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SUBJECT AND VERB
AGREEMENT
MAKING SENTENCES CORRECT
Find the subject and predicate of the sentences below:
The dog barked at the neighbor.
After the play, the audience stood to applaud.
The girl in the yellow dress sang a solo.
“Right glad I am he was not at this fray.” (Lady Montague)
“Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.” (Romeo)
But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
should in the farthest east begin to draw
the shady curtains from Aurora’s bed,
away from light steals home my heavy son
and private in his chamber pens himself…
Montague
[My heavy son steals home away from the light
as soon as the all-cheering sun should in the farthest east begin to
draw the shady curtains from Aurora’s bed,
And pens himself privately in his chamber…]
With single subjects (he, library, cat, Chicago, or mountain), use a
singular verb like was or is.
He was there.
The cat is sleeping.
If the subject refers to more than one item (we, restaurants, cats,
towns, hats) use a plural verb.
We were there.
The cats are sleeping.
Simple! Yes, but there are a few times when subject and verb
agreement can be tricky.
One example: Be careful with prepositional phrases that follow the
subject – or any interrupting phrase between the subject and
predicate.
Can you spot a problem in this sentence?
The large group of students are going in a bus instead of the van.
(Find the subject and the predicate)
The interrupting prepositional phrase makes your ears want to
choose the plural verb are because of the word students (the
object of the preposition – not the subject of the verb). The subject
of the sentence is the singular word group so the singular verb is
should be used instead of are.
Now, you try:
At the fair, the parade of horses is/are going to be on Sunday.
One of my friends go/goes immediately to see the sideshows.
John, as well as my other friends, love/loves the bumper cars.
A triathlon, with its combination of swimming, bicycling, and running,
is/are one of the most challenging sports events.
My two aunts, Helga and Sue, has/have been training for a
minitriathlon.
The major spending bill before Congress, together with some other bills
that are awaiting action, is/are going to cost taxpayers plenty.
And now to your research:
Can you identify two or three questions that you will try to answer
today through your research?
For my study –
What kind of fuel efficient cars are available today?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of those cars?
What is the purchase price of these cars?
*How much am I paying now to drive back and forth to
school?
Remember, good research usually leads to more specific questions.
Making Subjects and Predicates Agree with Compound Subjects
(Review)
Do not be confused by words that come between the subject and
verb.
The manager, as well as the players, is required to display good
sportsmanship.
Compound Subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb.
Neither Bev nor Kendra is going to the street dance.
**When one of the subjects joined by or or nor is singular and one is
plural, the verb must agree with the subject closest to the verb.
Gayle nor her friends are singing in the band anymore.
Compound Subjects joined by and require a plural verb.
Strength and balance are necessary for gymnastics.
Practice:
The name of their school’s team is/are the Bulldogs.
Tia or Eve works/work in the office a few hours a week.
Marlon and his brother plays/play instruments in the marching band.
Dad or my little sisters chooses/choose the bedtime book each night.
Neither the nectarines nor the watermelon is/are on sale this week.
He nor she is/are strong enough to lift the barbell.
The forked tongue of the lizards and the snakes is/are used to smell.
The floor and the ceiling needs/need painting.
The floor or the ceiling needs/need painting.
Here’s another thing to keep in mind with subjects and their verbs:
Rule: When using a singular indefinite pronoun as the subject, use a
singular verb.
So…what is an indefinite pronoun?
Indefinite pronouns are words which replace nouns without
specifying which noun they replace.
There are Singular Indefinite Pronouns: another, anybody, anyone,
anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, little, much,
neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone,
something
Plural Indefinite Pronouns: both, few, many, others, several
And some pronouns that can be either Singular or Plural: all, any,
more, most, none, some
When using a singular indefinite pronoun, use a singular verb:
Each of the kittens has white paws.
Everyone in the movie theater is eating popcorn.
When using a plural indefinite pronoun, use a plural verb:
Both of the cookies are really good.
Few of the students actually remember to cite their sources correctly.
And for those indefinite pronouns that can be either singular or plural,
find the noun that the pronoun stands for to decide whetehr you need
a singular or a plural verb.
Most of the ghost stories were scary, but none were truly frightening.
Most of my uncle’s field is under water.
Let’s Practice:
Alicia and Todd loves/love amusement parks.
Neither Todd nor his friend likes/like the Ferris wheel.
Neither Alicia nor her friends rides/ride the bumper cars.
Damien, as well as Brian and Paco, works/work on the farm.
Out in the field is/are the two new tractors that my uncle bought.
Behind those machine sheds is/are the garage.
Everyone in a traditional Chinese family has/have three names, and each of
those names is/are written using one character.
Each of the characters, which look like pictures, stands/stand for a particular part
of the person’s name.
Some names has/have a couple brush strokes, while others has/have many.
Most of the paint in the bucket was/were spilled on the ground.
All of the water bugs in the pail was/were saved.
One last tip…
Beware of COLLECTIVE NOUNS.
A collective noun names a group or a unit:
United States; Davidson Wildcats; team; crowd; community
Here’s the rule about verb agreement with collective nouns:
• Use a singular verb when the collective noun refers to a group or a
unit.
The favored team is losing, and the crowd is getting ugly.
• Use a plural verb when the collective noun refers to the individuals
within the group.
The pair were finally reunited after 20 years apart.
Tribal people, the Masai, help her protect elephants.