TÉCNICO UNIVERSITARIO EN TRADUCCIÓN

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SUBJECT-PREDICATE AGREEMENT

IRREGULAR OR UNUSUAL PLURALS

A verb must agree with its subject in person and number. We do not, for example, say I
is going (the subject I is 1st person, but the verb is going is 3rd person); nor do we say The case
of books are going (the subject case is singular, but the verb are going is plural). Rather, we say
I am going and The case of books is going.
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. To be sure that
the subject agrees with the predicate, the speaker or writer must be sure of the singular and
plural forms of the subject.
Most English nouns add s or es in order to form their plurals. Some nouns, however,
change endings (history-histories, elf-elves, child-children), and some change internal
vowels (tooth-teeth, woman-women). Still others follow other patterns (hero-heroes, but halo-
halos); so it is not always a simple matter to form the plural of an English noun.
In addition, some foreign words which we have adopted retain their original plural endings:
Singular Plural
criterion, phenomenon .......................... criteria, phenomena
crisis, thesis ........................................... crises, theses
bacterium, referendum, stratum ........... bacteria, referenda, strata
alumna .................................................... alumnae
alumnus .................................................. alumni
appendix, index ..................................... appendices, indices
tableau .................................................... tableaux

On the other hand, we use English plural forms for many of the foreign words which we
have adopted (formulas, stadiums, altos, sopranos, solos); therefore, knowing that a
singular form is Greek, Latin, French, Italian, etc. is not sufficient grounds for thinking that the
plural of the original language is the proper form in English. There is only one rule that can be
safely followed: When in doubt about the form of a plural, consult a dictionary.

PRACTICE: Circle the correct form within each set of parentheses.

1. His (thesis, theses) was that dinosaurs evolved from reptiles.

2. Five (alumna, alumnae) of the college donated large sums.
3. The phenomenon known as Northern Lights (is, are) exciting.
4. I think you will find that virtually all (stratum, strata) of society feel that way.
5. The corrections which were made on his master's thesis (is, are) very upsetting.

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6. The (criterion, criteria) he uses in his department don't change with every political breeze that
blows his way.
7. The audience witnessed several unexpected (tableau, tableaux) as the curtain rose at the
wrong time.
8. Well, sir, which crisis out of the day's (crisis, crises) did you enjoy most?
9. There are too many (appendix, appendices) to her book, and the (index, indices) doesn't
include even the essentials.
10. Dangerous bacteria (was, were) found in our drinking water.

EACH/EVERY
The singular possessive forms each and every make the subject singular and signal a
singular verb.

Examples: Every man, woman, and child is responsible.

Every one of the letters has to be retyped.
Each answer needs explaining.

SINGULAR PRONOUNS
Such pronouns as everybody everyone, nobody, no one, someone, somebody,
either, neither, one, another, each, etc. are singular and take the singular form of the verb.

Examples: One of the moving men is here.

They thought they had all the parts, but now they find that another is needed.
Neither of the plans has much appeal.
Each of the classes wants to lead the parade.

PLURAL PRONOUNS
Such pronouns as most, several, few, many, others, and both are plural and take the plural form
of the verb.

Examples: Several of the moving men are here.

Both of the plans have much appeal.
Few of the members agree with that decision.
Many have changed their jobs.
Others plan carefully.

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OTHER AGREEMENT
In addition to making certain that the subject and verb agree in person and number, the speaker
or writer must be careful to have agreement between the subject and any pronouns which refer
to the subject.

Examples: Every student must do his work.

Either of the boys will lend you his set, I'm sure.
Apparently one of the girls lost her shoes.
Everyone must turn in his uniform.

PRACTICE: Choose the correct word within each set of parentheses.

1. She (doesn't, don't) seem to be worried.
2. Several of the members of the team (doesn't, don't) have proper equipment.
3. (Has, have) either of you been hired yet?
4. My biggest problem (was, were) the noisy parties my neighbors had.
5. Will everybody please close (his book, their books)?
6. A large part of the testimony (was, were) files from previous cases.
7. If either one of you (do, does) that again, (he'll, they'll) be in deep trouble!
8. Do you think everybody always does (his, their) work on time?
9. Someday one of those remarks (is, are) going to damage someone's reputation unfairly.
10. Each performer is responsible for (her, their) own make-up.

COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Collective nouns such as jury, committee, class, faculty, etc., which are singular when
the group is thought of as a single unit, take a plural verb when the members of the group are
performing as individuals.

Examples: (Singular) The tennis team was victorious.

(Plural) The tennis team were repairing their racquets.

PRACTICE: In the following sentences, both the singular and the plural forms of the verbs are
given. Decide whether the collective noun which is the subject refers to the group as a whole or
as individual members, and then underline the correct form of the verb.

1. The class (has decided, have decided) unanimously to invite a political radical to speak at the
forum.
2. Generally speaking, society (does not approve, do not approve) that sort of behavior.
3. The family (is, are) not in agreement about Ken's having his own apartment.
4. Get back in your places, everyone; the audience (wants, want) another curtain call.
5. The foreman is reporting that the jury (has voted, have voted) 8-4 for acquittal.

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6. The cast (is rehearsing, are rehearsing) their parts in some of the dressing rooms.
7. An entire regiment (was needed, were needed) to put down the uprising.
8. The General Assembly (intends, intend) to hold a hearing on low-income housing within a
month.
9. The General Assembly (is, are) mostly lawyers, but there is a sprinkling of other occupations
also.
10. Once they reach London, the group (wants, want) to separate and pursue their own
itineraries.

PARENTHETICAL EXPRESSIONS
Parenthetical expressions, set off by commas, are phrases put into sentences as side
thoughts or added information. They do not influence any other part of the sentence
grammatically. (Notice especially the agreement of subject and verb in the first example.)

Examples: John, as well as his father, is going.

You should be happy about, not annoyed by, his decision.
The trichinosis worm, on the other hand, is transmitted by undercooked pork.
You see, gentlemen, that she was right after all.

COMPOUND SUBJECTS
Compound subjects joined by and are plural in meaning and take a plural verb.

Example: Mary and John are here.

The boys and their sister are here.

When the conjunctions either-or and neither-nor are used, they separate the compound
subject in meaning. The verb agrees in number with the nearer subject.

Example: Either the twins or Bill is going to do it.

Neither John nor his brothers are coming.
Neither the team members themselves nor the captain of the Centerdale
Tigers has made an effort to improve the situation.

COMMON MISTAKES
Errors in subject-predicate agreement usually result from one of these two causes: (1)
making a mistake in identifying the subject and thus making the verb agree with the wrong word
or (2) using the wrong form of words which refer to the subject. Study the examples below.

Incorrect: The master weaver, as well as the other craftsmen in the various trades and arts,
were highly skilled in their particular crafts.

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Correct: The master weaver, as well as the other craftsmen in the various trades and arts,
was highly skilled in his particular craft.

Incorrect: Their lives, their freedom, and their religion was in danger.
Correct: Their lives, their freedom, and their religion were in danger.

Incorrect: Neither you nor I are expected.

Correct: Neither you nor I am expected.

Incorrect: One of my biggest objections to your plans are your frequent absences from
work.
Correct: One of my biggest objections to your plans is your frequent absences from work.

Incorrect: Everyone who has entered the competition must bring in their display tomorrow.
Correct: Everyone who has entered the competition must bring in his display tomorrow.

Name _______________________________________________________ Date ___________

PRACTICE: !n the following sentences, underline the correct form, and identify the subject (N1)
and the verb (V or LV) of every clause.

1. What media (was used, were used) by Matisse in his work?

2. The tractor, in addition to the mowers, (has rusted, have rusted).

3. The referenda, including one which will be on the ballot again in September, lost (its, their)

effectiveness when the governor vetoed those four measures.

4. Each one of you (is, are) eligible for the award.

5. The coach suspected that nobody, in spite of all the extra time, had studied (his, their) new

plays.

6. Neither hailstorms nor thunder (has deterred, have deterred) him from doing his job.

7. Probably every world leader will be writing (his autobiography, their autobiographies) before

long, and each of us will be paying (his, our) good money for a copy.

8. (Does, Do) either of you want this newspaper?

9. The team (is asking, are asking) (its, their) parents to contribute time or money to the event.

10. Each of the students (was asked, were asked) to bring (his, their) own materials to class.

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 Supply Supply
doesn't or don't isn't or aren't

They _____________ ___________

He _____________ ___________

We _____________ ___________

Data _____________ ___________

Two men at the plant _____________ ___________

The price of steel _____________ ___________

Each of the workers _____________ ___________

Luis Pedro _____________ ___________

The men in the research division _____________ ___________

You, as well as Mrs. Allison, _____________ ___________

Each of us _____________ ___________

Mr. Johnson _____________ ___________

An alumnus _____________ ___________

One of the machines _____________ ___________

The manufacturer, along with his outlets, _____________ ___________

A look at the offices _____________ ___________

The machines in his department _____________ ___________

Two pieces of carbon paper _____________ ___________

Several appendices _____________ ___________

The accuracy of the report _____________ ___________

The letters to the sales department _____________ ___________

The members of the management committee _____________ ___________

Either of the owners _____________ ___________

The divisions of the factory _____________ ___________

Both managerial trainees _____________ ___________

These kinds of photo-copiers _____________ ___________

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PRACTICE: SUBJECT-PREDICATE AGREEMENT
DIRECTIONS: CIRCLE the correct form in parentheses, and on the line at the beginning of
each sentence, indicate whether the subject and verb are singular or plural.

_________ 1. The jewels in the safe (was, were) stolen last night.

_________ 2. The car with the black top (is, are) mine.

_________ 3. One of the dishes (has, have) been broken.

_________ 4. The boys with John's father (go, goes) to the ball park once a week.

_________ 5. Several of the music group (practice, practices) every day.

_________ 6. Tom or Jim (is, are) going to the store.

_________ 7. Neither the girls nor the boys (wish, wishes) to take part in the play.

_________ 8. Joan and her sister (know, knows) the basic dance steps for their recital.

_________ 9. There (is, are) too many people in the room.

_________ 10. (Doesn't, Don't) John know what is expected of him?

_________ 11. The spaghetti and meatballs (was, were) delicious!

_________ 12. Here (is, are) my cousin and her parents.

_________ 13. Everyone on the block (walk, walks) to school each day.

_________ 14. (Don't, Doesn't) he ever watch television?

_________ 15. A matching skirt and sweater (is, are) the most popular outfit with teen-age

girls.

_________ 16. Where (is, are) the rules for the game?

_________ 17. Not only the children but the parents, too, (enjoy, enjoys) the annual picnic at

the community center each year.

_________ 18. Why (does, do) some young people rebel against all forms of discipline?

_________ 19. Either John or his brother (take, takes) the dog for a walk each morning.

_________ 20. The coat with the large brown buttons (belong, belongs) to Sue.

PRACTICE: SUBJECT-PREDICATE AGREEMENT

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DIRECTIONS: CIRCLE the correct noun and/or verb in parentheses, CIRCLE the word with
which it agrees, and in the space provided, indicate if it is singular (S) or plural (P).

_________ 1. The data for his study of the college's growth (was, were) completed in time for

the board of trustees' meeting.

_________ 2. Each (alumna, alumnae) of the college (was, were) asked to make a pledge to

the college's annual drive for the alumnae scholarship fund.

_________ 3. The captain of any of the basketball or hockey teams at our school (has, have) a

special responsibility to his coach and his teammates.

_________ 4. During the summer months, most of the programs on television (is, are) repeats.

_________ 5. Neither the slacks nor the sweater (was, were) the correct size for Jim.

_________ 6. The teacher or her aide (is, are) always in the classroom when the children

enter.

_________ 7. Macaroni and meatballs or a hamburger and french fries (is, are) always a

favorite dish for young people.

_________ 8. The members of the local boy scout troop (is, are) selling Christmas trees and

wreaths this year.

_________ 9. The graduating class (is, are) presenting a musical program after the mid-year

recess.

_________ 10. Everyone in the class (has, have) a job in some capacity in the program.

_________ 11. Some of the people in the audience (was, were) disenchanted by the politician's

speech.

_________ 12. The coach, together with his player, (jog, jogs) three miles each day.

_________ 13. Every jogger (is, are) required to register before the race.

_________ 14. Many a student feels that (he is, they are) too busy with homework

assignments.

_________ 15. The president of the college said that every freshman should feel that (he is,

they are) a part of the college community.

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_________ 16. Everyone in a college should have some idea in (his, their) mind as to what (he,

they) hopes to gain from that degree program.

_________ 17. In college a student may acquire the ability to understand (himself, themselves)

and (his, their) fellow classmates.

_________ 18. Although the local dance company is only six years old, (they have, it has)

produced many talented dancers.

_________ 19. Either of the girls in the business office will let you use (her, their) typewriter.

_________ 20. Either Kevin or Bruce (is, are) leaving after (his, their) fourth period class.

PRACTICE: Make complete sentences out of the groups of words below by adding an
appropriate predicate to the subject which is given. Be careful to follow the rules you have
learned about the agreement of a verb with its subject. Label the verb S (singular) or P (plural).

1. The goats and the sheep, in spite of the weather, _________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ .

2. Either the grain sheds or the barn _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ .

3. She was convinced that neither the other women nor I _____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ .

4. Neither one of the leaders nor the ten followers ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ .

5. Either the roof or the sides ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ .