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Agreement
Subject – Verb Agreement
•
When we refer to subjects, they come in
two numbers:
Plural
Singular
The person waits.
The people wait.
Some Common Rules
With…
Use a…
I
singular verb (no “s”)
You
plural verb (no “s”)
He, She, It
singular verb (“s”)
We
plural verb (no “s”)
You
plural verb (no “s”)
They
plural verb (no “s”)
Agreement: The Basics
• With Subjects and Verbs:
• Singular subjects take singular verbs.
▫ My grandfather trains dogs.
▫ She owns the red car.
• Plural subjects take plural verbs.
▫ My grandparents train dogs.
▫ They own the red car.
Agreement: The Basics
• A pronoun should agree in number, gender,
and person with its antecedent.
**A pronoun usually refers to a noun or
another pronoun, which is called the
pronoun’s antecedent.
▫ Singular pronouns refer to singular antecedents.
▫ Plural pronouns refer to plural antecedents
 The hikers took their canteens with them.
Agreement: Indefinite Pronouns
 Some indefinite pronouns are singular or
plural, as the SUBJECT of a sentence.

ALWAYS SINGULAR (takes a singular verb and
singular antecedent):






anybody, anyone, anything,
each, either, everybody,
everyone, everything, neither,
nobody, no one, nothing, one,
somebody, someone, something
ALWAYS PLURAL (takes a plural verb and plural
antecedant): both, few, many, several
Agreement: Indefinite Pronouns
 All, any, most, none, more, and some can be
either singular or plural as the subject,
depending on their meaning in a sentence.
 They are a singular subject when referring to
singular words and a plural subject when
referring to plural words.
 All of the vegetable garden has been planted.
(all refers to garden)
 All of the vegetables have been planted.
(all refers to vegetables)
Agreement: Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns do not indicate
gender.
Often, the object in the prepositional
phrase that follows such a pronoun
indicates gender.
Each of the boys brought his own mitt
One of the girls left her sweater on the bus.
If the antecedent may be either masculine
or feminine, use both pronouns to refer to
it.
Anyone who is going on the field trip needs to bring
his or her lunch.
Agreement: Compound Subjects
•
Compound subjects joined by and take a plural
verb or pronoun/ antecedent.
▫
Basil and thyme are plants of the mint family.
▫
If Jesse and Ben call, tell them that I will not be
home until later.
•
▫
Subjects joined by and may refer to only one
noun. Such compound subjects take a singular
verb or singular pronoun/ antecedent.
The secretary and treasurer is Gretchen.
 The corned beef and cabbage was delicious, so I ate
two servings of it.
Agreement: Compound Subjects
•
Singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular
verb or singular pronoun/antecedent
▫
•
Neither Jack nor Jill wants to see the movie.
If a singular and a plural subject is joined by “or” or
“nor” the subject closest to the verb is used in
agreement.
▫
Neither Mrs. Smith nor the Jones’ want to see the
movie.
▫
Either Keith or Kevin always finished his geometry
homework in class.
Agreement:
• TO MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT:
▫ The following nouns take singular verbs and are
singular antecedents:
 Civics, genetics, news, economics, gymnastics,
molasses, physics, mathematics, summons,
electronics, mumps, measles
▫ These take plural verbs and plural antecedents
even when they are referred to as a singular item:
 Binoculars, pants, shears, eyeglasses, pliers,
slacks, Olympics, scissors, trousers