[Grammar] May I ask what is the principle that I'm poor at please?

[Gerald Ong]

Hi everyone! Thank you for visiting my thread, I'm a Singaporean currently waiting for my university to start. In the meantime I've decided to start a website but I realised I've a lot of grammar problems throughout my site and when I searched for answers, I couldn't find one because I don't know what term to search for.

If it's possible, could you help me identify what's the principle or rule that I'm constantly struggling with please? Here are the two sentences

1) At BG Academy, our trainees are always at the top of our mind (is it mind or minds? the full context can be found at here

2) That the girls and the boys sometimes read quietly always seems strange. (Why is it read and not reads & why is it seems not seem?)

Any help would be most appreciated. I thank you for reading my question and Happy new year everybody!
- Gerald Ong

 

[teechar]

Hi everyone! Thank you for [STRIKE]visiting[/STRIKE] reading my thread. I'm a Singaporean, currently waiting for my university to start. In the meantime, I've decided to start a website, but I realised [STRIKE]I've[/STRIKE] I have a lot of grammar problems throughout my site, and when I searched for answers, I couldn't find [STRIKE]one[/STRIKE] any because I don't know what term to search for.

If it's possible, could you help me identify what the principle or rule that I'm constantly struggling with is, please? Here are the two sentences:

1) At BG Academy, our trainees are always [STRIKE]at the[/STRIKE] our top priority. [STRIKE]of our mind (is it mind or minds? the full context can be found at here[/STRIKE]

Now, that sentence sounds natural.

2) That the girls and the boys sometimes read quietly always seems strange.
Why is it "read" and not "reads", and why is it "seems" not "seem?"

"Read" is correct because the subject (the girls and the boys) is plural.
"Seems" is correct because it refers to a situation. It seems always seems strange.

Any help would be most appreciated. I thank you for reading my question, and Happy New Year everybody!
- Gerald Ong

You're welcome, and Happy New Year to you too, Gerald. :rainbowa:

 

[tedmc]

I think the topic of grammar(principle, as he puts it) that Gerald is looking for is "subject-verb agreement".
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp

 

[Tdol]

Number agreement is one of the most complex things in English for me.

 

[Tarheel]

I have a question, Gerald Ong. Why do you call them "trainees" and not "students"?