MODULE NO.
1
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
A. COMMON MISTAKES:
1. When there is more than one noun before the verb, you make the verb agree with
the wrong one.
2. You make mistakes when there is more than one head noun joined by words like and, or,
nor.
3. You don't know what to do with some types of pronouns.
4. You don't know what to do with collective nouns.
5. You are confused by words that look plural but are ALWAYS singular.
6. You make plurals of some words that are only ever singular.
B. RULES
1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the
background of the concept.
The dog growls when he is angry.
The dogs growl when they are angry.
These clothes are too small for me.
Peter doesn't like vegetables.
2. Subordinate clauses that come between the subject and verb don't affect their agreement.
The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with a phrase or clause between the subject
and verb:
A theory of physics ascertains that a body in motion stays in motion.
A virus in all the company's computers is a real threat to security.
The causes of this prevalent disease are bad diet and lack of exercise.
The couch and chair I got at the store look really nice in here.
The members of the choir are very happy with the performance.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
4. When sentences start with "there" or "here," the subject will always be placed after the verb.
Some care needs to be taken to identify each part correctly.
There is a problem with the balance sheet.
Here are the papers you requested.
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately identify the
subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Where are the pieces of this puzzle?
6. If two subjects are joined by "and," they typically require a plural verb form.
The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
7. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by "and" refer to the same person or thing as
a whole.
Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.
Compound subjects (two subjects in the same sentence) usually take a plural verb, unless the
combination is treated as singular in popular usage or the two subjects refer to the same thing or
person. Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with compound subjects:
Sugar and flour are needed for the recipe.
Neither my dad nor my brothers know how to ski.
Pepperoni and cheese are great on a pizza.
Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional meal in Ireland. (popular usage)
The creator and producer is arriving soon. (both refer to same person)
When using "or" or "nor" in a compound subject containing a singular and plural subject, the
verb agrees with the closest subject. Examples of compound subjects using or, neither-nor, or
either-or include:
My mom or dad is coming to the play. (singular)
Neither gray nor white is my favorite color. (singular)
Either Grandpa or my sisters are going to the park. (closest subject is plural)
Either my sisters or Grandpa is going to the park. (closest subject is singular)
Neither she nor I am going to college. (closest subject is singular)
8. If one of the words "each," "every," or "no" comes before the subject, the verb is singular.
No smoking or drinking is allowed.
Every man and woman is required to check in.
Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with singular indefinite pronouns:
Each gets a trophy for playing.
Somebody will pay for this.
Anybody is more fun than you.
Something is very wrong here.
Everybody enjoys a good book.
Nothing has been determined as of yet.
9. If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words "or," "nor," "neither/nor,"
"either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is singular.
Either Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.
Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with plural indefinite pronouns:
Both are qualified for the job.
Many went to the beach and got sunburned.
Few know what it really takes to get ahead.
Several are already on location.
Some sugar is required for taste. (sugar is uncountable so singular verb used)
Most of the cookies were eaten. (cookies are countable so plural verb used)
10. The only time the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is when
noun and pronoun subjects like "some," "half," "none," "more," or "all" are followed by a
prepositional phrase. Then the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb.
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens are gone.
11. The singular verb form is usually reserved for units of measurement or time.
Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.
12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words "or," "nor," "neither/nor,"
"either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is plural.
Not only dogs but also cats are available at the animal shelter.
13. If one subject is singular and the other is plural, and the words are connected by the words
"or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," use the verb form of the subject that
is nearest the verb.
Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.
14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs (with some exceptions).
Everybody wants to be loved.
15. The exceptions to the above rule include the pronouns "few," "many," "several," "both,"
"all," and "some." These always take the plural form.
Few were left alive after the flood.
16. If two infinitives are separated by "and," they take the plural form of the verb.
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular form of the verb.
However, when they are linked by "and," they take the plural form.
Standing in the water was a bad idea.
Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.
18. A collective noun, such as "team" or "staff," can be either singular or plural depending upon
the rest of the sentence. Typically, they take the singular form, as the collective noun is treated as
a cohesive single unit.
The herd is stampeding.
Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on meaning.
The committee meets here every Thursday. (singular)
The crowd is getting angry. (singular)
The jury has finally reached a decision. (singular)
The majority rules most of the time. (singular)
The staff have gone their separate ways for the holidays. (plural)
Inverted Subjects
19. Titles of books, movies, novels, and other similar works are treated as singular and take a
singular verb.
The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.
20. Final rule: Remember, only the subject affects the verb! Nothing else matters.
Jacob, who owns sixteen houses, is on his way to becoming a billionaire.
C. ADDITIONAL NOTES
"Anyone," "everyone," "someone," "no one," and "nobody" always require singular
verbs.
"Neither" and "either" require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring to
two separate things..
Words that indicate portions of a whole, such as "percent," "fraction," "some," "none,"
and "remainder" require a singular verb only if the object of the preposition is singular.
"Who," "that," and "which" can be singular or plural, according to the noun directly in
front of them.
The phrase introduced by "as well as" or "along with" modifies the earlier word, but
doesn't compound the subjects.
Modifiers between the subject and verb do not affect whether the verb is singular or
plural.
Just because a word ends in -s doesn't automatically make it plural.
References:
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/20-rules-of-subject-verb-agreement.html
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-subject-verb-agreement.html
https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/12076/pages/common-mistakes-subject-verb-agreement-
continued?module_item_id=644388
