Download Subject/Verb Agreement

PARTS OF SPEECH
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nouns
verbs
adjectives
adverbs
pronouns
conjunctions
prepositions
articles
Basic Sentence Structure
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Subject + Verb + Object
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John hit the ball.
The ball went over the fence.
A neighbor threw the ball back.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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The simple principle behind subject-verb
agreement…
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A singular subject demands a singular verb.
To make a verb singular…add an S, but the
noun/subject will not end in an S
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The student sings. (He or she sings)
The bird does migrate. (It does)
Subject/Verb Agreement
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The simple principle behind subject-verb
agreement…
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A plural subject demands a plural verb.
To make a verb plural…do not add an S to the
verb, instead add an S to the noun/subject
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The birds sing. (They sing)
Those birds do migrate. (They do)
Personal Pronouns
Subject
I
He
She
It
You
We
They
Who
+
Verb
+
(singular)
(singular)
(singular)
(singular)
(singular or plural)
(plural)
(plural)
(singular or plural)
Object
Me
Him
Her
It
You
Us
Them
Whom
Sentence Structures
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Sentence additions = subordinates
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One-word additions: adjectives, adverbs
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Multiword additions: phrases
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Outfielder John hit the slow ball.
The ball went over the fence in the bottom of the
ninth inning.
Multiword additions: clauses (dependent
or independent)
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A neighbor threw the ball back, which was
appreciated because it was the only ball either of
the teams brought to the game.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Where is my subject (the noun that goes
with the verb/action)?
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Most likely, your verb will agree with the
first noun to the left of the verb:
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The Supreme Court judge decides the
appropriate penalty.
The committee members were satisfied
with the resolution.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Where is my subject (the noun that goes
with the verb/action)?
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You will not find the subject in a
modifying phrase.
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The group of students is going on a field trip.
The survey covering seven colleges reveals
a growth in enrollment.
The speaker whom you saw at the lecture is
one of the state senators from Minnesota.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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What if I have TWO subjects (nouns)?
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If subjects are joined by and, they are
considered plural.
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The quarterback and the coach are having
a conference.
The eggs and bacon cook on the stove.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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What if I have TWO subjects (nouns)?
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If subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb
should agree with the closer subject.
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Either the actors or the director is at fault.
Either the director or the actors are at fault.
The eggs or bacon cooks on the stove.
The bacon or eggs cook on the stove.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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What if I have a subject related to a
pronoun in the same sentence?
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The relative pronouns (who, whom, which, and
that) are either singular or plural, depending on
the words they refer to.
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The sales manager is a good researcher who spends a
great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Sales managers are good researchers who spend a
great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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What if I have a pronoun in the sentence?
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Indefinite pronouns (someone, somebody,
each, either one, everyone, or anyone) are
considered singular and need singular verbs
although they convey plural meaning.
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Anyone who wants to pursue higher education
has to pass entrance exams.
Everyone on the committee is welcome to
express his or her ideas.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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What if I have a collective noun in the
sentence?
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A few nouns may seem to be plural but are
actually singular they mean a group of
individuals. These words are rarely used as
plurals in modern writing.
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The jury is sequestered.
The committee will vote on the issue.
Subject/Verb Agreement
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A few subjects look plural but are really
singular or vice versa.
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A few nouns may seem to be plural because
they end in an S or have both singular and
plural versions…but they are singular or
plural depending on their origin.
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The news of the discovery is spreading.
The data amaze everyone.