Download Subject-verb agreement - Hatboro

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Katherine Villarreal
Subject-Verb
Agreement
◦ Subject-verb agreement: simply means the subject and the
verb must agree in number. This means both need to be
singular or both need to be plural.
For example:
Verb - singular
- One dog is sitting on the grass.
Subject - singular
Verb – plural
- Two dog are sitting on the grass.
Subject - plural
Rules:
◦ 1. The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular
verbs.
◦ Ex. Neither of them is available to speak right now.
◦ 2. When the pronouns neither and either are joined by or or nor the
verb agrees with the nearer subject.
◦ Ex. Either his friends or Matt is coming.
◦ Matt is singular, therefore, the verb is singular.
◦ Ex, Either Matt or his friends are coming.
◦ Friends is plural, therefore, the verb is plural.
◦ 3. The pronouns each, nobody, everyone, everybody, anyone,
anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular
verbs.
◦ Ex. Each of the girls sings well.
◦ 4. Two or more subjects may seem singular (i.e. several, few, many, most
both…).
◦ Ex. Most are here already.
◦ 5. Some nouns that end in s are singular in meaning and require a singular
verb. Other nouns that end in s are singular in meaning but require a
plural verb.
◦ Ex. The scissors are sharp.
◦ Scissors are a plural noun, therefore, the verb is plural
◦ Ex. Physics is complicated.
◦ Physics is a singular noun, therefore, the verb is singular.
◦ 6. A collective noun takes a singular verb if the idea expressed by the
subject is thought of as a unit; it takes a plural verb when the idea refers
to separate individuals.
◦ Ex. The class has prepared a program.
◦ Meaning to say that the whole class prepared the program.
◦ Ex. The class have given different suggestions.
◦ Meaning that the class is not taken as a whole but it refers to the members of the class, separately
or individually.
Practice:
1. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
2. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
5. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
Answer Key
1. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
2. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
5. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
Pronoun-Antecedent
Agreement
◦ Pronoun-antecedent agreement: an antecedent is a word
for which a pronoun stands. The pronoun must agree with its
antecedent in number.
For example:
Antecedent
- He
made
singular
masculine
Pronoun
his
presentation.
Rules:
◦ 1. Use a plural antecedent to refer to two or more antecedents
joined by and.
◦ Ex. John and Dan went to the playground so that they could practice shooting
baskets.
◦ 2. Two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor are referred
to by a singular pronoun. Two or more plural antecedents joined by
or or nor are referred to by a plural a pronoun.
◦ Ex. Kevin or Sean will take his physics test.
◦ Kevin and Sean are singular antecedents, therefore, the pronoun is singular.
◦ Ex. Either the students or the teachers liked to have their spring break shortened.
◦ Students and teachers are plural antecedents, therefore, the pronoun is plural.
◦ 3. If two antecedents are joined by either/or, neither/nor, the
pronoun agrees with the antecedent closest to it.
◦ Ex. Either Michael or his friends will bring their videogames to the party.
◦ Friends is a plural antecedent, therefore, the pronoun is plural.
◦ Ex. Either his friends or Michael will bring his videogames to the party.
◦ Michael is a singular antecedent, therefore, the pronoun is singular.
◦ 4. Use a singular pronoun when a collective noun refers to a group
as a single unit. Use a plural pronoun when the collective noun refers
to a group's members as individuals.
◦ Ex. The class decided it wanted to do the project.
◦ The class is a single unit making the antecedent singular, therefore, the pronoun is
singular.
◦ Ex. The class stayed in their desks.
◦ The class refers to the individual members of the group, making the antecedent plural.
Therefore the pronoun is plural.
◦ 5. When using indefinite pronouns, such as everybody, none,
nobody, someone, as antecedents. Use singular pronouns.
◦ Ex. Each of the dogs needs its own crate.
◦ 6. The relative pronouns who, whom, which, and that with the
appropriate antecedents.
◦ Who refers to people and animals that have names
◦ Ex. He is the one who committed the crime.
◦ Which refers to animals and things.
◦ The biology book, which is on the table, was helpful.
◦ That refers to animals, things and sometimes to people.
◦ The house that is on the right is being demolished.
Practice:
1. Several other classmates have also chosen (their, his/her) topic.
2. Each of the boys refused help saying that (they, he) would proofread the report on
(their, his) own.
3. Either Maggie or Sadie offered (their, her) help with proofreading.
4. Neither Dennis nor Martin should forget to include personal stories about (his, their)
subject.
5. The committee members put (its, their) signatures on the document.
Answer Key
1. Several other classmates have also chosen (their, his/her) topic.
2. Each of the boys refused help saying that (they, he) would proofread the report on
(their, his) own.
3. Either Maggie or Sadie offered (their, her) help with proofreading.
4. Neither Dennis nor Martin should forget to include personal stories about (his, their)
subject.
5. The committee members put (its, their) signatures on the document.