Common mistake Plural verb after 'this' or 'that'

Common Mistake: Plural Verb after 'This' or 'That'

One common mistake in English grammar is using a plural verb after the demonstrative pronouns 'this' or 'that'. This error often occurs when writers don't properly match the verb with its subject.

Understanding Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns, such as 'this' and 'that', are used to point out or identify specific people, objects, or ideas in a sentence. They can be used to refer to something nearby (this) or something farther away (that).

For example:

This book is very interesting. (referring to a book nearby)
That car over there is mine. (referring to a car farther away)

Subject-Verb Agreement

In English, a verb must agree with its subject in terms of number (singular or plural). When the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, and when the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.

For example:

The dog is barking. (singular subject and verb)
The dogs are barking. (plural subject and verb)

Mistake: Plural Verb after 'This' or 'That'

Using a plural verb after 'this' or 'that' is incorrect. When 'this' or 'that' is used as a pronoun, it is considered singular, so the verb should also be singular.

Incorrect example:

This dogs are barking.
That cars are expensive.

Corrected examples:

This dog is barking.
That car is expensive.

Using Linguix Grammar Checker

Linguix Grammar Checker is a powerful tool that can help you avoid common grammar mistakes, including the error of using a plural verb after 'this' or 'that'. It provides real-time suggestions and corrections to ensure your writing is grammatically correct and error-free.

Plural verb after 'this' or 'that' mistake examples

Incorrect:
This are the options.

Correct:
These are|This is|This was the options.
Incorrect:
This two are the options.

Correct:
These two are|This two is|This two was the options.
Incorrect:
I wish all this were a little simpler to set up!

Correct:
I wish all these were|this is|this was a little simpler to set up!
Incorrect:
This are my notes.

Correct:
These are|This is|This was my notes.
Incorrect:
This were the days…

Correct:
These were|This is|This was the days…
Correct:
Would be great if this were true.
Correct:
The last 2 times I’ve had to do this were successful, so here’s how I did it.
Correct:
Again, people who did this were people who found that the more general solutions.
Correct:
Is this were Carl comes into it?

Incorrect:
You know this sheep eat grass, don't you?

Correct:
You know this sheep eats grass, don't you?
Incorrect:
This write have many defects; he is careless, slow, and lazy.

Correct:
This writes have many defects; he is careless, slow, and lazy.
Incorrect:
Sometimes the garment codes do not agree, but if this agree button the garments carefully.

Correct:
Sometimes the garment codes do not agrees, but if this agrees button the garments carefully.
Incorrect:
... but if this agree button on your buttons carefully.

Correct:
... but if this agrees button on your buttons carefully.
Incorrect:
The city is popular, and this marketing are bad for you.

Correct:
The city is popular, and this marketing is bad for you.
Incorrect:
due to the fact that this counterparty do not pass the CFTC test

Correct:
due to the fact that this counterparty does not pass the CFTC test
Incorrect:
everyone is out for blood and looking to end a company that still represent the same work it did before

Correct:
everyone is out for blood and looking to end a company that still represents the same work it did before
Correct:
Certain frogs that lay eggs underground have unpigmented eggs.
Correct:
... blocs; other organisational tactics pioneered in this time include security culture, affinity groups and the use of ...
Correct:
Anything that can be misunderstood will be.
Correct:
...t is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his field, and how to avoid them.
Correct:
...mptoms that are independent of the diagnosis, but that can affect the individual or the family.
Correct:
The rooms in this hotel are really very bad at muffling sounds. I can hear my...
Correct:
...us quality or status: A-, A or A+, the best grade that can be assigned by teachers for students' schoolwork; A ...
Correct:
In this temple are also deposited a great many holy gifts, craters, ...
Correct:
Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private deals fo...
Correct:
Why did this have to happen ...
Correct:
Fred and this customer have had a falling out and the customer has decided to unwind his position and take his business elsewhere.
Correct:
Why didn't this happen earlier?
Correct:
I tried calling you this am but your phone rolled to someone else's voicemail.
Correct:
Reading this how do you feel?
Correct:
This week do you want to finish the task finally?
Correct:
This reopen request has been marked as invalid.
Correct:
These are very aggressive markets given the liquidity issues and regulatory uncertainty that still exist in the Eastern Interconnect.
Correct:
A similar situation arose from the French revolution, which caused fractures in France that still exist.
Correct:
This accept button is too large.
Correct:
Those that struggle are often ...
Correct:
This error and this fail are the reason.
Correct:
Not only does this create seperational cases, ...
Correct:
Research has found that people are more altruistic to kin than to no-kin, to friends...
Correct:
Research has found that people are most likely to help if they recognize that a pers...
Correct:
...hical concepts to be presented in a concrete form that can be easily grasped, thereby fulfilling a need of huma...
Correct:
Reasons for this include Morocco's disputed claim to portions of western A...
Correct:
...icant success, is a chronicle of the difficulties that can meet the urban youth.
Correct:
This does give her the satisfaction she desires and she continue...
Correct:
...n-eating amoeba") is a fresh-water-native species that can be fatal to humans if introduced through the nose.
Correct:
...merican Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII, ;) is a character-encoding scheme originall...
Correct:
... similar to the related puppet animation (below), that can be manipulated to pose the figures.
Correct:
...nal digital skeletal structure called an armature that can be used to control the mesh with weights.
Correct:
...nto Apollo the highest degree of power and beauty that can be imagined.
Correct:
...s and movable eyelids, and most species have ears that can detect airborne or ground vibrations.
Correct:
...t also has a pair of short tentacles near the eye that can be extended and which have tactile and olfactory fun...
Correct:
...The short 100-day growing season limits the crops that can be grown, but the long sunny summer days make for pr...
Correct:
...undup Ready seeds allow the farmer to grow a crop that can be sprayed with glyphosate to control weeds without ...
Correct:
There is no limit to the number of carbon atoms that can be linked together, the only limitation being that t...
Correct:
Wheelchairs are a prosthetic devices that can be manually propelled or electrically propelled and ...
Correct:
Other medical devices and aids that can be considered prosthetics include hearing aids, arti...
Correct:
...stics and performance of products are consistent, that people use the same definitions and terms, and that products...
Correct:
...n anatomy being the study of anatomical landmarks that can be readily seen from the contours or the surface of ...
Correct:
...s the beams creates an even load-bearing pressure that can last for many years depending on attrition.
Correct:
This helps explain why the Articles of Confederation needed reforms....
Correct:
...nergy, and desire; it is the closest word we have that can signify both the real essence of all external things and ...
Correct:
Many regions in this country have high incidence rates of tuberculosis and high HIV...
Correct:
...nd both the public and separate school systems in that city are counted in the above numbers: both of them operat...
Correct:
Another interesting source of energy is the heat that can be recovered from radioactive waste material.
Correct:
...ced by the ruling party in its reporting, whether that party be left or right wing.
Correct:
Bob is the only student that can speak Spanish in our class.
Correct:
... armed forces embrace several military sub-groups that can be involved in state defense when needed.
Correct:
Setting circles are angular measurement scales that can be placed on the two main rotation axes of some tele...
Correct:
...f aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others".
Correct:
...evel of creative expertise by the artist, whether this be a demonstration of technical ability, an original...
Correct:
Pan is a monkey that can spread butter on bread.
Correct:
...an be considered to be any sequence of operations that can be simulated by a Turing-complete system.
Correct:
Authors who assert this thesis include Minsky (1967), Savage (and Gurevich (2000):...
Correct:
...rily intended for expressing algorithms in a form that can be executed by a computer, but are often used as a w...
Correct:
...ut I suppose that it could do very completely all that can be rationally expected of any logical machine".
Correct:
...rmal definition: "...any sequence of instructions that can be obeyed by a robot, is called an algorithm" (p. 4)...
Correct:
...is called alta ligeantia, and those that owe this are called subditus natus;
Correct:
Did this backpack belong to him?
Correct:
How many subscribers does this magazine have?
Correct:
Who does this suitcase belong to?
Correct:
Is this fish still alive?
Correct:
What could be done to help this species thrive?
Correct:
Will this dictionary do?
Correct:
Might that test suffice for now?
Correct:
You really hate this don't you?
Correct:
You know that sheep eat grass, don't you?
Correct:
Not many people know that carp eat tadpoles.
Correct:
This Sunday let's go for a drive and see where we end up.
Correct:
Living costs this month are lower than those of last month are.
Correct:
Don't let this discourage you from trying it again.
Correct:
I can't afford a new car, so I'll have to make this one do.
Correct:
Does this extend to the test?
Correct:
What does all this add up to?
Correct:
"Will this do now?", she asked.
Correct:
This error and this fail are the reason...
Correct:
I don't see this happen anymore.
Correct:
... but would this happen if the ...
Correct:
... but letting this occur was not my intention.
Correct:
... by making this disambiguate correctly.
Correct:
Doesn't this belong to the new repository?
Correct:
Shouldn't this belong to the new repository?
Correct:
Won't this prevent errors?
Correct:
Any suggestions on how I can achieve this are most appreciated.
Correct:
I’ve had this happen twice now.
Correct:
You can then use this tamper alert to set off the alarm using SHM.
Correct:
Has anyone had this happen?
Correct:
I had this happen to me for one of the older on/off versions.
Correct:
... but having this occur three times now makes me angry.
Correct:
Now they remove this agree button on this website.
Correct:
It happens when you hit that last submit button.
Correct:
Hosts using that package don't block all traffic.
Correct:
Hosts using that package do not block all traffic.
Correct:
People evaluating this test don't always find all the errors.
Correct:
I think this test don't always work.
Correct:
To do this please click on any of the following URLs.
Correct:
Michelle, can you attend this please.
Correct:
Let's schedule this please.
Correct:
Mark and Jim, As you analyze this please take into consideration any insurance requirements of the AEL.
Correct:
If you have any reservation about me forwarding this please let me know.
Correct:
This boy and this girl are very clean.
Correct:
... and security dollars, and that if Obey is unsuccessful in committee, he will that will be off the table.
Correct:
The question is how much damage does this do externally.
Correct:
We sell houses that all look the same.
Correct:
Because of the lack of notice, the six days of rolling blackouts so far this year have led to pileups at intersections suddenly left without stoplights, people trapped in elevators, and losses caused by stopped production lines.

Incorrect:
This girl have beautiful eyes.

Correct:
This girl has|These girls have|This girl had beautiful eyes.
Correct:
Southwest Prices in the San Juan Basin this summer have been left behind by rising California demand.
Correct:
This is not functionality that we have built in or at this point have plans of adding.
Correct:
The demons who started this have no idea about the kind of people they have taken on.
Correct:
Fred and this customer have had a falling out.

Incorrect:
That guy have lots of problems.

Correct:
That guy has|Those guys have|That guy had lots of problems.
Correct:
Studies have shown that lobbyists have become less influential in state politics.
Correct:
Costs about $100, items that fail have to be repaired to pass but reinspection is free.
Correct:
Cats of that breed have no tail.
Correct:
For those of you that have not signed up, please join us for the Walk.
Correct:
I would recommend that Netco anoint a Primary Point of Contact with each Pool and Transmission Provider and that person have the resources.
Correct:
I don't think I see that gem have an impact in even 10% of my games.

Incorrect:
Studies have shown that lobbyist have become less influential in state politics.

Correct:
Studies have shown that lobbyist has|lobbyists have become less influential in state politics.
Correct:
I see that problem have not been resolved.
Correct:
I'm replacing some of my existing z-wave switches with newer ones and want to put the old ones elsewhere in the house that still have regular switches.
Correct:
Since it is difficult to distinguish the symptoms of anthrax from the flu, the CDC has recommended that everyone have a flu shot.
Correct:
Olson continued that in a postmodern age that continually attempted to demand that poetry have social reference, none could be found in Thomas's work.
Correct:
There are a couple midsize suv's that now have a third seat (although the seat it is closer to the ground).
Correct:
While it is important that everyone have fun, it is more important that we are a seen as a professional organization.
Correct:
There will not be much time to have long conversations, but it is very important that everyone have the same understanding what the numbers mean.

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Related mistakes from category Grammar

Use the base form or the past tense with a plural noun hundreds of thousand (thousands of) users anymore (any more) ve didn't several other (others) good (well) according to knot (not) worse come to worse (worst) prostrate (prostate)

Common mistake Plural verb after 'this' or 'that'