Name: __________________________

English 10 Honors
Warm Ups 3.4
Subject-Verb Agreement

MORE RULES FOR SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Rule 5: Subjects joined by and are plural. Subjects joined by or or nor take a verb that agrees with the subject
closest to the verb.
Bob and George ARE leaving.
Neither Bob nor George IS leaving.
Neither Bob nor his friends ARE leaving.
Rule 6: There and here are NEVER subjects. In sentences that begin with these words, the subject is usually found
later on in the sentence.
There were five books on the shelf. (were agrees with the subject books)
Here is the report you wanted. (is agrees with the subject report)
Rule 7: Collective nouns may be singular or plural depending on their use in a sentence. A collective nouns is
used to name a whole group.
Common examples of collective nouns are: army, audience, class, club, committee, crowd, flock, group, herd, jury,
orchestra, public, swarm, team, troop, United States.
The orchestra is playing a hit song. (Orchestra is considered as on unit in this sentencesingular noun)
The orchestra were asked to give their musical backgrounds. (Orchestra is considered as separate
individualsplural verb)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Day One: _______
Circle the correct verb in each of the sentences below.
1. Margo and her parents (visit/visits) each other often.
2. Either the cups or the glasses (are/is) in the dishwasher.
3. There (is/are) a dog, a cat, and a bird in the garage.
4. Neither Matt nor his brothers (was/were) at the party.
5. Here into the main ring of the circus (come/comes) the trained elephants.
6. Either the workers or the boss (deliver/delivers) the merchandise.
7. The jury (was/were) polled for their verdicts.
8. The United States (is/are) are country of contrasts.
9. The family (is/are) occupied with their individual problems.
10.A magazine and a book (was/were) lying on the floor.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
Rule 8: Expressions of time, money, measurement and weight are usually singular when the amount is
considered one unit.
Five dollars is too much to ask.
Ten days is not nearly enough time.
(turn over for rule 9 )

Name: __________________________
English 10 Honors
Warm Ups 3.4
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rule 9: Some nous, while plural in form, are actually singular in meaning.
Mathematics is an easy subject for me.
The morning news starts at 4:30.
Rule 10: Dont and doesnt must agree with the subject.
Doesnt he know how to sail?
They dont make movies like that anymore.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Day Two: _______
Circle the correct verb in each of the sentences below.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Mumps (is/are) one of the most uncomfortable diseases.

One hundred dollars (is/are) not a lot of money to some people.
She (doesnt/dont) look well today.
Twenty minutes (is/are) the amount of time it takes me to get home from
work.
5. It (doesnt/dont) seem so cold today.
6. Gymnastics (is/are) easy for Angela.
7. Interesting news (is/are) what sells our paper.
8. A pound of cookies (cost/costs) about a dollar.
9. They (doesnt/dont) think theyll win the game tonight.
10.He (doesnt/dont) speak very well.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________

QUI

Choose three of the rules given on this page and create a sentence for
each one, properly demonstrating the rule.
Make sure you label the rule you are demonstrating for each.

Rule #______:
Sentence:

Rule #______:
Sentence:

Rule #______:

QUI

Name: __________________________

Sentence:

QUI

English 10 Honors
Warm Ups 3.4
Subject-Verb Agreement

QUI