Grammar Lecture 4

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject- Verb Agreement

When

the subject of a sentence is

composed of two or more nouns or
pronouns connected by and, use a
plural verb.
She and her friends are at the fair.
My friend and I am in the same class.
My friend and I are in the same class.

When

a subject contains both a

singular and a plural noun or
pronoun joined by or, or nor, the
verb should agree with the part
of the subject that is nearer the
verb.
The boy or his friends run every
day.
His friends or the boy runs every

But What is This Person

Game?
Doesn't

is a contraction of does
not and should be used only with a
third-person singular subject.
Don't is a contraction of do not and
should be used only with a firstperson or a second-person subject.
For example,
He doesnt like it.
They dont like it.

First-Person Subject
The

speaker/utterer of a
sentence is first person and
requires a first person pronoun.
I (Singular)
We (Plural)

Second-Person Subject
The

addressee of a sentence is
Second Person and requires a
second-person pronoun.
You (Singular)
You (Plural)

Third-Person Subject
The

person that is neither the

speaker nor the addressee of a
sentence is a third person and
calls for a third-person pronoun.
He, she and it (Singular)
They (Plural)

Hows Yew?

How are You?

Let us go then you and I

When the evening is spread
against the sky!

Two Three One (231)

In

a sentence, pronouns are

placed in the following sequence.
Second Person
Third Person
First Person

Subject-Verb Agreement
The

words each, each one,

either, neither, everyone,
everybody, anybody, anyone,
nobody, somebody, someone,
and no one are singular and
require a singular verb.
Everybody in class knows Maam
Maryam.
Either of you are correct.

Mr. Abrar are our grammar

teacher!
Nouns

such as civics,
mathematics, and news require
singular verbs.
The news are at six.
The news is at six.
The United States of America is a
big country.
Mr. Abrar is our grammar teacher.

In

sentences beginning with

there is or there are, the subject
follows the verb. Since there is
not the subject, the verb agrees
with what follows.
For example,
There are many questions.
There is a question.

Collective

nouns are words that imply

more than one person but that are
considered singular and take a
singular verb, such as: group, team,
committee, class, and family.

The team runs during practice.

The committee decides how to
proceed.
This class is very intelligent.

In

very few cases, the plural verb

is used if the individuals in the
group are thought of and
specifically referred to.

My family have never been able to

agree.
Pakistan have won the final match.

Expressions

such as with,
together with, including,
accompanied by, in addition to,
or as well as do not change the
number of the subject. If the
subject is singular, the verb is
too.
The President, accompanied by his
wife, is traveling to India.
Ahmad, as well as Ali, deserves it.

Thank You!