Who believes or who believe?
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Harper Davis
Studied at the University of Oxford, Lives in Oxford, UK.
Hello, I'm an expert in linguistics and I can help you with your question regarding the use of "believe" and "believes" in English sentences. The choice between "believe" and "believes" depends on the subject of the sentence and the tense being used.
In English, "believe" is the base form of the verb, and it is used when the subject is plural or when it is in the imperative form. On the other hand, "believes" is the third person singular form of the verb, and it is used when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun in the third person.
Here are some examples to illustrate the correct usage:
1. The team believes they can win the match. (plural subject)
2. She believes in hard work. (singular third person subject)
3. He believes that honesty is the best policy. (singular third person subject)
4. We believe in supporting each other. (plural subject)
5. Believe believes. (imperative form)
When deciding whether to use "believe" or "believes," consider the following:
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must agree with the subject in number. If the subject is singular, use "believes." If the subject is plural, use "believe."
- Tense: The tense of the sentence also plays a role. If the sentence is in the present tense, you would typically use "believes" for third person singular and "believe" for all other subjects. However, if the sentence is in the past or future tense, you would use the past or future form of the verb accordingly.
Now, let's apply this to the examples you provided:
- "The tense is also present, so you should change 'believe' to 'believes'." This statement is correct if the subject is a singular third person noun or pronoun.
- "Similarly, Mary believes that her husband once cheated on her." Here, "believes" is correctly used because "Mary" is a singular third person subject.
- "In your sentence, 'Slaves' is the subject, but it's plural, so you don't have to use 'believes'." This statement is correct. Since "Slaves" is a plural subject, the verb should be in the base form "believe."
In conclusion, the correct usage of "believe" and "believes" depends on the subject of the sentence and the tense. It's important to ensure subject-verb agreement and to consider the tense when choosing the appropriate form of the verb.
Now, let's proceed with the next steps as you requested.
In English, "believe" is the base form of the verb, and it is used when the subject is plural or when it is in the imperative form. On the other hand, "believes" is the third person singular form of the verb, and it is used when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun in the third person.
Here are some examples to illustrate the correct usage:
1. The team believes they can win the match. (plural subject)
2. She believes in hard work. (singular third person subject)
3. He believes that honesty is the best policy. (singular third person subject)
4. We believe in supporting each other. (plural subject)
5. Believe believes. (imperative form)
When deciding whether to use "believe" or "believes," consider the following:
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must agree with the subject in number. If the subject is singular, use "believes." If the subject is plural, use "believe."
- Tense: The tense of the sentence also plays a role. If the sentence is in the present tense, you would typically use "believes" for third person singular and "believe" for all other subjects. However, if the sentence is in the past or future tense, you would use the past or future form of the verb accordingly.
Now, let's apply this to the examples you provided:
- "The tense is also present, so you should change 'believe' to 'believes'." This statement is correct if the subject is a singular third person noun or pronoun.
- "Similarly, Mary believes that her husband once cheated on her." Here, "believes" is correctly used because "Mary" is a singular third person subject.
- "In your sentence, 'Slaves' is the subject, but it's plural, so you don't have to use 'believes'." This statement is correct. Since "Slaves" is a plural subject, the verb should be in the base form "believe."
In conclusion, the correct usage of "believe" and "believes" depends on the subject of the sentence and the tense. It's important to ensure subject-verb agreement and to consider the tense when choosing the appropriate form of the verb.
Now, let's proceed with the next steps as you requested.
2024-05-12 07:40:31
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Helpful(2)
Studied at the University of Toronto, Lives in Toronto, Canada.
The tense is also present, so you should change "believe" to "believes". Similarly, Mary believes that her husband once cheated on her. In your sentence, "Slaves" is the subject, but it's plural, so you don't have to use "believes".
2023-06-18 20:13:01
Lucas Sanchez
QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
The tense is also present, so you should change "believe" to "believes". Similarly, Mary believes that her husband once cheated on her. In your sentence, "Slaves" is the subject, but it's plural, so you don't have to use "believes".
