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Subject Verb Agreement

The document explains subject-verb agreement in English, emphasizing that verbs must match the number of their subjects. It outlines several rules, including how to handle singular and plural subjects, the impact of phrases like 'along with' or 'as well as', and the use of the subjunctive mood. Additionally, it provides examples and an exercise for practice.

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20 views

Subject Verb Agreement

The document explains subject-verb agreement in English, emphasizing that verbs must match the number of their subjects. It outlines several rules, including how to handle singular and plural subjects, the impact of phrases like 'along with' or 'as well as', and the use of the subjunctive mood. Additionally, it provides examples and an exercise for practice.

Uploaded by

the hustlers
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Subject Verb Agreement

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

In English, subject-verb agreement is important. What this means is that the characteristics of the subject
should be reflected in the verb. For example, if a subject is singular, the verb form must also be singular.

Incorrect She see you.

Correct She sees you.

Likewise, if a subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

Incorrect We sees you.

Correct We see you.

Unlike in other languages that require that subject and verb agree in both number and gender, English
verbs are not conjugated for gender and so require only that they match in number.

Basic Rule:-
A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a
plural verb.
Example:
The list of items is/are on the desk.

If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

Rule 1.
A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding subjects. The
word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes.

Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following
sentence:
Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend colour and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

Rule 2.
Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.
Examples:
1. My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

2. Neither Ram nor Rahim is available.

3. Either Pooja or Seema is helping today with stage decorations.


Rule 3.
The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.
Examples:

1. Neither they nor he goes to school.


2. Neither he nor they go to school.

Rule 4.
As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.
Example:
A car and a bike are my means of transportation.
But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:

1. Breaking and entering is against the law.


2. The bed and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

Rule 5 a.
Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc.
These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject
is singular.
Examples:

1. The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.


2. Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 5 b.
Parentheses are not part of the subject.
Example:
Gaurav (and his friend Saurav) was always welcome.

Rule 6.
In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.
Examples:
1. There are four boys.
2. There is only a girl.
3. Here are the keys.
4. Here is your book.

Rule 7.
Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.
Examples:
1. Three miles is too far to walk.
2. Five days is the maximum period to do this work.
3. Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.

Rule 8.
With words that indicate portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1 given earlier in this section is
reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of. If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is
plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
1. A lot of the pie has disappeared.
2. A lot of the pies have disappeared.
3. A third of the city is unemployed.
4. A third of the people are unemployed.
5. All of the pie is gone.
6. All of the pies are gone.
7. Some of the pie is missing.
8. Some of the pies are missing.

Rule 9.
The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact:
Example:

If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.

Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually here, so we
say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is used to express things that
are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory. The subjunctive mood pairs singular
subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.
Examples:
1. I wish it were Friday.
2. She requested that he raise his hand.

Exercise : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.

1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.


2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite
subject.
16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
21. The committee members (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.

Answer : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

1. Annie and her brothers are at school.


2. Either my mother or my father is coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats are outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat is always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara don't want to see that movie.
6. Benito doesn't know the answer.
7. One of my sisters is going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds lives on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, takes about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, want to win.
11. Either answer is acceptable.
12. Every one of those books is fiction.
13. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.
14. Is the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics is John's favorite subject, while Civics is Andrea's favorite subject.
16. Eight dollars is the price of a movie these days.
17. Are the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants are at the cleaner's.
19. There were fifteen candies in that bag. Now there is only one left!
20. The committee debates these questions carefully.
21. The committee members lead very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, greets the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, are in this case.

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