as the nouns are singular or plural (for nouns of weight and measure, see § 198). Abstract numbers are treated as collective singulars; if not connected by and (§ 200), they take a singular verb (§197; see § 207 also):

1. One pencil plus three pencils is four pencils. (Concrete.) Four pencils minus one pencil are three pencils.

Three times three pencils are nine pencils. (Three times is used adverbially, meaning 'taken three times'.)

How many are seven pencils less three pencils?

Three pencils are one third of nine pencils; one third of nine pencils are three pencils.

2. Two plus two is (or equals) four. (Abstract; but see 3, below.) Three from seven leaves four.

Once one is one. Twice three is six.

Eight divided by four is two.

Two thirds of nine is six.

Fifteen is one fifth of seventy-five.

3. The principle that two and two are four. — DICKENS. How much are three and five? (The subject is 'three and five'.)

200. Verb with compound subject; each, etc. A compound subject with and (sometimes omitted) takes a plural verb; but if the parts of the subject refer to one person or thing, or express one idea, or are modified by such words as each, every, many a, no, and such a, the verb is singular (see §§ 120, 142, 159):

1. The secretary and the treasurer were absent.

The secretary and treasurer was absent. (One person.) 2. To read and to write are two different things. To read, to write, to cipher, are fundamental.

3. Bread and milk is a feast. (One dish.)

A horse and carriage was approaching.

There was such pressing and crowding to get passes.-DEFOE. 4. Every cat and dog of the neighborhood was there. Every day and every hour has its opportunity.

5. The wear and tear of life was too much for her.
To see, to understand, and to remember is to know.
6. Many a soldier and sailor was lost in that war.

No money and no employment was awaiting him.

201. Verb with and not, not, etc. When there are two subjects, and one of them is introduced by and not, not, not only, as well as, no more than, or the like, the verb agrees with the other subject; words joined to a subject by with, along with, together with, in addition to, accompanied by, and so forth, do not change the number of the verb:

1. Brains, and not brawn, count most. 2. Not brawn, but brains count most.

3. Brawn, not brains, counts most.

4. Not only the saddles, but the horse was stolen. 5. The grain, as well as the buildings, was lost. 6. The farm, with all its belongings, was sold.

202. Verb with nearest subject; or, nor. The verb frequently agrees with its nearest subject, especially when or or nor is used; but clumsiness should be avoided:

1. No money and no friends were awaiting me.

2. One or more pictures were on the floor.

3. There was no lack of men or of money. (Not Neither men nor money was lacking')

4. Mary or Jane has lost her book. (Not 'their book'.)

5. He is to go, or I am.
6. Is he to go, or am I?
7. Neither of us has time.

(Not 'He or I am to go'.)
(Not 'Is he or I to go?')

(Not ' Neither she nor I have time'.)