SUBJECT - VERB AGREEMENT

In last week's essay, most of you made the same mistake when using  a verb after the word news. Remember not all words ending in "-S" are plural in English and uncountable nouns require a singular verb. 

We use the uncountable noun news to mean ‘information or reports about recent events’. It takes a singular verb:

The news is good about Mary. The doctors are very happy about her progress.

Not: The news are good about Mary.

Do you have any news of your sister? How is she these days?

I’ve got some news for you – I’m getting married!

Not: I’ve got a news for you …

If we want to talk about news as an individual thing, we can use bit of, piece of or item of (more formal):

I heard a couple of interesting pieces of news the other day about the company’s plans for expansion.

An item of news caught her eye in the newspaper. It was about a child who was missing.

We say the news when we refer to the television or radio programme that gives reports of recent events:

I always watch the news on CNN before I go to bed.

 If you want some practice on this, check the following links with grammar explanations and exercises.

Subject- verb agreement 1

Subject- verb agreement 2