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Subject-verb Agreement
A Review of the Rules
with
Practice Exercises
1. The verb agrees with the
subject, not with intervening
words.
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Toby, along with his girlfriend, plays
paintball nearly every weekend.
One of the students has left his or her cell
phone in the classroom.
A harness with bells is for sale on eBay.
Let’s practice!
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Click on the sentence in which the verb is used
correctly.
The President, along with the press secretary,
were late to the press conference.
The President, along with the press secretary,
was late to the press conference.
Not quite!
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Click here to try again.
Right!
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Click here for the next question.
Click on the sentence in which
the verb is used correctly.
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The cost of repairing all those computers
is quite prohibitive.
The cost of repairing all those computers
are quite prohibitive.
Oops!
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Click here to try again.
You’ve got it!
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Click here for the next sentence.
Click on the sentence in which
the verb is used correctly.
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A driver’s license, as well as another form
of ID, is required.
A driver’s license, as well as another form
of ID, are required.
Not quite!
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Click here to try again.
Yes!
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Let’s move on to the next rule.
Rule 2
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The verb agrees with its subject, even
when the subject follows the verb.
In the back of the room sits a snoring
student.
There are only two cookies left.
More Examples
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Notice the highlighted subject in these
sentences.
Here is the report you were looking for.
Here are the keys you were looking for.
On the wall hangs a portrait of his father.
Let’s practice!
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Click on the correct sentence:
There seem to be a few errors in this
program.
There seems to be a few errors in this
program.
Not quite!
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Be sure that you can identify the subject
of the sentence.
Click here to try again.
Good!
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Click here for the next sentence.
Click on the sentence in which
the verb is used correctly.
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Included in the festivities was a threelegged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating
contest.
Included in the festivities were a threelegged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating
contest.
Not quite!
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Click here to try again.
Right!
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Let’s move on to the next rule.
Rule 3
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Compound subjects joined by “and” take a
plural verb.
* Some subjects joined by “and” are
considered singular, however.
Here are some examples:
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Shannon and her sister are both on the
tennis team.
My favorite salad dressing is vinegar and
oil.
Macaroni and cheese is Jason’s favorite
lunch.
Let’s try some practice exercises:
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Click on the correct verb.
Strawberries and cream ( is are ) a
traditional Wimbledon treat.
Not quite!
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Remember, some compound nouns act as
one unit and are considered singular.
Click here to return to the question.
Yes!
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Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb:
Charlotte and her mother ( live lives ) in
Las Vegas.
Not quite!
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Click here to try again.
You’ve got it!
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Let’s move on to Rule 4:
When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,”
the verb agrees with the nearest subject.
This is a tricky rule, which doesn’t always
sound “right” to the ear, so let’s look at
some examples.
Examples:
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Either David or his cousin owns that
property across the river.
Neither Sylvia nor her mother likes going
to rodeos.
Neither the students nor the instructor
knows if classes will be held on Columbus
Day.
Let’s practice this tricky rule.
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Click on the correct verb.
Either a check or a money order ( is are )
acceptable.
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Oops!
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Remember, the verb agrees with the
nearest subject.
Click here to try again.
Yes!
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Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb.
( Was Were ) Mr. Phelps or his son put on
the committee?
Not exactly.
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Look for the nearest subject.
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Click here to try again.
Right! Here’s another.
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Click on the correct verb.
Either the employees or the manager
( is are ) confused about the policy.
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Oops!
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Click here to try again.
Right!
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Let’s move on to Rule #5:
Amounts and distance, when used as
singular units of measurements, are
considered singular.
For example:
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A million dollars just is not enough to
retire on these days.
Thirty miles seems like a long walk to me.
Rule #6
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Most collective nouns, nouns that stand
for groups of people or things, are
generally treated as singular:
The team is practicing at 6:00 a.m.
Our class has been cancelled tonight.
The jury is still deliberating.
Exception!
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If individuals within a group are acting
separately, the collective noun is
considered plural:
The band are tuning their instruments.
(Each member is tuning a different
instrument.)
The audience are stomping their feet.
Let’s try a few.
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Click on the correct pronoun in
parentheses.
The committee ( has have )
recommended a further review.
That’s not right.
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It’s one committee, singular, not two
committees.
Click here to try again.
Right!
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Let’s try another. Click on the correct
pronoun.
The team ( is are ) loading their suitcases
onto the bus.
Not quite.
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Click here to try again.
You’ve got it!
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Let’s move on to the next rule.
Most indefinite pronouns
are singular
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What’s an indefinite pronoun?
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An indefinite pronoun takes the place of many
unspecified persons or things:
Examples:
Any, anybody, anyone, each, every, everyone,
nobody, nothing, something, no one, one
Some indefinite pronouns
are plural.
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Plural indefinite pronouns:
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Both, several, few, many
Some indefinite pronouns
can be either singular or plural.
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Pay close attention to the following
indefinite pronouns:
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All, any, some, none, most, enough, half
These can be either singular or plural,
depending upon their function in the
sentence.
Look at the noun or object that this
pronoun refers to.
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If the noun being modified is singular,
treat the pronoun as singular:
Some of the newspaper is missing.
Most of the cake has been eaten.
Half of the house was damaged.
Notice that in the following
sentences, the pronoun refers to a
plural noun:
Some of the newspaper pages is missing.
Most of the cupcakes have been eaten.
Half of the houses were damaged.
Let’s practice!
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Choose the correct pronoun.
Everyone concerned with the community
theater ( has have ) helped in the fund
raising.
Not quite!
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Remember, “everyone” is considered
singular.
Click here to try again.
Right!
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Let’s try another:
Several of the students ( was were )
delayed by the highway construction.
Not exactly.
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“Several” is plural.
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Click here to try again.
Right!
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Let’s try one more.
None of the employees ( take takes )
enough vacation time.
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Not quite!
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“None” in this case is considered plural
because “none” refers to “employees.”
Click here to try again.
You’ve got it!
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This concludes the lesson.
For more practice, try the supplemental
PowerPoint containing just subject-verb
agreement exercises.