2 GRAMMAR Collective and uncountable plurals b) Complete the sentences with the correct form and tense of the verbs in brackets.

2 GRAMMAR a) List of words under three headings: - Verb is always singular: physics, news, mathematics (maths) - Verb is always plural: statistics, belongings, cattle, clothes, goods, glasses, jeans, police, scissors, shorts, surroundings - Verb can be singular or plural: class, crowd, family, government, team, the USA b) Complete the sentences: 1. Clementine thinks maths is (be) boring. But she really enjoys computing. 2. I read that the USA has/have (have) a shortage of computer specialists. 3. Her glasses are (not be) strong enough. She can't read the computer screen. 4. Clothes are (be) important to most of her friends, but she is saving for a new laptop. 5. How much do the jeans in the window cost (the jeans in the window/cost), please? 6. I find it hard to believe that politics doesn't interest/don't interest (politics/not interest) you at all. 7. When is/are (be) the news on Channel 4? 8. I'm afraid the scissors don't cut (not cut) paper very well. 9. When I was on holiday, all my belongings were stolen (steal) from my car. 10. The new shorts that I bought don't fit (not fit) very well. I must lose a bit of weight. 11. The government thinks/think (think) that Britain's education problems can be solved with the help of the new law.