Download BBG Chapter 3 Notes

Chapter 3 Subject Verb Agreement
Rules for Subject Verb Agreement:
1. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. An effective test to tell if the subject is singular would be to
see if you could replace the noun with a singular pronoun like he, she, or it.
My brother plays football. → He plays football (singular pronoun).
2. If the subject is plural, the verb must agree with it. An effective test to tell if the subject is singular would be to
see if you could replace the noun with a plural pronoun like we or they.
My brothers play football. → They play football (singular pronoun).
Singular Subject Rules:
1. Simple and singular nouns. A sentence can have only one singular noun as the subject. The single noun can be
replaced with any of the singular pronouns he/she/it. For subject verb agreement, locate the subject and check
to see if it can be replaced with the singular pronoun he/she/it.
A student talks during the lecture. → He talks during the lecture. → She talks during the lecture.
2. Collective nouns. Collective nouns name groups as a single thing or members of a unit made up of more than
one person. For subject verb agreement, locate the subject and check to see if it can be replaced with the
singular pronoun it.
The team plays well tonight. → It plays well tonight.
3. Words of phrases that state amounts. Some subjects express periods of time, fractions, weights, measurements,
quantity. and amount of money. These subjects are usually singular or act as one thing or as a single unit that
can be replaced with the subject pronoun it.
Six dollars covers the price for the movie ticket. → It covers the price of the movie ticket.
Half an hour seems too long when you are at the doctor. It seems to long when you are the doctor.
4. Indefinite pronouns. Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that refer to a less clearly defined noun. Indefinite
pronouns that end “-one”, “-body” or “-thing” are always singular. For subject verb agreement, locate the
subject indefinite pronoun and check to see if it can be replaced with the singular pronoun he/she/it.
Each student explains the meaning of the song. He or she explains the meaning of the song.
Common Indefinite Pronouns
another
anybody
anyone
either
enough everybody
little
much
neither
nothing
one
other
something
none
anything
each
everyone everything
nobody
no one
somebody someone
Plural Subject Rules:
1. Simple and plural nouns. A sentence can have one plural noun or subject that can be replace with the pronouns
we or they. For subject verb agreement, locate the subject indefinite pronoun and check to see if it can be
replaced with the plural pronouns we or they.
The students complain about their assignments. → They complain about their assignments.
2. Compound Nouns. A sentence can have two or more subjects that can be replaced with the plural pronouns we
or they. For subject verb agreement, locate the subject indefinite pronoun and check to see if it can be replaced
with the plural pronoun they.
The students and teachers discuss the story’s theme. → The discuss the story’s theme.
3. Plural Indefinite pronouns. The indefinite pronouns that are plural in number are: several, few, both, many. For
subject verb agreement, locate the subject indefinite pronoun and check to see if it can be replaced with the
plural pronouns we or they.
Many work the graveyard shift. → We work the graveyard shift →. They work the graveyard shift.
Subject Agreement and Regular and Irregular Verbs:

Regular verb is one whose base form does not change as it moves through the verb tenses. In subject verb
agreement, the regular verb will not change its spelling but will take an “-s” ending if the subject is singular or
can be replaced with the pronouns he/she/it.
Present
Past
Paint
Painted
I
You
He/She/It
They
Past Participle
Have painted
Present Tense
Paint.
Paint.
Paints. (the spelling of the verb did not change but “-s” is the verb ending.
Paint.
Trick situations in subject-verb agreement:
Sentence that start in prepositional phrase.
Sentences that start with here, what, where, when, and why.
Sentences with either/or, neither/nor, and or.
Sentences with interrupters.
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