SUBJECT

VERB AGREEMENT

A.    Subject

Subject is the person/people/thing(s) that do the activity. I, you, they, we, she, he, it.

B.     Verb

Verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part  of the predicate of a sentence.

KIND OF VERBS:

1.      Action Verb

•      Also known as “Main Verb”.

•      Action verbs are words that express action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.).

•      Action verbs can be either transitive (with object) or intransitive (without object).

Example:

-          Laurissa raises her hand. (kkt)

-          Laurissa rises slowly from her seat. (kki)

2.      Linking Verbs

A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that renames or describes the subject.

To Be: is, am, are, was, were

Example: Lisa is in love with Jason.

Verb: seem, appear, become, grow, remain, get, prove, turn, look, sound, smell, taste, feel.

Example: She looks pale.

3.      Helping Verbs

Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey additional information regarding aspects of possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was, did, has, etc.)

MODALS always function as Helping Verbs.

MODALS: can, could, may, might, shall, will, ought to, should, would.

Example : Tejo is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.

MAIN RULE OF

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

1.      Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the concept.

Example :       

-          The dog growls when it is angry.

-          The dogs growl when they are angry

2.      Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect agreement.

Examples: The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

3.      Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.

Examples: The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

4.      When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed after the verb, so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.

Example : There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.

5.      If two subjects are joined by and, they typically require a plural verb form.

Example : The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

6.      The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same person or thing.

Example: Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

7.      If one of the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

Example: No smoking or drinking is allowed.

8.      If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also the verb is singular.

Example: Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

9.      The only time when the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb.

Example:

-          All of the chicken is gone.

-          All of the chickens are gone.

10.  The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.

Example: Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

11.  If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural.

Example: Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.

12.   If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the verb.

Example:

-          Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.

-          Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.

13.  Indefinite pronouns (everything, anything, everyone, someone, somebody, nothing, etc) typically take singular verbs.

Example:

-          Everybody wants to be loved.

-          Everything is gonna be alright.

14.  Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.

Example: Few were left alive after the flood.

15.  If two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.

Example: To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

16.  When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb form of the verb; but, when they are linked by and, they take the plural form.

Example: Standing in the water was a bad idea.

17.  Collective nouns like family, committee, herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.

Example: The herd is stampeding.

18.  Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.

Exercise :

Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

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

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

2.        Either my mother or my father (are) coming to the meeting.

3.        The dog or the cats (are) outside.

4.        Either my shoes or your coat (are) 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 (live) 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 (are) acceptable.

12.    Every one of those books (are) fiction.

13.    Nobody (know) the trouble I've seen.

14.    (Are) the news on at five or six?

15.    Mathematics (are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (are) Andrea's favorite subject.

16.    Eight dollars (are) the price of a movie these days.

17.    (is) 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 (debate) these questions carefully.

21.    The committee (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, (is) in this case.