Download Subject-Verb Agreement Ppt File

SUBJECT –VERB
AGREEMENT
Subject-Verb Rules

A subject and a verb should agree in number and
person.
A
singular subject must have a singular verb. A plural subject
must have a plural verb.
Ex: The bird (singular) soars. The birds (plural) soar.
A U.S. citizen votes for president every 4 years.
U.S. citizens vote for president every 4 years.
[The s and es endings work differently for nouns and verbs.]
Subject-Verb Rules
A
phrase or clause that interrupts a subject and its
verb does NOT affect subject-verb agreement
Examples:

Only citizens of the country vote.

The legislature, which has 386 members, is called the
National Assembly.

The survival of hibernating frogs in freezing temperatures is fascinating.

The team captain, as well as her players, is anxious.
(the pair of commas indicate a non-essential clause.)
Subject-Verb Rules
 Compound
subjects usually take a plural verb.
Examples:
The chancellor and his cabinet are meeting today.
The minister and her assistants discuss a new bill.
Exceptions:
1) When parts of the compound subject are the same thing or
thought of as one item.
Ex: Macaroni and cheese is my favorite lunchtime meal.
OR
2) the compound subject is preceded by the adjective each or every
Ex:
Each man, woman, and child has a right to be heard.
Subject-Verb Rules

Singular subjects joined by or or nor must have singular
verb.
Ex: Schroeder or Kohl was going to win.
Subjects of mixed number joined by or or nor –the
verb agrees with the subject that is closer to it.
Ex: Neither the contractor nor the owners agree on the price.
Neither the owners nor the contractor agrees on the price.

Subject-Verb Rules

An inverted sentence = in which the subject comes after
the verb= can be confusing.



On the wall are slogans
Is the message clear?
There and here ---never function as the subjects of
sentences:
Ex: There is only one government in Germany.
There are several parties in the government.
Tonight’s Homework:
 Read section on Subj-Verb Agreement (Ch. 29) in
The Little, Brown Handbook pp. 214-220
 Complete practice worksheet