Download Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement
Making Verbs Agree in Number
with Subjects
If you have a singular subject, you need
a singular verb. (Remember, a singular
verb has an “s” on the end.)
If you have a plural subject, you need a
plural verb. (Remember, a plural verb
does not have an “s” on the end.)
Example Singular Subjects and
Verbs
The dog eats my homework.
Sub. = dog
Verb = eats
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy
mole.
Sub. = fox
Verb = jumps
Example Plural Subjects and
Verbs
The dogs eat my homework.
Sub. = dogs
Verb = eat
The quick brown foxes jump over the lazy
mole.
Sub. = foxes
Verb = jump
Subject Verb Agreement with
Compound Subjects
First, you look for a key word. What
words tell you that you have something
compound?
AND
OR
You do different things based on which
word is used.
Compound Subjects with “AND”
If a subject is made compound with the
word “and,” then the verb is
ALWAYS PLURAL.
For example: The dog and cat eat my
homework.
Sub. = dog and cat (plural)
Verb = eat (plural)
Compound Subjects with “OR”
If a subject is made compound with the
word “or,” you have to look to the word
after the “or.” Then you have two
choices.
1. If the word after the “or” is singular,
then the verb is singular.
2. If the word after the “or” is plural, then
the verb is plural.
Example Compound Subjects
with “OR”
The dog or cats eat my homework.
Sub. = dog or cats (“Cats” is plural, so I
need a plural verb.)
Verb = eat
The dog or cat eats my homework.
Sub. = dog or cat (“Cat” is singular, so I
need a singular verb.)
Verb = eats
Help with “OR” to Create
Compound Subjects
If you are having trouble determining if
you should use a singular or plural verb,
take the first part of the compound
subject away and reread the sentence.
Fill in the verb that makes sense.
For example: The parakeet, dog, or
cats eat my homework. (Take away
“parakeet” and “dog”. Make the verb
match the last subject “cats.” Cats eat
my homework.
Making Verbs Agree When There
Are Intervening Phrases
Make sure you match your verb to your
subject, NOT the object of the
preposition.
For example: The dog with the long
claws eats my homework.
Sub. = dog (NOT claws)
Verb = eats
Making Verbs Agree with
Indefinite Pronoun Subjects
You must remember back to your indefinite
pronouns.
If the indefinite pronoun is singular, then the
verb is singular.
If the indefinite pronoun is plural, then the
verb is plural.
If the indefinite can be both singular and
plural, then you have to look to a previous
sentence or prepositional phrase to find the
antecedent and make the verb agree with the
antecedent.
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Singular indefinite
pronouns use
singular verbs
(singular verbs have
an “S” on the end).
Singular indefinite
pronouns used as
the antecedent are
replaced with
singular personal
pronouns
Anyone
Anything
Anybody
Everyone
Everything
Everybody
No one
Nothing
Nobody
Someone
Something
Somebody
Each
Either
Another
One
Neither
Example Sing. Indef. Pronouns
Somebody should bring his or her tent
on the camping trip.
Each has chosen his or her activity.
Everyone is welcome on the trip!
Plural Indef. Pronouns
Plural indefinite
pronouns use plural
verbs (plural verbs
do not have an “S”
on the end).
Plural indefinite
pronouns used as
the antecedent are
replaced with plural
personal pronouns.
Few
Many
Both
Several
Example Plural Indef. Pronoun
Both need a study hall.
Few are here.
Many run in the race.
Several win awards.
Sing. and Plural Indef. Pronoun
Some indefinite pronouns can be used to replace
singular or plural antecedents.
You know if it is singular or plural two ways. 1. Look
to the prepositional phrase near it. Find the object of
the preposition. If the object of the preposition is
singular and is an antecedent for the indefinite
pronoun, then the pronoun is singular. If the o.p. is
plural, then the indefinite pronoun is plural 2. Find
the antecedent for the indefinite pronoun in a
previous sentence and match the plurality.
If an indefinite pronoun is functioning as an
antecedent, then match the personal pronoun to the
indefinite pronoun when you figure out if it is singular
or plural.
Singular or Plural Indefinite
Pronouns
All
Any
Most
None
Some
Example Sing/Plural Indef.
Pronouns
All of my friends are here. They are happy.
Indef. Pronoun = All
O.P. = Friends
“Friends” is plural, so “all” is plural
Verb = are (plural)
“All” is plural, so we have to use “They” in the
second sentence. “They” is plural.
Dealing with Subjects in Unusual
Places
Traditionally, a subject comes before a verb.
However, a subject can be in four unusual
places.
1. In a question
2. In a sentence that begins with “here” or
“there”
3. In a command
4. In a sentence that begins with a phrase
Make sure you find the subject and make the
verb agree with it.
Subject Verb Agreement in
Questions
What on earth is he doing?
Sub. = he (singular)
Verb = is (singular)
Are your parents coming to dinner?
Sub. = parents (plural)
Verb = Are (plural)
Subject Verb Agreement in
Sentences Beginning with Here
or There
Here comes Prince Charming to save the
princess.
Sub. = Prince Charming (singular)
Verb = comes (singular)
There go The Three Musketeers off to save
the day!
Sub. = The Three Musketeers (plural)
Verb = go (plural)
Subject Verb Agreement in
Sentences That Are Commands
In a command, the subject is an understood
“you.” Therefore, it does not appear in the
sentence. In this case, the traditional verb
choice is plural.
Go to the office!
Stay in your seat.
In both cases, I am talking to only one person,
but I use a plural verb.
Subject Verb Agreement in
Sentences That Begin with
Prepositional Phrases
Make sure you match the verb to the subject,
not the object of the preposition.
In the trees flies the bird.
Sub. = bird
Verb = flies
Over the river and through the woods go we
to grandmother’s house.
Sub. = we
Verb = go
Problem Subjects
Collective Nouns can
be singular or plural
depending on how they
are used in a sentence.
Group, class, team,
staff, family, choir
Singular – when the
people or things are
acting as a group
Ex. The choir performs
for Friday masses.
Plural – when the
people or things are
acting as individuals
Ex. The choir come
from three different
grade levels.
Problem Subjects
Singular Nouns
ending in “s” always
take singular verbs.
Economics, politics,
mathematics, news,
etc.
Ex. Economics is
my favorite class.
Problem Subjects
Titles of art,
literature, and music
are always singular.
Ex. Holes is my
favorite book.
Measures and Amounts
Weights, measures,
numbers, and lengths of time
are usually singular.
Fractions can be both
singular and plural
depending on whether it is a
fraction of one thing
(singular) or a fraction of
many things (plural). Look to
the object of the preposition
in the prepositional phrase
following the fraction to help
you determine the proper
verb.
Four cups of flour is needed
to make these cookies.
One half of my students are
boys.
One half of the cake is mine!