Refresher No. 13 on subject-verb agreement; Subject-verb agreement in fractions/percentages

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence.

1. One-half of the contestants (has, have) impressed the audience.
2. One-third of my friend’s property (was, were) donated to the Church.
3. Half of the students (has, have) enough materials for online lessons.
4. Only one-fourth of the food served during the party (was, were) consumed.
5. Only three percent of the voters in our barangay (comes, come) from families with political ambitions.
6. Three-fourths of my short stories published in the Hiligaynon magazine (was, were) written during my teenage years.
7. Eighty percent of the barangay’s recreation center (was, were) funded by barangay officials.
8. Three-fourths of the jackfruit (is, are) rotten.
9. Thirty percent of the students’ projects (is, are) shouldered by the school administration.
10. Half of the candidates for president of the alumni association (holds, hold) prestigious positions in the business sector.
11. Three-fourths of the chocolate cake (is, are) reserved for the kids in the orphanage.
12. Twenty percent of the barangay’s recreation center (was, were) funded by the residents.
13. Two-thirds of the papayas (is, are) still green.
14. Fifty percent of the job (is, are) almost finished.
15. Two-thirds of my aunt’s hair (has, have) turned gray.

ANSWERS

1. have
2. was
3. have
4. was
5. come
6. were
7. was
8. is
9. are
10. hold
11. is
12. was
13. are
14. is
15. has

REMINDERS

• A singular or plural verb may be used for a noun introduced by a fraction or percentage depending on the object (noun) of the “OF phrase.”

USE a singular verb if the object is singular. (See sentences 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, and 15.)

USE a plural verb if the object is plural. (See sentences 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 13.)

• Take note of these classic examples:

Two-thirds of the banana IS rotten.(There’s only one banana.)

Two-thirds of the bananas ARE rotten. (There are many bananas.)*