Download Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement
Keep Your Eyes Open

Although often overlooked, problems with SubjectVerb Agreement are REAL!

To help avoid these errors, we will discuss:
How to make Subjects and Verbs agree in number,

Learn to spot and correct these errors and become a
believer.
Recognizing Subjects and
Verbs

A complete sentence must have a SUBJECT and a
VERB.

The subject is the who or what that performs the
action.

The verb is the action word.
Spot the Subject and Verb

The players on our side are strong.
 The players on our side are strong.

Players is the subject and are is the verb.
Once you’ve identified the Subject and the Verb,
you have to make sure they agree in Number.
 Singular subjects require singular verbs and plural
subjects require plural verbs.

What Next?
Important Notes!
 An
easy way to make your subjects and
verbs agree is to think about the S.
 Usually, plural nouns end with the letter S
and singular nouns do not.
 Verbs are the opposite:
 For the most part, singular verbs end with
the letter S and plural verbs do not.
Therefore . . .

The carS run, but the car runS.

The plural noun cars takes the plural verb
run. There is only one S in the pair.

The singular noun car takes the singular
verb runs. Again, There is only one S in the
pair.
1.The world (change, changes) so rapidly that we
can hardly keep up.
2. People (is, are) often ten or twenty years behind
the times in their knowledge of the world.
3. Life (is, are) very complicated.
4. The students in my class (has, have) very poor
work habits.
5. All of the children (was, were) hunting Easter eggs
in the garden.
Everybody (has,have) finished the race.
Sandy (get,gets) up early on weekdays.
Some of the students (is,are) reading books.
Richard (have, has) always been one of my best
students.
The Johnsons (is,are) moving to Darlington next
month.
Somebody (has, have) telephoned and asked for
you.
If a subject is plural, the verb must have a plural form,
and if the subject is singular, the verb must have a
singular form. Ignore prepositional phrases.
The rose in the vase is wilted.
The roses in the vase are wilted.
The man in the woods lives alone. (ignore in the woods)
The length of these boats is twenty feet (ignore of these
boats)
BEWARE

Compound subjects do not end with S.
 Instead, compound subjects consist of two
or more subjects joined by and.
 We treat these subjects like any other plural
subject.

The student and the instructor work long
hours.
BEWARE

The student and the instructor work long
hours.

The subject consists of two people.
Therefore, it is plural.
BEWARE

When subjects are joined by and and
combine to form a single thing or person,
they are treated like a singular subject.

Use a singular verb with such compound
subjects.
Spaghetti and meatballs has a place on many menus.
Spaghetti and meatballs is acting as 1 unit, as
a singular subject.
If the subjects are joined by or look at the
word closest to the verb to choose the correct
form.
The teacher or the students are bringing
snacks.
The students or the teacher is bringing snacks.
If subjects are joined by and you will use a
plural form unless the two items describe the
same person or thing.
The coach and the umpire were at home plate.
The creator and director of Schindler’s List is
Stephen Spielberg.
Both the cha-cha and the rumba are Cuban dances.
Macaroni and cheese is my favorite snack.
Using Each and Every

Each and Every are singular pronouns.

Therefore, they require singular verbs.

Every flying saucer was glowing.
Using Each and Every
BEWARE!
 You always use a singular verb with each
and every, even if they precede subjects
joined by and.
 Each alien hand and foot leaves a distinct
print.
Compound Subjects Joined
By Words Like Or


Be careful when your subjects are joined by
the following words:
or
 nor
 either . . . or
 neither . . . nor
 not only . . . but (also)
Compound Subjects Joined
By Words Like Or

In such cases, the verb agrees with the
subject nearest it.

Example:
Either the instructors or the student knows
the answer.

Try to ignore everything before the final
subject
Compound Subjects Joined
By Words Like Or

Either the instructors or the student knows
the answer.

The singular subject student requires the
singular verb knows.
What if the Subject is an
Indefinite Pronoun?

Indefinite Pronouns refer to nonspecific
people or things. They are usually singular
and require singular verbs.
What if the Subject is an
Indefinite Pronoun?

The following common Indefinite Pronouns
usually take singular verbs:

Another each
everything
anybody either neither
anyone every
nobody
anything everyone no one
nothing
somebody
someone
something
What if the Subject is an
Indefinite Pronoun?


BEWARE! A few indefinite pronouns—
none, some, more, most, any, and all—can
be either singular or plural, depending on
the context.
Example:
 Some of our streams are polluted; some
pollution is reversible, but all pollution is a
threat to nature
Making Verbs Agree With the
Antecedents of Who, Which,
and That

When Who, Which, or That starts a clause,
the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun to
which Who, Which, or That refers (its
Antecedent).
Making Verbs Agree With the
Antecedents of Who, Which,
and That

The scientist will share information with the
students who work with her.

George Jones is the student who works in
the lab.
Using Singular Verbs with
Titles and Terms


Titles and terms are treated as singular
subjects–even if they contain plural words.
Examples:
 Les Miserables is a popular musical.
 “Disciplinary measures” is a euphemism
for punishment.
You’ve Been Warned

See if you can spot Subject-Verb Agreement errors.

Subjects and Verbs must agree in number.

Be careful with subjects like Each and Every—these
are singular.

Pay close attention to subjects joined with words
like and and or—these subjects can be either
singular or plural.