Teacher: Nasser Gorsi

Subject Verb Agreement

When writing, it's important to

make sure that your subjects
and verbs 'agree' with each
other. That means that plural
subjects should be matched to
plural verbs and singular verbs
should be matched to singular
subjects. If you don't do this,
the sentence is not only
grammatically incorrect but
confusing.
 Singular and Plural Subjects
Present Tense
Let's look at subject-verb agreement in
the present tense.

‘The valet crash the car.’

‘The owners is upset.’

Both of these sentences probably look

and sound funny to you, but let's
examine why. In the first sentence, we
have a singular subject - that's 'the
valet' - and in the second sentence, we
have a plural subject - that's ‘owners.’

In the present tense, to make a verb

singular, you usually add an '-s' or '-es',
‘ies’ while to make a noun singular you
remove the '-s'.
What to do?
Rule: So, to make the subjects and
verbs agree in the first sentence, we
would either have to change the
subject to make it plural (since the
verb is plural) like so:

‘The valets crash the car.’

Or
Change the verb to make it singular by
adding '-es', making it:
‘The valet crashes the car.’
• Likewise, in the second sentence,
you must change the form of the
verb 'to be' to its plural form or
change the subject to its singular
form, making it either:

‘The owner is upset.’

or
‘The owners are upset.’
 Examples

1. My boss always care for his

employees.
2. My boss always cares for his
employees.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. My boss always care for his

employees.
2. My boss always cares for his
employees.
1. We play cricket in the evening.
2. We plays cricket in the evening.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. We play cricket in the evening.

2. We plays cricket in the evening.
1. I wake up at 5 am.
2. I wakes up at 5 am.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. I wake up at 5 am.
2. I wakes up at 5 am.
1. I drinks 3 cups of tea every day.
2. I drink 3 cups of tea every day.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. I drinks 3 cups of tea every day.

2. I drink 3 cups of tea every day.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. I start my morning with earl grey

tea.
2. I starts my morning with earl
grey tea.
 I He
We She
You It
They Name

Verbs without Verbs with ‘s’/

‘s’/ ‘es’ or ‘ies’ ‘es’ or ‘ies’

1. I start my morning with earl grey

tea.
2. I starts my morning with earl
grey tea.
1. We prefers tea to coffee.
2. We prefer tea to coffee.
1. We prefers tea to coffee.
2. We prefer tea to coffee.
1. She goes to gym in the morning.
2. She go to gym in the morning.
1. She goes to gym in the morning.
2. She go to gym in the morning.
1. They come here every Sunday.
2. They comes here every Sunday.
1. They come here every Sunday.
2. They comes here every Sunday.
1. He do not know French.
2. He does not know French.
1. He do not know French.
2. He does not know French.
1. He does not know how to cook.
2. He do not know how to cook.
1. He does not know how to cook.
2. He do not know how to cook.
1. My sister drives carefully.
2. My sister drive carefully.
1. My sister drives carefully.
2. My sister drive carefully.
1. My brother teaches economics.
/ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪks/
2. My brother teach economics.
/ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪks/
1. My brother teaches economics.
/ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪks/
2. My brother teach economics.
1. My mother write stories.
2. My mother writes stories.
1. My mother write stories.
2. My mother writes stories.
1. His family lives here.
2. His family live here.
1. His family lives here.
2. His family live here.
1. A bouquet of red roses lend
colour and fragrance
/ˈfreɪ.ɡrəns/ to the room.

There is something wrong with

this sentence.
1. A bouquet of red roses lend
colour and fragrance /ˈfreɪ.ɡrəns/
to the room.

2. A bouquet of red roses lends

colour and fragrance /ˈfreɪ.ɡrəns/
to the room.
1. My friends calls me at the
weekends.
2. My friends call me at the
weekends.
1. My friends calls me at the
weekends.
2. My friends call me at the
weekends.
1. My friend invites me to dinner.
2. My friend invite me to dinner.
1. My friend invites me to dinner.
2. My friend invite me to dinner.
1. His cousin seems funny.
2. His cousin seem funny.
1. His cousin seems funny.
2. His cousin seem funny.
1. The weather is beautiful today.
2. The weather are beautiful today.
1. The weather is beautiful today.
2. The weather are beautiful today.
 Two singular subjects connected by
or, either/or, or neither/nor require a
singular verb.

Examples
1. My aunt or my uncle is arriving by
train today.
2. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo is available.
3. Either James or Emma is helping today
with stage decorations.
Some exercise!
1. Neither of them _____how to
get to base camp.

a) know
b) knows
1. Neither of them _____ how to
get to base camp.

a) know
b) knows
2. It will be hard for them to get
there, as neither Kate nor her
friends _____how to drive.

a) know
b) knows
2. It will be hard for them to get
there, as neither Kate nor her
friends _____how to drive.

a) know
b) knows
In this example, neither … nor is a
two-part conjunction joining two
subjects. The verb must therefore
be plural to agree with the nearer
subject (her friends).
3. Usually, either my niece or my
nephew _____me up at the
airport.

a) picks
b) pick
3. Usually, either my niece or my
nephew _____me up at the
airport.

a) picks
b) pick
4. ____either of you speak Russian?

a) Do
b) Does
4. ____either of you speak Russian?

a) Do
b) Does
5. Did you know that neither Norway nor
Switzerland _____in the European Union?

a) Is
b) are
5. Did you know that neither Norway
nor Switzerland _____in the European
Union?

a) Is
b) are
6. Either Tracy or her sisters
_____supposed to prepare
dinner, but nothing is ready.

a) Was
b) Were
6. Either Tracy or her sisters
_____supposed to prepare
dinner, but nothing is ready.

a) Was
b) Were
7. Neither of my daughters _____old
enough to go on that amusement
ride.

a) looks
b) look
7. Neither of my daughters
_____old enough to go on that
amusement ride.

a) looks
b) look
Because neither is a singular
pronoun acting as the subject of
the sentence. The singular subject
(Neither) must take a singular
verb (looks).
8. It’s a shame that neither the pink
one nor the white one _____in size
16.

a) come
b) comes
8. It’s a shame that neither the
pink one nor the white one
_____in size 16.

a) come
b) comes
9. Either he or you _____ to clean up
this room.

a) has
b) have
9. Either he or you _____to clean
up this room.

a) has
b) have
10. Either _____fine with me.

a) is
b) are
10. Either _____fine with me.

a) is
b) Are

Because either is a singular

pronoun acting as the subject of
the sentence. The singular subject
(Either) must take a singular verb
(is).
• Use a singular verb
when two or more
subjects connected
by and refer to the
same person or thing.
1. Our secretary and treasurer is
James Bond. (One person.)
2. Corned soup and bread is his
favorite dish. (One dish.)
3. Wear and tear has to be expected
when you're in the rental
business. (One type of damage.)
• Use a singular verb
when two or more
subjects connected
by and are
preceded by each,
every, many
a, or many an.
INCORRECT: Every computer, printer,
and fax machine are marked.

CORRECT: Every computer, printer, and

fax machine is marked.

INCORRECT: Every student and teacher

have to wear a uniform.
CORRECT: Every student and teacher
has to wear a uniform.

(The singular verb ‘has’ agrees with

‘every’, not ‘student and teacher’.)
1. Enigma /ɪˈnɪɡ.mə/

亲爱的司法
人员，我相
信你
 1. Enigma /ɪˈnɪɡ.mə/
亲爱的司法人员，我相信你

Meaning: ​A person, thing or

situation that is mysterious and
difficult to understand.

Sentences:
1. Even after years he still remains
an enigma /ɪˈnɪɡ.mə/ to me.
2. The newspapers were full of
stories about the enigma of the
plane's disappearance. (MH-370)
2. Fervid
 2. Fervid

Meaning: ​Feeling something too

strongly; showing feelings that are
too strong.
Sentences:
1. The politician spoke with a fervid
intensity that made people want to
vote for him.
2. Because I am concerned about the
future of our youth, I am a fervid
supporter of education reform.
Time to say bye