RULES AND

EXAMPLES
 RULE 1
A singular
subject goes
with a singular
verb.
Jaimie plays the
guitar every day.

She sets the tray

on the table.
 RULE 2
A plural subject
goes with a
plural verb.
My friends play
snake and ladder

The students are

playing chess.
 Subject I must
have the verb am.

(I is)(I are)(I am)

I am with you.
 RULE 3
Subjects
connected by
“and” must have
a plural verb.
Aries and Lira
are singing…

Aries and Lira

sing together.
 RULE 4
Subjects
connected by
“or/nor” must have
a singular verb.
Either Mari or
Joy is happy.

Neither Jun nor

Jan plays today.
1. Luke (follow,
follows) the line.
2. Either Missy or
Vin (paint, paints)

3. The flowers
(smell, smells)
good.
 4. Apple and
orange (is, are)
fruits.
Recite the first 4
Subject-Verb Rules
 RULE 5
If the subject contains
both singular and
plural noun, the
subject closer to the
verb will be the basis.
Ann & her friends
meet at the café.
th

Neither batteries
nor machine
operates well.
 RULE 6
A singular subject
uses “does not” and a
plural subject uses
“do not”.
Exception: subject “I”
He does not eat
ice cream & pie.

I do not want
you to be hurt.
 RULE 7
If there’s an additional
phrase, the verb should
agree with the main
subject and not be
influenced by the phrase
>This book, as well as
all the other books of
the writers is fun to
read.
>A basket of flowers
is under that round
table.
 RULE 8
The SUBJECTS: each,
each one, everyone,
everybody, nobody,
somebody, anybody,
someone & no one
Verb needed: SINGULAR
Each one of you
is going to win.

Someone needs
your loving arms
1. They (does, do)
not want the food
 2. Codi and his
mates (is, are)
whistling.
3. No one from the
grade 5 students
(is, are) quiet.
4. English, as well as
the other languages
we’ve learned (is,
are) easy to use.
Note: “you” must
have a plural verb.
 Other RULES
9. When sentence
starts with there or
here, the subject will
always be placed
after the verb.
 Here are the
papers you
requested.
There is a problem
with the company.
 Other RULES
10. The singular verb
form is usually used
for units of
measurement or
time.
Four quarts of oil
was required to
get it running.
Ten minutes is
enough to complete
the task.
 Other RULES
11. Subjects that are
singular in number
but plural in form
need to have a
singular verb.
Examples:
Mathematics,
measles, mumps,
news, civics, shorts,
scissors, pants,
trousers, Physics