Subject verb agreement

sábado, 15 de mayo de 2021 10:45 a. m.

My daughter or my son is taking the job.

If you have two singular subjects linked through or, nor, etc. You use the singular form of
the verb or auxiliar.

Neihter my friends nor my sister was here.

Neihter my sister nor my friends were here.
If you link two subjects, (one plural and one singular for example) the structure of the verb
or auxiliar corresponds to the closest subject.

My car and my bike are my means of transportation

Two singular subjects linked by and become plural, and the structure of the verb or auxiliar
is considered for plurar.

The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.

If you give extra information about a main subject, you onliy take the main subject fot the
structure of the verb. In the example the main subject is "the politician" and extra
information is "along with the news men".

Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.

If something is between parentesis, that information is not part of the subject so it is not
considered for the structure of the verb or auxiliar.

There are four hunrdles to jump

Ten dollars is a high price to pay
Sometimes the subject is not before the verb.

A third of the city is unenployed

A third of the people are unenployed

If joe were here you'd be sorry

In hypotethical, unreal, or conditional situations you use were even if it is a singular subject.
In british englis it is correct to use was though.

S-V agreement página 1