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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. 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! 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! Click here to try again. Right! Click here for the next question. Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. The cost of repairing all those computers is quite prohibitive. The cost of repairing all those computers are quite prohibitive. Oops! Click here to try again. You’ve got it! Click here for the next sentence. Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. 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! Click here to try again. Yes! Let’s move on to the next rule. Rule 2 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 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! 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! Be sure that you can identify the subject of the sentence. Click here to try again. Good! Click here for the next sentence. Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. 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! Click here to try again. Right! Let’s move on to the next rule. Rule 3 Compound subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb. * Some subjects joined by “and” are considered singular, however. Here are some examples: 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: Click on the correct verb. Strawberries and cream ( is are ) a traditional Wimbledon treat. Not quite! Remember, some compound nouns act as one unit and are considered singular. Click here to return to the question. Yes! Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb: Charlotte and her mother ( live lives ) in Las Vegas. Not quite! Click here to try again. You’ve got it! 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: 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. Click on the correct verb. Either a check or a money order ( is are ) acceptable. Oops! Remember, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. Click here to try again. Yes! Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb. ( Was Were ) Mr. Phelps or his son put on the committee? Not exactly. Look for the nearest subject. Click here to try again. Right! Here’s another. Click on the correct verb. Either the employees or the manager ( is are ) confused about the policy. Oops! Click here to try again. Right! Let’s move on to Rule #5: Amounts and distance, when used as singular units of measurements, are considered singular. For example: A million dollars just is not enough to retire on these days. Thirty miles seems like a long walk to me. Rule #6 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! 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. Click on the correct pronoun in parentheses. The committee ( has have ) recommended a further review. That’s not right. It’s one committee, singular, not two committees. Click here to try again. Right! Let’s try another. Click on the correct pronoun. The team ( is are ) loading their suitcases onto the bus. Not quite. Click here to try again. You’ve got it! Let’s move on to the next rule. Most indefinite pronouns are singular What’s an indefinite pronoun? 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. Plural indefinite pronouns: Both, several, few, many Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural. Pay close attention to the following indefinite pronouns: 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. 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! Choose the correct pronoun. Everyone concerned with the community theater ( has have ) helped in the fund raising. Not quite! Remember, “everyone” is considered singular. Click here to try again. Right! Let’s try another: Several of the students ( was were ) delayed by the highway construction. Not exactly. “Several” is plural. Click here to try again. Right! Let’s try one more. None of the employees ( take takes ) enough vacation time. Not quite! “None” in this case is considered plural because “none” refers to “employees.” Click here to try again. You’ve got it! This concludes the lesson. For more practice, try the supplemental PowerPoint containing just subject-verb agreement exercises.