Download 1. Subject—Verb Agreement in Number

1. Subject—Verb Agreement in Number
A verb must agree with its subject in number. Number refers to whether a word is singular or plural.
A singular subject takes a singular verb (ends in “s)
Example: This store sells clothes for young people. (singular subject and verb)
A plural subject takes a plural verb (does NOT end in “s”)
Example: These stores sell a wide range of products. (plural subject and verb)
In a sentence with a verb phrase, the first helping verb agrees with the subject.
Example: Lately this store has been selling more videotapes than books.
Example: Lately these stores have been selling more videotapes than books.
Instructions: In each sentence, underline the subject and circle the verb. On the line following the
sentence, write C if correct; otherwise fix the sentence by changing the verb to agree with the subject.
1. My favorite bakery sell twelve different kinds of bagels.
______
2. Brad spends hours at basketball practice.
______
3. In weightlifting contests, competitors lifts heavy barbells.
______
4. LaShauna enjoy her volunteer work with the Special Olympics.
______
5. Often political parties hold rallies for their candidates.
______
6. Tree trunks grow wider each year.
______
7. Herpetologists studies reptiles and amphibians.
______
8. During the holidays, the school choir perform at the local nursing home.
______
9. The Weimaraner, a silver-grey hunting dog, is also known as “the Forester’s dog.”
______
10. Veggie pizzas offers a wide choice of toppings.
______
Instructions: In each sentence, underline the verb that agrees with the subject.
1. Both countries (produces, produce) a surplus of meat and dairy products.
2. Sarah (commutes, commute) to her suburban school from the city center.
3. An elephant’s skin (weighs, weigh) over a ton.
4. Your friends (holds, hold) after school jobs.
5. They (was, were) members of the winning team.
6. Virginia Woolf (is, are) the author of To the Lighthouse.
7. The Volta River (meets, meet) the sea on the south coast of Ghana.
8. Adult giraffes (grows, grow) to be about eighteen feet tall.
9. The president (appoints, appoint) justices to the Supreme Court.
10. Grunions (is, are) small, silvery fish that live along the coast of California.
Name_____________________Hr____
2. Subject—Verb Agreement with Subjects Followed by a Phrase
The number of a subject is not usually changed by a prepositional phrase following the subject.
Sentences like the following sometimes cause an error in agreement because the speaker carelessly
makes the verb agree with a word in the phrase instead of with the subject of the verb.
Examples:
One of the children was absent. (One was, not children were)
This book of short stories is interesting. (book is, not stories are)
Mr. Auburn, with his sons has gone shopping. Mr. Auburn has gone with his sons. not
sons have gone)
Members of the council enjoy special privileges. (Members enjoy, not council enjoys)
Instructions: Select the correct verb to agree with the subject.
1. Cosmic rays in this room (is, are) striking us right now.
2. The cause of her troubles (was, were) apparent.
3. The fibers of the wood (is, are) then crushed.
4. The length of these boats (are, is) twenty feet.
5. (Is, Are) one of these notebooks yours?
6. Merchandise on the lower shelves (was, were) damaged by flood water.
7. Not one of the bills (was, were) counterfeit.
8. Both sentences in the paragraph (says, say) the same thing.
9. A few members of the band (was, were) not in uniform.
10. Only one of us (have, has) a catcher’s mitt.
11. Cora, along with the other freshmen, (take, takes) gym three times a week.
12. Some members of the team (has, have) played professionally.
13. Some kinds of shellfish (tastes, taste) delicious.
14. Frank, as well as the other students, (enjoy, enjoys) this kind of work.
15. Traffic on the parkways (seem, seems) heavy today.
16. Empty seats on the bus (is, are) rare.
17. The works of this writer (has, have) always been popular.
18. One of those days (was, were) rainy.
3. Subject—Verb Agreement with Subjects Followed by a Phrase
Instructions: Select the correct verb to agree with the subject.
1. Twenty members of the marching band (has, have) arrived for practice.
2. The students, along with their art teacher, (is, are) going to the exhibition.
3. Jennifer, as well as many other tourists, (waits, wait) to kiss the Blarney Stone.
4. Peter Pan, one of Jarnes Barrie’s characters, (runs, run) away from Neverland.
5. The sale of compact discs (has, have) risen at this store in the past year.
6. The decisions of the judge (comes, come) as no surprise.
7. Dark nimbus clouds in the summer sky often (foretells, foretell) a thunderstorm.
8. Insects in North America (includes, include) more than 100,000 species.
9. Stiletto-like mouthparts of the female mosquito (pierces, pierce) the victim’s skin.
10. The millipede, or “insect with a thousand legs,” actually (moves, move) on fewer than a hundred.
11. Wasps from the underground nest (is, are) swarming around the grill.
12. Worker fire ants (attacks, attack) poultry.
13. Caves around the world (holds, hold) many insects.
14. Borers, such as the carpenter ant, (causes, cause) great damage to wooden structures.
15. Insects of all types (outnumbers, outnumber) all other animals combined.
16. A Goliath beetle, one of the largest insects, (grows, grow) to four inches in length.
17. The lifespan of most insects (is, are) about a year.
Instructions: Locate the subject and verb of each numbered sentence. Underline them appropriately. If
there is an agreement error, write the subject and the correct form of the verb on the lines below. If the
subject and verb agree, write Correct.
(1) The term insect community, insects living together each with a defined job, usually signify ants
and bees to most people. Termites form another such group. (2) Members with different jobs, such as
royals, workers, and soldiers, works together for a smoothly-running society. (3) Workers, the greatest
number in the community, do all the labor. Soldiers defend the group, and royals reproduce to keep it
growing. (4) The nest of millions of termites consist of individual chambers, sometimes reaching mounds
20 feet high. (5) Raw materials, such as wood, is used to form the nest. Termites are found around the
world. (6) Warmer regions in Africa and South America contains the largest communities.
1. ____________ 2. ___________ 3. ____________ 4. ____________ 5. ___________ 6. ___________
4. Subject—Verb Agreement Indefinite Pronouns
A pronoun that does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing is called an indefinite pronoun. The
indefinite pronouns listed below are singular.
1. Singular indefinite pronouns
anybody
each
anyone
either
anything
neither
one
everybody
everyone
everything
nobody
no one
2. Plural indefinite pronouns
both
few
many
several
nothing
somebody
someone
something
When a singular indefinite pronoun is the subject of a sentence, it takes a singular verb.
 Either of the designs is suitable for the poster.
When a plural indefinite pronoun is the subject of a sentence, it takes a plural verb.
 Several of the clubs are entering the contest.
3. Singular or Plural indefinite pronouns
all
any
most
none
some
These indefinite pronouns are singular when they refer to a singular word and plural when they refer
to a plural word.
 SINGULAR: None of the roof was blown off in the storm. [None refers to the singular noun
roof.]
 PLURAL: None of the roof’s shingles were blown off in the storm. [None refers to the plural
noun shingles.]
Instructions: Identify the verb that agrees with its subject in each sentence.
Example: Everyone (has, have) already left for the conference.
1. All of these old letters (was, were) tied with ribbon and stored in the attic.
2. Each of them (is, are) penned in bold, flowing handwriting, and embellished with many flourishes.
3. None of the message (is, are) readable.
4. Both (thinks, think) that the former owner of the house put the letters in the attic.
5. Neither of the crops (is, are) grown on this farm anymore.
6. Each of them (is, are) expected to bring back a report on the speeches.
7. Neither (are, is) going to enter the mixed doubles tennis tournament.
8. Anyone who disagreed with the court’s ruling (were, was) allowed to state his or her reason.
9. (Have, Has) neither of you ever tasted fried plantains?
10. Some of that music (is, are) not suitable for this program.
5. Subject—Verb Agreement Indefinite Pronouns
A. Identifying Indefinite Pronouns
Instructions: In each sentence, identify the subjects as well as the verbs. Correct the verbs
where necessary; write “C” on the line for any correct sentences.
Example:
None of the trees are tall.
None of the scenery is familiar.
Plural
Singular
1. Each of the Kenyan guides have been extremely helpful during the safari.
__________
2. Some of the tour buses visit Ottawa, Canada’s capital.
__________
3. All of Greek culture’s beauty are embodied in the elegant Parthenon.
__________
4. Several of the statistics about Mount Fuji is fascinating.
__________
5. In Moscow, most of the tourists recognize the domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral.
__________
B. Making Indefinite Pronouns and Verbs Agree
Instructions: In each sentence, identify the indefinite pronoun used as the subject. Then identify
the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the subject.
Example: Some of the skiers (prefers, prefer) this trail.
1. Few of the world’s ports (are, is) as busy as the harbors of Singapore.
2. All of the Amazon rainforest (are, is) as busy as the harbors of Singapore.
3. Any of the visitors (recognize, recognizes) the 1,500-mile-long Great Wall of China.
4. Everyone (has, have) seen photos of the Great Sphinx.
5. Some of the glory of ancient Rome (are, is) still visible in the massive ruins.
6. Among the people on our tour, nobody (reports, report) anything lost or stolen.
7. Most of Saudi Arabia (consists, consist) of dry, barren land.
8. Unlike the planets, few of the planetary satellites (has, have) an atmosphere.
9. No one (sees, see) the Austrian Alps without being impressed by their beauty.
10. Some of the animal life we studied (lives, live) on land.
11. (Does, Do) any of the crew members have experience sailing in tropical storms.
12. Saved from developers, most of the marshland area (is, are) a wild preserve.
13. Many of the towns and villages in Alaska (has, have) airstrips for small planes.
14. None of the water in the neighboring towns (was, were) drinkable.
15. Each of the ducks (is, are) being tagged to trace its migration pattern.
16. Most of the jewelry diamonds (comes, come) from South Africa.
17. Neither of these jackets (fits, fit) me.
18. All of the dolls in period costumes (belongs, belong) on the second shelf.
19. None of the tomatoes (is, are) ripe yet.
20. At the sound of our footsteps, some of the squirrels (climbs, climb) the tree.
6. Subject—Verb Agreement Compound Subjects

A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb. A compound subject
joined by and usually takes a plural verb. Example: Blue and orange are my school colors.
o
However, some compound subjects joined by and name only one person or
thing. Such compound subjects take singular verbs. Example: Peanut butter and
chopped dates is my favorite sandwich filling.

Two singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb. Example: Neither Marco nor
Raymond has ever seen an opera.

When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the
subject that is nearer to the verb. Example: Neither wind nor storms scare me. Neither
storms nor wind scares me.
Instructions: Identify the verb that agrees with its subject in the following sentences.
1. Neither my brother nor I (has, have) a car.
2. Marion and she (is, are) the dance champions.
3. Our relatives and theirs (is, are) having a barbecue together.
4. Both Michael Chang and Zina Garrison-Jackson (plays, play) a good game of tennis.
5. Either the director or the actors (is, are) going to have to compromise.
6. Low fares and speed (was, were) incentives for suburbanites to use the new mass
transit system.
7. The convenience or the comfort of operating a car, however, (make makes) many
drivers reluctant to use the transit system.
8. Many people do not seem to care that pollution and congestion (results, result) from the
automobile.
9. In some cities the financial center or the shopping district (are, is) closed to automobile
traffic.
10. Neither air pollution nor noise levels in our city (is, are) monitored regularly.
11. At local universities, studies and surveys on noise pollution (has, have) been conducted.
12. It is fascinating to learn how traffic sounds or industrial noise (affects, affect) city
dwellers.
13. The health hazards and psychological effects of smog (have, has) been studied for
years.
14. Heavy automobile use or geographic location (contributes, contribute) to the
development of smog.
15. Some unpopular decisions and anti-pollution legislation (lie, lies) in the future for large
city governments.
7. Subject—Verb Agreement Compound Subjects b
A. Identifying Verbs that Agree
Instructions: Identify the verb that agrees with its subject in the following sentences.
1. Urban residents and suburbanites (look, looks) to their elected officials to make tough decisions.
2. Going to the city for entertainment is easier in those cities where fringe parking and mass transit
(is, are) available.
3. Experts say that frayed nerves and hot tempers (cause, causes) many rush hour accidents.
4. In making decisions for the future, government agencies and private corporations (considers,
consider) flexible time schedules for their employees to help alleviate traffic problems.
5. Local environmentalists and transportation officials (disagree, disagrees) about whether new
highways should be built.
6. Culinary school and experience (are, is) necessary for becoming a chef.
7. Neither the ingredients nor the appearance (are, is) neglected in a fine dish.
8. Sometimes both professional chefs and amateurs (find, finds) cooking to be a challenge.
9. Either a microwave oven or conventional ovens (cause, causes) an unpierced potato to explode
while baking.
10. Drizzled sauces or a handmade garnish (make, makes) Allen’s creations unique.
11. Neither a pleasant atmosphere nor competent servers (bring, brings) customers to a restaurant if
the food is bad.
12. Either the exotic fruits or the creamy custard (attract, attracts) me to this dessert.
13. (Do, Does) a white puffy hat and a white uniform still identify a person as a chef?
14. A bowl of soup or cups of coffee (have, has) boiled over in my microwave.
15. Neither frozen dinners nor a simple hot dog (survive, survives) intact if overcooked in a
microwave.
B. Correcting Errors in Agreement
Instructions: If the verb in a sentence does not agree with its compound subject, write the correct form of
the verb on the line. If the verb does agree, write Correct.
1. Carnivals and amusement parks offers specialty foods.
__________
2. Either frozen desserts or lemonade revive fair-goers on a hot summer day.
__________
3. Fudge or lollipops delight many children and grown-ups.
__________
4. Neither a hamburger nor fries seems right in this heat.
__________
5. Soft pretzels and popcorn chase away the hunger pangs between meals.
__________
Agreement Practice and Review
SUBJECT/VERB
1. Nguyen and her family (have, has) invited me to the Vietnamese National Day celebration in
the park.
2. Carlos, not Martha or Ian, (was, were) answering all the letters.
3. Neither of them (dance, dances) to disco music.
4. Many of you in the class this year (has, have) already read the novel that lay before us.
5. The Birds (was, were) one of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies.
6. There (was, were) only two choices on the menu.
7. Today, most of the nine million citizens (lives, live) in the city and its suburbs.
8. When I (was, were) visiting Buenos Aires, I went to see Plaza de Mayo.
9. Neither the chipmunk nor the squirrels (is, are) bothering us.
10. The offices of Argentina’s president (is, are) housed within.
11. Our team (play, plays) hard every night.
12. Neither of the boys (has, have) to shave.
13. Nobody on the crew could say (he, they) (was, were) not frightened in the storm.
PRONOUN/ANTECEDENT
14. Somebody up at the main house has left _________ house key in the cafeteria.
15. Each of the players had _________ own odd superstition about how to win the game.
16. Someone on the boys’ swim team parked ___________ car in my space.
17. Neither of the sweaters had _________ price tag removed.
18. Every art student must buy ______ own paper.
19. Some Caribbean dances have ________ roots in African fold tales.
20. Before the dance I noticed Carla or Shana practicing __________ steps.
21. Enrique or Chuck will pick you up in _________ parents’ car.
22. Angela and Lupe waved __________ banners gracefully during the first dance.