VERBS

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

The following sentence is incorrect:

He who has suffered most in the cause, let him speak.

Recast as shown below:

Let him who has suffered most in the cause speak.

[Or] He who has suffered most in the cause should speak.

164. A verb should agree with its subject, and not with the complement ; as,

What is wanted is (not are) not large houses with modern conveniences, but small cottages.

The details are a matter for future consideration.

Our followers are but a handful.

165. In a compound sentence a single verb can be made to do duty for two subjects, only

when the form of the verb is such as to permit of it; as,

Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note [was heard].

But the following sentence is incorrect, because the subjects are not in the same number:

His diet was abstemious, his prayers long and fervent.

We should rewrite it as follows:

His diet was abstemious, his prayers were long and fervent.

[In a sentence like this, Mr. Fowler regards the ellipsis as permissible.]

166. Two auxiliaries can be used with one principal verb, only when the form of the

principal verb is appropriate to both the auxiliaries; as,

I never have hurt anybody, and never will.

No state can or will adopt this drastic measure.

But the following sentence is incorrect:

He never has, and never will, take such strong measures.

Rewrite it as follows:

He never has taken, and never will take, such strong measures.

167. When there is only one auxiliary to two principal verbs, it should be such that it may

be correctly associated with both; as,

Ten rioters have been sentenced, and five acquitted. But the following sentence is incorrect:

Ten new members have been enrolled, and seven resigned.

Rewrite it as follows :

Ten new members have been enrolled and seven have resigned.

168. Carefully distinguish between the verbs lay and lie. The verb lay is transitive and is

always followed by an object; the verb lie is intransitive and cannot have an object.

Lay, laid, laid.

Lay the child down to sleep.

I laid the book on the table.

The hen has laid an egg.

Lie, lay, lain Let me lie here.

He lay under that pipal-tree.

169. An Infinitive should be in the present tense unless it represents action prior to that of

the governing verb; as,

I should have liked to go (not to have gone).

But we correctly say :-

He seems to have enjoyed his stay at Mahabaleshwar.

170. A common blunder is to leave the Participle without proper agreement or with no

agreement at all ; as,

Sitting on the gate, a scorpion stung him.

Here the word "scorpion" to which the participle "sitting" refers grammatically is not that

with which it is meant to be connected in sense ; in other words, the Participle is left

without proper agreement.

We should therefore recast it as shown below :-

Sitting on the gate, he was stung by a scorpion.

[Or] While he was sitting on the gate, a scorpion stung him.

Now read the following sentence where the Participle is left with no agreement at all:

Being a very hot day, I remained in my tent.

Here the sentence contains no word to which the Participle can possibly refer. We should

therefore write :-

As it was a very hot day, I remained in my tent.

171. Usage, however, permits in certain cases constructions like the following:-

Considering his abilities, he should have done better.

Roughly speaking, the distance from here to the nearest railway station is two miles.

Taking everything into consideration, his lot is a happy one.

It will be noticed that in each sentence the unexpressed subject is indefinite. Thus:-

Taking everything into consideration if one should take everything into consideration.

172. A present participle should not be used to express an action which is not

contemporaneous with the action of the principal verb.

The following sentence is therefore .incorrect;

He sailed for New York on Monday, arriving there on Saturday.

Rewrite it as follows:-

He sailed for New York on Monday, and arrived there on Saturday.

173. 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.

Though the war is over, there is much discontent.

If he was there, he must have heard the talk.

But the Subjunctive is correctly used in the following sentences:-

Mere supposition -- If I were you [but I am not ], I should agree.

If he were here, he would support me.

Though he were the Prime Minister, I would say the same.

174. The verb make is followed by noun/pronoun + plain infinitive (= infinitive without

to). Many students wrongly use it with the to infinitive.

She made the boy do the whole work, (not: to do the whole work.)

175. When used in the passive, make is followed by the to-infinitive:

The boy was made to do the whole work,

176. The following verbs are often wrongly used with the to infinitive: enjoy, avoid,

miss, postpone, suggest. They should be used with the gerund.

• He enjoys swimming, (not: to swim)

• She avoids meeting people, (not: to avoid)

• We missed seeing the Prime Minister, (not: to see)

Note the following:-

1. Wrong: -- Suresh told to me about it.

Right: -- Suresh told me about it.

The verb tell is followed by an indirect object (me, him, her, etc.) without to.

2. Wrong: -- She told (that) she wouldn't come.

Right: -- She told me (that) she wouldn't come./She said she wouldn't come.

When used with a that-clause, tell takes an indirect object, while say does not.

3. Wrong: -- I want that you should meet him.

Right: -- I want you to meet him.

The verb want should not be used with a that-clause. It is used with the to-infinitive.

4. Wrong: -- I suggest you to apply for the post.

Right: -- I suggest that you (should) apply for the post.

The verb suggest should be used with a that-clause. It cannot be used with the to infinitive.

177. The verbs discuss, describe, order and request are transitive verbs. Students often

wrongly use these verbs with a preposition.

Wrong: -- We discussed about the matter yesterday.

Right: -- We discussed the matter yesterday.

Wrong: -- He described about the scenery.

Right: -- He described the scenery.

Wrong: -- I have ordered for three cups of coffee.

Right: -- I have ordered three cups of coffee.

Wrong: -- She requested for my help.

Right: -- She requested my help.