SUBJECT-VERB

AGREEMENT
Basic Principle:

Singular subjects need

singular verbs; Plural
subjects need plural verbs.
The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone,
someone, no one, nobody are always
singular and, therefore, require singular
verbs.

Examples:
Everyone has done his or her homework.
Somebody has left her purse.
Some indefinite pronouns such as all,
some are singular or plural depending
on what they're referring to. (Is the thing
referred to countable or not?) Be careful
choosing a verb to accompany such
pronouns.

Examples :
Some of the beads are missing.
Some of the water is gone.
The indefinite pronouns several, few,
both, many, others are always plural

Examples:
Both were asking to be freed.
Several are seeking justice.
On the other hand, there is one indefinite
pronoun, none, that can be either singular or
plural; it often doesn't matter whether you use
a singular or a plural verb unless something
else in the sentence determines its number.
None of you claims responsibility for this
incident?
None of you claim responsibility for this
incident?
None of the students have done their
homework.
Some indefinite pronouns may be
either singular or plural:
with uncountable, usesingular;
with countable, use plural.

Examples :
Some of the sugar is on the floor.
Some of the marbles are on the floor.
Two singular subjects connected by or,
either/or, or neither/nor require a singular
verb.

Examples :
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train
today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today
with stage decorations.
With compound subjects joined by
or/nor, the verb agrees with the subject
nearer to it.

Examples :
Neither the director nor the actors are
following the lines closely.
Neither the actors nor the director is
following the lines closely.
As a general rule, use a plural verb with two
or more subjects when they are connected
by and.

Examples :
A car and a bike are my means of
transportation.
But note these exceptions:

Exceptions:
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:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is
expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the
In sentences beginning with here or there,
the true subject follows the verb.

Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
Use a singular verb with distances, periods
of time, sums of money, etc., when
considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for
that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered
on the floor.
With words that indicate portionse.g., a
lot, a majority, some, allRule 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:

A lot of the pie has

disappeared.
A lot of the pies have
disappeared.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
With collective nouns such as group, jury,
family, audience, population, the verb might
be singular or plural, depending on the
writer's intent.

Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have
arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor
Inverted Subjects must agree with the
verb.

Examples :
Waiter, there is a fly in my soup.
There are four flies in my soup.
How are the relatives taking the bad
news.
The pronoun YOU always takes a plural
verb.

Examples :
You were invited to come.
You are asked to clean the room.
You are so beautiful.
The ff. words are plural: pants, trousers,
pliers, scissors, shears, tongs. However,
if the word pair is used, the verb is
singular.

Examples :
The pants are torn into two.
The scissors are on the table.
The pair of scissors was placed on the
table.
Certain nouns, though plural in form, are
singular in meaning and therefore take
singular verb.

Examples:
Mathematics is my favorite subject.
The latest news is alarming to the
public.
Measles is a contagious disease.
When the word is preced by A, it takes
plural verb. When it is preceded by The,
it takes a singular verb.

Examples:
A number of students are waiting
outside.
The number of students outside is not
recorded yet.
Titles of single entities (books,
organizations, countries, movies, etc.) are
always singular.

Examples:
Great Expectations is a must read novel.
The Bahamas has beautiful beaches.
Philippines is a wondrous place.
If a sentence begins with the expletive It,
the verb is always singular even if the
subject that follows the verb is plural.

Examples:
It is the schools which must assume the
responsibility.
It is us who must take care of the
environment.
Thankyou !

QUIZ
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. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to
France.
5. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
6. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
7. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
8. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
9. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
10.Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
11.Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
12.(Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
13.Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject.
14.Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
15.(Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
16.Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
17.There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag.
18.The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
19.The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
20.The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
21.All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.
22.Everybody (enjoy, enjoys) a good song.
23.One of the cookies (is, are) missing.
24.Neither my brothers nor my father (is, are) going to sell the house.
25.In Dreams Become Responsibilities (is, are) a story by D. Schwartz.
1. Are
2. Is
3. Are
4. Is
5. Is
6. Lives
7. Takes
8. Want
9. Is
10. Is
11. Knows
12. Is
13. Is
14. Is
15. Are
16. Are
17. Were
18. Debates
19. Lead
20. Greets
21. Are
22. Enjoys
23. Is
24. Is
25. is