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Subject – Verb Agreement
Number and Agreement of Subject
and Verb
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Most singular nouns do not end in –s.
Most singular verbs end in –s.
Most plural nouns end in –s.
Most plural verbs do not end in –s.
A verb must agree with its subject
in number.
• A singular subject takes a singular verb.
• A plural subject takes a plural verb.
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Examples:
The ocean roars in the distance.
Marla plays the trumpet.
Squirrels eat the seeds from the bird
feeder.
• The dancers practice after school.
The singular pronouns “I” and “you”
take plural verbs.
• Examples:
• You look beautiful.
• I eat two bowls of cereal each morning.
Compound Subjects
• A compound subject is made up of two or more
subjects that are connected by and, or, or nor.
• Subjects connected by “and” take a plural verb.
• When subjects are connected by “or” or “nor”,
the verb agrees with the subject nearer to the
verb.
• Examples:
• The boy and the girl work on their homework.
• The boy or the girls run around the track.
• The girls or the boy runs around the track.
Subject After the Verb
• When the subject follows the verb, find the
subject. Then make sure that the verb
agrees with it.
• Examples:
• There are fifty runners in the marathon.
• There is the winner.
• Here is my library card.
• Are the birds in the nest?
Problems in Agreement
• Be careful when a phrase comes between
the subject and the verb. The verb agrees
with the subject, not the noun or pronoun
in the phrase.
• Examples:
• These shades of blue are my favorite.
• The smallest kitten of the four is sleeping
in the basket.
Indefinite Pronouns
• An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a
definite person, place, thing or idea.
• Singular indefinite pronouns require
singular verbs.
• Examples:
• each, either, neither, one, everyone,
everybody, no one, nobody, anyone,
anybody, someone, somebody
Indefinite Pronouns
• Plural indefinite pronouns require plural
verbs.
• Examples:
• Both, few, many, several
• Some indefinite pronouns can be either
singular or plural and require singular or
plural verbs.
• Examples:
• All, any, most, none, some
Don’t and Doesn’t
• Don’t is short for do not. Use don’t with all
plural subjects and with pronouns “I” and
“you”.
• Doesn’t is short for does not. Use doesn’t
with all singular subjects except pronouns
“I” and “you”.