Download Subject Verb Agreement

When studying Subject
Verb agreement you
Need to know this
first…..
What is a Subject?
It
is the thing doing the
action….
Normally
a noun!
What is a Verb?
The
action word!
Something doing the action
Also can be a linking verb or a
helping verb
Examples: is, was, run, play,
were, are
Find the Subject and Verb
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Harvey is a pooka!
Harvey plays tricks on people.
Harvey and Elwood are playing cards.
Veta and Myrtle sing at the party.
Grammar worksheets are
complicated.
The cats and the dogs like to play with
each other.
Prepositional
 Prepositions
get in the way and confuse
people you need to remove these first
before you do anything else when looking
at verb agreement!
Example: of, to, by, in, since, around,
above, along, before, from, for, on, until
 When
you see these get rid of the phrase!
Here is what I mean
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I along with my brother went to the store!
Peter of Sunny Brook Farm is coming over
tonight.
The cat by the bookshelf and the desk is eating
the plants.
The pictures beside the window are fading from
the sunlight.
The witch between the ghost and the monster is
very ugly.
Subject Verb Agreement

Definition of Subject verb agreement:
the subject agrees with the verb in number

The verb must be plural and the subject must be
plural
•The verb must be singular and the subject must be singular
Sounds easy enough, so
what’s the problem?
 Plural

verbs don’t end in “S”
Plural subjects usually end with “S,” but
the singular verbs end with “S”
Examples:
 is,
was, seems, needs, etc. are singular
The peach seems ripe.
 are,
were, seem, need, etc. are plural
The peaches seem ripe.
Maybe this will clear things up!
The cat runs into the wall.
The cats run into the wall.
Exception to the rule!

The form were is plural except when used with
the singular you and in sentences that are contrary
to the fact.

You were the best player on the team.
(You is the singular subject)
•If he were captain, we would be a stronger team.
(The statement is contrary to fact,
HE IS NOT THE Captain.)
Watch out!
Here is what will trip you up!

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

Example of a preposition:
Of, over, under, through, in, between, along,
below, besides,by, off, near, into, instead of, up, up to
TIP:
 Remove
all prepositional phrases
when you are trying to find the
subject.
Examples
The interest shown in the Romeo and Juliet
movie (has/have) been amazing.
The interest shown in the Romeo and Juliet
movie has been amazing.
How we do that?


Remove the prepositional phrase—”in
the Romeo and Juliet movie”
Find the subject--Interest
•The subject is singular so the verb must be singular
• Singular verb is “has”
Try these!
A list of groceries (is/are) hanging on
the fridge.
The cottages between the sea and the
road beyond the board walk (is/are) for
sale
Answers
The list (of groceries) is hanging on the
fridge
The cottages (between the sea and the
road) (beyond the board walk) are for
sale.
BE CAREFUL YOU
DON’T DO THIS
When
correcting sentences do
not change the tense of the verb.
Change the form
(singular, plural)
Example
John
make pancakes for
his friends. (incorrect)
We need to correct this
how?
 John
made pancakes for his
friends.
(incorrect change—tense is wrong)
 John
makes pancakes for his
friends.
(corrected correctly).
Practice Time!
1.
2.
3.
4.
The witches in the city (plan/plans) to
do great damage to the people.
Kim’s actors (recite/recites) a
soliloquy from William
Shakespeare’s plays.
Mr. Butnick (make/makes) supper all
the time.
The cat in our house and cabins
(chase/chases) the dog.
English class at the university and in
high school (are/is) always very
interesting.
6. If Tom (was/were) in this class, it
would really be fun.
7. You (was/were) always fun to hang
out with.
8. Turkey (is/are) my favorite part of
Thanksgiving.
5.
The pilgrims under the table
(was/were) afraid to eat the turkey.
10. Harry Potter of the famous books
often (makes/make) his aunt and
uncle angry.
9.
Compound Subjects
joined by “or” or “nor”
The verb agrees with the
Closest Subject to the verb.
Examples:
Sara
or Jamie (is/are) at
fault.
Jamie
is at fault.
Example
The
principal nor the teachers
(is/are) staying after school on
Friday.
Teachers are staying (after
school) (on Friday).
Compound Subject
joined by “and”
 Are
usually plural in number
Example:
The cat and the dog are running
around the yard.
EXCEPT when they stand for
one unit
Example: Macaroni and Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Macaroni and cheese is not my
favorite meal.
Except describing one person

Example:
John the singer and dancer
The brown and white dog is chasing
the cat.
The singer and dancer is John.
PHRASES SUCH AS
 Together
with
 As well as
 Along with
ARE NOT THE SAME AS
AND
Examples
 The
king, along with his court, is
to arrive at the castle shortly.
 My
suitcases,along with my duffle
bag, were loaded onto the plane.
Try These
John nor the boys can (runs/run) the mile
in two minutes.
2. Tom and Jerry over by the trees
(hides/hide) the food from the dogs.
3. Spaghetti and meat balls (seems/seem) to
be the favorite meal of most children.
4. My best friend and paintball partner
(is/are) coming over tonight.
1.
5. Mason jars or a pail (hangs/hang) from
the hook in the kitchen.
6. If Kim (was/were) president, we would
have a peaceful world.
7. The book over on the counter under the
blanket (has, have) over 200 quotes in
it.
8. The turkeys over the mountain
beside the river (runs/run) wild.
9. You (was/were) supposed to come
to Mrs. Butnick’s room after class.
10. The old dog or the cat that live in
the barn beyond the river over the
highway (is/are) fat and hungry.
Watch out for sentences that
begin with these
Here
There
Where
Are not subjects
Tip One
Rearrange
the word order
of the sentence to get rid of
“here,” “there,” and
“where.”
Example:
There (is/are) a million stories
in every big city.
A million stories are in every
big city.
Tip Two

To find the subject in “there
is/was” sentences, look at the
first word after the verb that
makes sense as a subject.
Examples
There
(was/were) dozens of
books piled on the couch.
There
were dozens (of books)
piled (on the couch.)
You Try It Now!
There
(is/are) two reasons to
stay.
There (is/are) no reason to do
this.
Here (is/are) the apples you
wanted.
Answers
 There
are two reasons to stay
 There
is no reason to do this.
 Here
are the apples you wanted
Watch Out for Questions
The subject is usually NOT
at the beginning
Examples
 Where
(is/are) the books for the
next unit?
 Where
unit?
are the books for the next
You Try It
(Is/Are)
there a quiz
tomorrow?
Is
there a quiz tomorrow?
Words that Look Plural
but are Singular in meaning
 Measles,
mumps, rickets
(names of diseases)
 Physics,
mathematics, economics, etc
Example
Civics
is really hard.
Rickets
is caused by a vitamin
deficiency.
Specific units of
time, distance, weight, or
amount
Are
singular
Example
Ten
dollars is how much the
movie cost.
Five
minutes is how long
you have to wait.
Titles
For books, magazines, short
stories, and movies
Are
Singular
Examples
 Seventeen
 Harry
is my favorite magazine.
Potter and the Sorcerers’
Stone is a cool book.
Collective Nouns
are
singular, but they
name a group of persons
or things
Examples
Jury,
chorus, family, troop,
class, army, audience,
committee, team, band,
crowd, group, congregation,
crew, camp, etc.
Examples
The class is always loud and
annoying.
The faculty meets every Wednesday.
Practice Time
Here (is/are) the pictures we took
from the play.
2. What (is/are) your problems?
3. Measles (is/are) not fun to have.
4. Five dollars (is/are) not a lot of
money today.
1.
Roughing it (is/are) written by
Mark Twain.
6. This class (is/are) obnoxious.
7. Ten pounds (makes/make) a large
bag.
8. The army (says/say) that you
should be all you can be.
5.
Rachel and John (makes/make) the best
macaroni and cheese.
10. Macaroni and cheese (is/are) only good
if Rachel and John (makes/make) it.
11. Dracula or the ghosts (tends/tend) to
scare children.
12. My student and friend (bothers/bother)
me after school.
9.
Indefinite Pronouns
 Plural
Many, Both, Few, Several
Marching Bunnies Fall Swiftly
Many Birds Fly South
Examples
1.
2.
Both Sara and Jen are going to
state.
Many of my friends have seen
that movie.
Indefinite Pronouns
 Singular
Each, every, either, neither,
everyone, anyone, no one, someone,
one, everybody, anybody, nobody,
Somebody
How Mrs. B remembers these!
 The
singular indefinite pronouns
have “Body” and “One” in it.
Every, Either and Neither –
have “E” or rhyme.
 Each,
Examples
Each (of the students) is
responsible for doing his or her
own work.
Be Careful
 Some
of the indefinite pronouns
that are singular feel plural because
they are often followed by
prepositional phrases that end in a
plural word.
Example
Everyone
of the
friends was involved
with the prank.
Indefinite Pronouns
sometimes singular and
sometimes plural
Some,
Half, All, Rest, Part,
Most, Any, None
(SHARPMAN)
HOW DO WE KNOW if it is
singular or plural?
Look
at what it is talking about!
Can you Count it?
Then it is plural!
If you can’t, it is singular!
Warning!
This
is the only time you will
look at the prepositional
phrase!
Examples
Some of the beads (is/are)
missing.
Look at what is being counted
“Beads.” Can you count them?
Example
Some of the water (is/are) gone.
Can you count water?
Some of the water is gone.
Indefinite Pronoun Practice
Everyone of the students (is/are)
annoying the teacher today.
2. All of the students (is/are) loud
and make Mrs. Butnick scream.
3. Many of the dogs (yelps, yelp) at
the neighbors when they walk by
the houses.
1.
Half of the class (is/are) not done
with the project.
5. Either Tom or Joe (yells, yell)
down the hall every day.
6. Everyone of the cats (meows,
meow) for milk.
7. Each of the witches (flies, fly) by
the old castle on Halloween.
4.
Several of the bunnies (was/were)
eating carrots.
9. Any of the Smurfs (sings/sing) in
the valley.
10. Part of the play (was/were) in
Spanish.
11. Everybody on the team
(was/were) hanging out after
school.
8.
Practice on All the rules!
1.
Winnie the Pooh with his friends (is/are)
running a marathon. (rule 3)
2.
Tom and Paul (walks, walk) me home every night
Rule 5
3.
Tom or the Jones’ sisters (applies/apply) for
the application.(Rule 4)
The pilgrims or Mr. Tom Turkey (eats/eat) lots
of potatoes with gravy. (Rule 4)
4.
5. How (is/are) we suppose to do this? (Rule 7)
6. The movie or the plays (portrays/portray)
the character as evil. (Rule 4)
7. Twenty miles (is/are) the distance the
runners have to go. (Rule 9)
8. Spaghetti and meat balls with lots of
noodles (is/are) the best meal for runners
before a meet. Rule 5
9.The neighbor’s house by Mr. Johnson’s
and Tony’s houses (is/are) very scary.
(rule 3)
10.
My favorite singer and dancer (sings/sing)
that song. Rule 5
11. The cats and dog (eats/eat) a lot of food. Rule
5
12. There (is/are) mice in the attic. (Rule 6)
13. Where (is/are) the actor that is playing the
main role? (Rule 6)
14. Here (is/are) the rolls you wanted. (Rule 6)
15.
What (is/are) the meaning of this?
(Rule 7)
17.
Rickets (is/are) a disease caused by a
vitamin deficiency. (Rule 8)
18. Physics (is/are) a hard class. (Rule 8)
19. Two dollars (was/were) found at the office.
(Rule 9)
20. Twenty pounds of weight (is/are) a lot to carry.
(Rule 9)
21. Twilight (is/are) the new movie coming
out on Friday. (Rule 10)
22. The Mona Lisa (is/are) one of the most
famous pieces of art. (Rule 10)
23. The jury (was/were) out for hours. (Rule
11)
24.
The class of almost all boys
(loves/love) to tease the girls. (Rule
11).
25. Both of the girls (likes/like) to read those
books. (Rule 12)
26. Each of the boys (runs/run) to Tom’s house
after school. (Rule 12).
27. Half of the class (does/do) like the
homework. (Rule 13)
28. The bear of the big woods (runs/run) all
the way to the neighbor’s house. (rule 3)
29. The plays or the movie (portrays/portray)
the character as evil. (Rule 4)
30. Some of the cows (eats/eat) grass and hay
for supper the others eat soup. (Rule 13).