"Of what profit is his prayers, while his practices are the
abomination of the neighborhood?" Prayers being plural, the verb
should be are.
"What avails good sentiments with a bad life?" Use avail.
Subject after the Verb
"In virtue and piety consist the happiness of man." Happiness, the
subject, being singular, the verb should be consists, to agree with
its nominative.
"To these recommendations were appended a copy of the minority
report." A transposition of the sentence will show that the verb
should be was, and not were. "A copy of the minority report was
appended to these recommendations."
Whenever the sentence is introduced by a phrase consisting in part of
a noun in the plural, or several nouns in the singular or plural, and,
especially, where the subject follows the verb; care must be taken to
keep the nominative well in mind, so that the verb may be in strict
accord with it.
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Compound Subjects
When a verb has two or more nominatives it must be plural. These
nominatives may or may not be connected by and or other connecting
particle.
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