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Agreement
American Lit
Subject and Verb Agreement
 Singular and Plural Subjects
 A singular subject must have a singular verb
 A plural subject must have a plural verb
 Example:
 The planets travel through space.
 The planet Jupiter has sixteen known moons.
Intervening Phrases and Clauses
 A verb must agree with its subject even if a
phrase or clause comes between them
 Example:
 Sam, with several of his friends, observes the sky.
 Your theory, as well as his ideas, lacks support.
 Remember: Plural with plural, singular with singular
 Sam/observes
 Theory/lacks
Antecedent
 A word, phrase, or clause that is replaced by a
pronoun or other substitutes later, or occasionally
earlier, in the same or in another, usually
subsequent, sentence.
 Ex. Jane lost a glove and she can't find it.
 Jane is the antecedent of she and glove is the
antecedent of it.
Relative pronouns as subjects
 Remember relative pronouns?? (who, which,
that)
 When who, which, or that acts as a subject of a
subordinate clause, its verb is singular or plural,
depending on the number of its antecedent
 The antecedent of a relative pronoun
determines its agreement with a verb
 EX: Sam is the only one of the trainees who has
applied.
Compound Subjects
 A compound subject joined by and is generally
plural and must have a plural verb
 examples
 Wind and rain exist on Earth.
 Winds and rainstorms exist on Earth.
 Winds and rain exist on Earth.
 Exception to this rule-when the parts of the
compound subject equal one thing and when the
word each or every is used before a compound
subject. Then use a singular verb.
The exceptions
 Macaroni and cheese is an easy dish to make.
 Each man and woman was waving a flag.
Compound Subjects
 Two or more singular subjects joined by or or nor
must have a singular verb

Example
 Either Jupiter or Saturn makes a fascinating topic of
study.
 Two or more plural subjects joined by or or nor
must have a plural verb
 Example
 Space probes or space shuttles provide information
about space.
Compound subjects
 If one or more singular subjects are joined to one
or more plural subjects by or or nor, the subject
closest to the verb determines agreement
 Neither atmosphere nor clouds exist on Mercury.
 Neither clouds nor atmosphere exists on Mercury.
Confusing Subjects
 Hard to find subjects- When a subject comes
after its verb, the verb must still agree with the
subject in number
 A sentence in which the subject comes after its
verb is said to be inverted-you can check the
subject-verb agreement by mentally putting the
sentence in the normal subject-verb order
 Which of the science reports has she read?
 (She has read which of the science reports?)
Subjects of linking verbs
 a linking verb must agree with its subject,
regardless of the number of the predicate
nominative-the noun or pronoun that renames,
identifies, or explains the subject
 Moon craters are one sign of meteor storms.
 One sign of meteor storms is moon craters.
Collective Nouns
 a collective noun takes a singular verb when the
group it names acts as a single unit
 The class is excited to be learning about the solar
system.
 A collective noun takes a plural verb when the
group it names act as individuals with different
points of view
 The class are unable to decide which planets to
discuss in their reports.
Nouns that look like plurals
 Nouns that are plural in form, but singular in
meaning take singular verbs
 Some of these nouns are singular names for
branches of knowledge: acoustics, civics,
economics etc.
 Physics is a challenging subject. (S)
 My lost eyeglasses were behind the sofa. (P)
Indefinite Pronouns
 Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs
 Everyone in the room needs to take off her coat.
 Plural indefinite pronouns take plural verbs
 Both of these planets were formed at about the
same time.
 For those indefinite pronouns that can be either
singular or plural, agreement depends on the
number of the antecedent
Indefinite pronouns con’t
 The pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and
some usually take a singular verb if the
antecedent is singular and a plural verb if the
antecedent is plural.
 Most of the cake is gone.
 Most of the desserts are gone.
Titles
 A title is singular and therefore takes a singular
verb.
 Space is a novel by James A. Michener
 Of Mice and Men is a book by John Steinbeck.
Amounts and Measurements
 A noun expressing an amount or measurement is
usually singular and requires a singular verb
 singular when expressing single units (ex: one
sum of money)
 Twelve dollars is the price of the ticket.
 Thirty miles was a long distance to travel.
 Half of the invitations were mailed today. (P)