Download Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject Verb
Agreement
The Rule
A verb must agree
with its subject in
number and
person
A singular subject
takes a singular verb
A plural subject
takes a plural verb
With most verbs, the only
change in form to indicate
agreement in person
occurs in the present
tense. An –s (or –es) is
added to the base form of
the verb when its subject
is third-person singular.
Example
Singular
She speaks.
He exercises.
She pitches
Plural
They speak.
They exercise.
They pitch.
Avoid mistaking a
word in a
prepositional
phrase for the
subject of a
sentence
Example
The concerns of Dr.
Anagnos did not stop
Annie from traveling to
Alabama.
Predicate Nominative
(PN)
Follows a linking verb
and describes the
subject of the
sentence.
Predicate Nominative
(PN)
Do not be confused by a
predicate nominative that
is different in number from
the subject. Only the
subject affects the number
of the linking verb.
Example
S: The lightest crate
is two tons.
P: Recent studies on
the behavior of wild
animals are his topic
for the day.
Inverted Sentences
An inverted sentence is a
sentence in which the
subject follows the verb. In
these sentences, be careful
when locating the subject,
and make sure the subject
agrees with the verb.
Examples
SINGULAR:
In the jungle roars
the lion.
PLURAL:
In the jungle roar the
lions.
Collective Nouns
A collective noun names a group.
EXAMPLES:
family
team
class
committee
A collective noun is
singular when it refers to a
group as a whole.
A collective noun is plural
when it refers to each
member of the group
individually.
Examples
1. SINGULAR: His family arrives.
2. PLURAL: His family are well.
3. SINGULAR: The committee
decides.
4. PLURAL: The committee sign
their names.
Special Nouns
Certain nouns that end in –s,
such as mumps, measles,
and mathematics, take
singular verbs.
S: Mumps is a disease.
Special Nouns
Certain other nouns that end
in –s, such as scissors,
pants, binoculars, and
eyeglasses, take plural
verbs.
P: The scissors were sharp.
Special Nouns
Many nouns that end in –ics may
be singular or plural, depending
upon their meaning.
S: Statistics is an interesting
subject.
P: Statistics show that women
live longer than men.
Nouns of Amount
When a noun of amount
refers to a total that is
considered as one unit,
the noun is singular.
S: Three dollars is not too
much money for that book.
Nouns of Amount
When a noun of amount
refers to a number of
individual units, the noun
is plural.
S: Three dollars are on the table.
Titles
A title is always singular,
even if a noun within the
title is plural.
S: The Miracle Worker
is the story of Helen
Keller and Annie
Sullivan.
Compound Subjects
A compound subject that
is joined by and or
both…and is plural
unless its parts belong to
one unit or the parts both
refer to the same person
or thing.
Examples
P: The lion and the
tiger are roaring.
Both skiing and skating are fun.
S: Peanut butter and jelly
is a favorite combination.
His friend and companion
accompanies him.
Compound Subjects
Compound subjects
joined by or or nor (or by
either…or or
neither…nor), the verb
always agrees with the
subject nearer the verb.
Compound Subjects
P: Neither the lion nor the
tigers are roaring.
S: Either the lion or the
tiger is roaring.
Neither the lions nor the
tiger roars.
Compound Subjects
When many a, every, or each
precedes a compound subject, the
subject is considered singular.
S: Many a giraffe and elephant
lives in the nature preserve.
Every chair, bench, and table
was taken.
Each lion and tiger is roaring.
Intervening
Expressions
Some expressions, such as
accompanied by, as well as, in
addition to, plus, and together
with, introduce phrases that
modify the subject but do not
change its number. These
expressions do not create
compound subjects.
Examples
1. Margaret , accompanied by her
date, was the first girl to dance.
2. The pianist, as well as the
guitarist, the saxophonist, and
the lead singer, is late.
3. Her course load, plus her
extracurricular activities, was a
lot to handle.
Indefinite Pronouns as
Subjects
A verb must agree in number
with an indefinite pronoun
subject.
There are three groups of
indefinite pronouns: always
singular, always plural, and
singular or plural.
Singular Indefinite
Pronouns
Singular indefinite pronouns
always take singular verbs.
1.Everybody is going to the
rodeo.
2.No one in the audience
looks upset.
Plural Indefinite
Pronouns
Plural indefinite pronouns
always take plural verbs.
P: Both of the children are in
school this morning.
P: Many of the books were
donated to the library.
Singular or Plural
A pronoun from the group
labeled “singular or plural can
be either singular or plural,
depending on the noun to
which it refers.
S: Some of the dessert is left.
P: Some of the commuters were
caught in the rainstorm.
THE END!
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