E N G L I S H M 5

Subject&Verb
Agreement

C r im e
J u s t ic e s y s t e m
Vocab
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SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT

1……………………………………………………………………
# Nick and Leo …… (be) sick.
# Yaya and Nadet ……… (have) been to Portugal.
Exception 1 …………………………………………………………..
# Bread and butter …… (be) our daily food.
# Whisky and soda …… (be) recommended.
Exception 2 …………………………………………………………..
# The author and lecturer …….(have) departed.
# The chairman and treasurer ……..(be) dead.

2…………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
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# My brother, like all his friend, was/ were studying engineering.
# The captains, including the crew, have/ has drowned.

3…………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
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# Neither Tom nor Joe play/ plays chess.
# Not only I but Sue have/ has arrived yet.

4…………………………………………………………………………………
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# Everyone knows you is/ are smart.

# Every man and women knows/ know him.
# Somebody is/ are waiting to see you.

5…………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
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# Ten dollars …….. spent during a trip to Paris. (was/ were)
# Three months …….. a long vacation.
# Fifty miles …….. a long distance.
# Ten kilograms …….. overweight.

6…………………………………………………………………………………
# Economics my favorite subject.
# Mathematics is too difficult for me.

7…………………………………………………………………………………
# Her family is a very happy one.
# Her family are busy with their work.

8…………………………………………………………………………………
Cattle are grazing in the meadow.
Their trousers are very dirty.

9…………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
Some of the books is/ are on the shelf.
Half of the time was/ were spent in Paris.
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10…………………………………………………………………………………
# One of the boys looks/ look sick.
# He is one of the boys who is/ are lazy.

11…………………………………………………………………………………

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# A number of cars was/ were stolen.
# The number of student is/ are small.

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Exercise 1
Identify six underline verb errors in each of the two texts. Correct the errors.
Text A
To have an allergy mean that person is affected either by a substance in the

atmosphere or by some sort of food. These days a lot of people suffer from one kind

of allergy. If someone are allergic to chocolate, for instance, the simplest thing to do

would be to avoid eating any chocolate. If, on the other hand, the allergic reaction are

caused by something unknown or difficult to avoid, then the only solution is prescribed

medication.

The chances of someone having an allergy is bound to be great if allergies run in

the family. In other words, if one parent suffers from allergies, the child has a thirty

percent chance of being allergic, too. If both parents is affected, the risk double.
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TEXT B
Going to the theater bring back happy memories, as it reminds me of my very

first performance on stage, which was thirty years ago. Parts of that particular night is

so vivid that I can still picture myself as though it were yesterday. The excitement

amongst…………………………………………..……………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

with will remain with me for life. I don’t know how we managed to do so well. The

rehearsals were far satisfactory because we thought that we could just have …………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

to the last act wasn’t ready until an hour before the beginning of the play despite the

set builder’s best effort The director was not satisfied with anything and ha didn’t even

want to show up on the first night . Admittedly, I wouldn’t have wanted to either.

When the night finally arrived, we was all a bit worried. I remember glancing

through the curtain ten minutes before the start and being amazed at the sight of a full

house. Finally, it were time for the curtain to go up. In the end, we proved the director

wrong and everything went like clockwork.

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Exercise 2
Choose the correct answer
1. Either excessive social obligations or just plain laziness him from his
work.
a. has kept b. has been kept
c. have kept d. have been kept

3. Nowadays, young men with a technical education because of the great

demand for highly skilled workmen
a. are well paid b. should pay
c. is well paid d. could pay

6. Although we have been living here for six years, neither my husband nor______
Spanish fluently.
a.speak b. speaks
c.are speaking d. have spoken

7. The owner of the house told us that the beautiful furniture on the second and
third floors __from Europe.
a.was sent b. were sent
c.have been sent d. had sent

8. It turned out that the treasure along with the secretary held responsible
for the mismanagement of the funds.
a.was b. were
c.has been d. have been

9. The advertisements on the front part of a newspaper usually the most

expensive.
a.was b . were
c.has been d. have been
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10. The wounded immediately taken to the hospital.

a. serious, was b. serious, were
c. seriously, was d. seriously, were

11. If anyone wants fresh vegetables, must grow .

a. he, it himself b. he, them himself
c. they, it themselves d. they, them themselves

12. “Do you think these employees will be fired?”

“Whether they will be fired or not on the final decision of the
committee.”
a. depend b. depends
c. is depending d. are depending

13. My student is enjoying the book so much that the three hundred pages like
fifty.
a. seem b. seems
c. doesn’t seem d. don’t seem

14. Her attitude towards my efforts to get better grades discouraging.

a. has b. have
c. was d. were

15. Three and a half hours the maximum length of time allowed for the exam.
a. to be b. being
c. are d. is

16. The number of people who applied for the job so far much
higher than we expected.
a. has, is b. have, is
c. has, are d. have, are
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17. There been several attempts to prevent the redundancies, but all
failed.
a. have, have b. has, have
c. have, has d. has, has

18. Reading and writing not difficult subjects for me when I at

university.
a. was, am b. were, was
c. was, was d. were, were

19. The police been criticized about being too harsh during the
demonstration.
a. has b. have
c. to have d. to have had

20. Every one of the passengers asked to show his identity card at customs.
a. are b. were
c. was d. were being

21. The feeling we had while we were watching our sons perform their roles ____
unforgettable.
a. was b. has
c. were d. have

22. A few of this other attributes, and not only his courage, contributed
greatly to his success.
a. has been b. has
c. have been d. have

23. A number of residents who in the area been trying to see the
Mayor for days.
a. lives, have b. lives, has
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c. live, have d. live, has

24. Of all the people I asked the questions to, nobody able to give a
satisfactory answer.
a. were b. was
c. will be d. had

25. Everyone in the surrounding villages asked to part in the search for the
missing child.
a. was b. were
c. been d. to be

26. My eldest brother, like my parents, not approve of my staying out late.
a. have b. has
c. do d. does

27. He mentioned several people, only one of whom I thought suitable

for the job.
a. is b. are
c. was d. were

28. Nearly half of the goods stolen from our store been recovered, but the
rest still lost.
a. has, are b. have, are
c. has, is d. have, is

29. One of them persuaded to contribute to our charity club.

a. was b. were
c. has d. had
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Proofreading for subject-verb agreement errors - sentences

Circle the subjects and underline the verbs. Make an arrow from the verb to its subject.
If the sentence has a subject-verb agreement error, cross out the incorrect verb and write
the correct verb form above it.

1. Calcium, which is one of the world’s most common elements, are important for

growing strong bones and teeth.

2. Every animal requires calcium for its health.

3. Calcium are also used for many other purposes.

4. As far back as Ancient Egyptian times, historians tell us of the use of calcium as a

building material.

5. In nature, this important element is always found as a compound such as calcium

carbonate and calcium fluoride.

6. Lack of calcium can be a serious problem.

7. Calcium-deficient bones is brittle and breaks easily.

8. Older people, especially older women, frequently gets osteoporosis.

9. Osteoporosis are a condition which cause calcium deficiency in bones.

10. In Canada, one in four women over the age of fifty suffer from osteoporosis.

11. A person with osteoporosis can break a bone doing simple daily activities like

walking, hugging or coughing.

12. Each osteoporosis sufferer needs to eat foods high in calcium daily.

13. Milk, tofu and spinach is high in calcium.

14. Regular exercise also help prevent osteoporosis.

15. The other group that need lots of calcium are children who are growing.
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Crime
A What is crime?
A crime is an activity which is against the law. For example, if you steal
someone’s property, you are committing a crime and breaking the law.
Some criminal acts are minor, e.g. you get a fine for illegal parking. For
serious crimes, especially violent crimes, e.g. the act of killing someone, a
1.person
New words
can go to prison for a long time.

steal against the law property break the law killing fine
act commit a crime criminal go to prison minor
1. ………………... against the rules of a country SYN illegal OPP legal
2. ………………... take sth belonging to sb else without permission
3. ………………... sth that you have or own, e.g. a computer, jewelry
4. ………………... do sth wrong or illegal
5. ………………... do sth illegal/against the law
6. ………………... connected with crime
7. ………………... a thing that you do a criminal act
8. ………………... not bad or important. OPP serious
9. ………………... money that you must pay because you have done sth
wrong
10. ………………... an act of killing sb in a way that was planned
11. ………………... go to a place where criminals have to stay after they have
committed a crime also send sb to prison (A person In prison is
a prisoner, syn jell = prison)
2. Cover the glossary. Is the meaning the same or different? Write S or D.
► steal / take something belonging to someone without permission ......S......
1 illegal / against the law ............
2 property / something you own ............
3 the killing of someone / an attack on someone ............
4 a criminal act/a legal act ............
5 commit a crime / break the law ............
6 a minor crime / a serious crime ............
7 prison/jail ............
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3. Complete the sentences.

1. Have you ever ……………….. a crime?

2. There is a lot of ……………….. behavior at night: attacks on people and
cars, for example.
3. In nearly every country, it is not ……………….. to drive on a public road
without a license.
4. Somebody ……………….. my bike and sold it in the market.
5. I heard that ……………….. has been stolen from several other houses in our
street.
6. Some ……………….. escaped from the jail during the fire.
7. The attack on the old man was a very serious ……………….. of violence.
8. I le committed a ……………….. crime, and he’ll probably go to
……………….. for a long time.
9. He parked in the wrong place. It’s only a ………… crime, but it’s still the
law.
10. I’ve never ……………….. the law.
11. Some young men have started carrying knives, and there have been some
terrible ……………….. in recent years.
12. I drove through a NO ENTRY sign and had to pay a ……………….. of £80.
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B Types of crime
burglary theft murder robbery assault attack

Crime Meaning Verb Criminal

taking sth which belongs He steals cars then sells them.
to sb else without
permission
stealing from a person Two men were planning to rob
or place, often using the bank.
violence
entering a building They broke into the house and
illegally and stealing stole some jewelry.
things from it
hurting sb physically He assaulted/attacked a man.
She stabbed the man with a
knife.
killing sb when it is He murdered his neighbor.
planned He shot her dead with his
father’s gun.

SPOTLIGHT steal and rob

You steal money or things, but you rob a person or place.
■ Someone has stolen my bike. ■ I was robbed at the football match.
■ Thieves stole €2,000 from the shop. ■ They robbed the museum last night.

4. Cross out any wrong answers. Be careful: more than one answer may be wrong.
► Rob, thief, attack and steal are all verbs.
1 Theft, murder, robbery and burglary are all ways of getting property.
2 Theft, parking, burglary and assault are all crimes.
3 Shoot, assault, stab and break in are all ways of attacking people physically.
4 Assault, burglary, theft and murder are acts of violence.
5 Murderer, thief, attacker and robbery are all criminals.

5. True or false? Write T or F. Correct the false sentences.

► You can steal property ........T........
1 If you murder somebody, they’re dead. ..................
2 You stab somebody with a gun. ..................
3 A burglar breaks into a home. ..................
4 A criminal is a person ..................
5 You steal a bank. ..................
6 Theft is stealing. ..................
7 You shoot somebody with a knife. ..................
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The justice system

A police investigation
• A crime is reported to the police, usually by the victim.
• The police investigate it. The victim and witnesses tell the police what they know.
• The police look for evidence and take photos where the crime took place.
• If possible, they catch the person responsible for the crime and arrest him/her.
• If they think they have proofed this person committed the crime, they will charge
them.
• This person will then go to court.

1. New words
witness court victim investigate take place
report catch arrest charge responsible

1. ……………. give information about sth that has happened

2. ……………. a person who has been robbed, injured, killed, etc.
3. ……………. try to find out about sth investigation n
4. ……………. a person who sees sth happen, e.g. a crime or an accident
5. ……………. happen
6. ……………. find and hold sb
7. ……………. being the person who made sth happen
8. ……………. When the police arrest sb, they take them to a police station to question
them about a crime.
9. ……………. If the police charge sb, they are saying officially that they believe this
person committed a crime: He was charged with murder.
10. ……………. the place where trials (see part B) happen and crimes are judged

SPOTLIGHT evidence and proof

Evidence [U] can be facts, signs or objects that make you think something is true.
Proof (U) is something that shows that an idea about a crime, an event, etc. is true, prove v.
■ The police collected evidence so they could prove the man was guilty.
1. Answer the questions. Some questions have more than one answer.
► Who is caught? The person that the police believe may be responsible for the crime.
1 Who takes photos? ..........................................................................
2 Who is charged? .............................................................................
3 Who investigates the crime? ...........................................................
4 Who is affected by the crime? ........................................................
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5 Who sees the crime take place? ......................................................

6 Who usually reports the crime? ......................................................
7 Who is arrested? .............................................................................
8 Who goes to court? .........................................................................
2. Circle the correct answer.
When a robbery has ►taken place/reported, someone will (1) investigate/report it to the
police. (2) Victims/Witnesses will then tell the police what happened to them, so that the
police can begin to (3) investigate/charge the crime. They may take photos where the
robbery (4) took place/caught. If possible, they will (5) report/arrest the person who they
think is responsible. If they get enough (6) evidence/victims, they will (7) catch/charge the
person, and he/she will have to go to (8) court/the police station.
3. Complete the sentences.
► A group of young people have been …arrested… for several crimes in the area.
1. I saw the robbery and .............................. it to the police.
2. The police think he committed the crime, but unfortunately, they can’t
........................... it.
3. Two men were .............................. with robbery.
4. The police .............................. the man leaving the shop. He had over £1,000 on
him, so they .............................. him immediately and took him to the police station
for questioning.
5. The police carried out a very detailed ............... to find the people responsible.
6. They are looking for .............................. who saw what happened.
7. One problem is that .............................. often suffer for a long time after a crime has
place.
8. They charged the woman with the crime, and she will appear in ..............................
on Monday.
In court
In Britain, serious crimes such as robbery and murder, are tried in court by a judge and jury.
The purpose of the trial is to examine the evidence and determine whether somebody is
innocent or guilty of the crime that they have been charged with. That is the jury’s decision. If
the person is guilty, the judge will then decide the correct punishment for the crime.

GLOSSARY
try ask sb questions in court to decide if they have done sth
illegal
purpose (of sth) the aim or intention of sth
trial the process in a court of law where a judge, and often a
jury, listens to the evidence and
decides if sb is guilty of a crime or not
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examine look carefully at sth/sb examination n

determine discover the facts about sth
innocent If you are innocent, you haven’t done anything wrong,
opp guilty
punishment what sb must suffer for doing sth wrong, e.g. go to prison
punish v

SPOTLIGHT whether (...or not)

1 We use whether to talk about choosing between two things:
I don’t know whether to go or not.
I don’t know whether to buy that suit or not.
2 Whether can also mean if:
She asked me whether I was Spanish.

5. Put the sentences in the correct order.

a The jury decided that the person was guilty _____
b The police charged this person. _____
c Somebody committed a crime. _____
d The person went to court. _____
e The police arrested somebody. _____
f The jury listened to the evidence. _____
g The police investigated the crime. _____
h The victim reported the crime. _____
I The judge decided on the punishment. _____
6. Complete the sentences.
► The person on trial may be guilty or…..innocent…..
1. I sat in ................................. for three days while a man was being
................................. for the crime.
2. If you are guilty of a crime, the ................................. could be years in prison.
3. The police ................................. all the evidence they had.
4. A ................................. has to tell the court what they saw or know about the crime.
5. We had to decide ................................. to believe the witness or not.
6. The ................................. have to ................................. whether the person is
innocent or ..................................
7. The ................................. of the investigation was to find who was responsible for
the murder.
8. The ................................. lasted for six days, and at the end, the
................................. sent the woman to prison for two years.