Sub jec t- Ver b

A g re em en t
Eng 6
Teaching and A ssessment of
the Grammar
Subject-Verb Agreement
means that a subject and its verb must be both singular
or plural, or the subject and the verb in an English
sentence must agree.
This is true most of the time because nouns and verbs
agree oppositely in some cases, like in the present tense.
When your subject is plural, you add another “s,” e.g.,
car and cars, baby & babies. But when the subject is
plural, your verb is in its singular form (without the
additional “s”).
What is Subject-verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means that a subject and

its verb must be both singular or both plural:

A singular subject takes a singular verb

A plural subject takes a plural verb
What is Subject-verb Agreement?
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject
and the verb must agree in case and in number.
When a writer uses a singular noun, he must use
a verb that is conjugated to match singular
nouns.
When a writer uses a plural noun, he must use a
verb that is conjugated to match plural nouns.
Basic rules: singular subjects must have singular verbs. Plural
subjects take plural verbs.
Rules on subject-verb agreement
• The pronoun “YOU” always takes a plural verb.
- You are asked to wash the dishes.
• If a sentence begins with HERE or THERE, the verb
agrees with the subject which follows it.
- Here are the ways how to preserve meat.
• If two subjects, one single and one plural, are connected by
EITHER/OR or NEITHER/NOR, the verb agrees with
the nearer subject.
- Neither the players nor the coach is joining
• A singular subject followed by intervening words or
phrases such as WITH, A WELL AS, IN ADDITION
TO, ACCOMPANIED BY, TOGETHER WITH,
and NO LESS THAN takes a singular verb.
- Daddy, as well as my brothers, is enjoying the party.

• Singular subjects joined by AND require a plural verb,

except when they mean one thing.
- Joana and ana are reading novels.
 • Two singular subjects joined by EITHER/OR or
NEITHER/NOR take a singular verb.
- Either mommy or daddy is coming with me to my
graduation day.
• If a singular subject is followed by a phrase containing
a plural noun, the verb is singular.
- One of the members is against the rule.
• The indefinite pronouns SEVERAL, FEW, BOTH,
MANY, OTHERS are always plural.
- Several are seeking justice.
• The indefinite pronouns SOME, MOST, ALL, and
NONE are singular or plural according to the
sentence's meaning.
- Some of the boys were absent.

• Indefinite pronouns EVERBODY, SOMEONE,

NOBODY, ANYBODY take singular forms.
Everybody wants to be loved.
Nobody likes to be left out.
 • Expressions of time, money, weight and distance are
singular even if the form is plural.
- One million dollars was given back to the owner
Modal Auxiliary verbs like MAY, WILL, SHOULD,
COULD, and MUST. The verb following the modal
verb is never in the S form; it is always in the infinitive
form.
- My friends might come. ✅
- My friend might comes. ❌
 • When the amount of money refers to separate units,
the verb is plural.
Example:
1. Four 200-peso bills were added to her allowance.
In this example, we are referring to the separate units of
the money, which is “FOUR”. Therefore, the verb is
plural. That’s why we use the verb “WERE.”
• The following words are always plural: PANTS,
TROUSERS, PLIERS, SCISSORS SHEARS, TONGS,
JEANS etc.However, if the word PAIR OF is used,
the verb is singular.
 Examples:
1. The trousers are placed in the cabinet.
2. The pair of pants was cutted into pieces.

In example number 1, “TROUSERS” is always

considered plural, that’s why we use the verb “ARE”. In
example number 2, we used “PAIR OF”, which means
we are only referring to the other pair of the pants. In
that instance, we can consider that it is singular. That’s
why we use the verb “WAS.”
• Certain nouns, though plural in form, are singular in meaning
and therefore take singular verbs. Some of the nouns are
mathematics, news, statistics, physics, electronics, politics, etc.
Examples:
1. Politics is my cup of tea.
2. The current news is very perturbing.
• When the word is preceded by A, it takes a plural verb.When
it is preceded by THE, it takes a singular verb.
Examples:
1. A number of customers are eating inside.
2. The number of applicants outside is not interviewed yet.
 • When fractions are used, the verb agrees with the
object of the OF PHRASE.
Examples:
1. One-fourth of the pizza was eaten.
2. One-half if the parents were attending the PTA
meeting.
NOTE: Always keep in mind that if a noun is
plural, then the verb must be plural, but if the subject
is singular, then the verb must be singular.
 •These nouns may be singular or plural in meaning: Athletics,
genetics, gymnastics, politics, statistics,etc.When the noun refers
to an organized activity, it is singular.When the noun refers to
the activities of individuals within a group or to varied activities,
it is plural.
Examples:
1. Athletics is very popular among boys. (The noun in this
example is referring to the activity itself; therefore, it was
used as singular)
2. The athletics performed in the field today were exciting.
( In this example, the noun functions as a plural since it refers to
the individuals who performed the activities.)
• The name of a country is always regarded as singular
even if it has an “s” at the end of the word.
Example:
1. Philippines is a part of Asia.
• Adjectives used as nouns are considered plural.
Example:
1. The intelligent are what this school needs. ( In this
example, the word “ INTELLIGENT” is the
adjectives;therefore, we used the Plural verb “ARE”.)
 • Collective nouns may be singular or plural depending on
whether the individual members are acting individually or
collectively.These nouns are: company, group, committee,
crowd, jury, flock, and team.

Examples:
1. The team is against the rule.
( acting collectively – singular)
1. The team are of different perspective.
( acting individually – plural)
• In the mathematical expressions, the following are accepted.
Examples:
1. Three plus five is eight.
2. Five and three are eight.
3. Five times four are twenty.
4. Six minus three is three.
• Titles of book, plays, articles, movies etc. are regarded as
singular even though words in the title may be plural.
Example:
1. “Great Expectations” is a story written by Charles Dickens.
 • Nouns of organizations take a singular verb when the
whole organization is referred to, and a plural verb when
the members are referred to.
Examples:
1. Jone and Bills is a nice organization.
( In this sentence, the verb is singular since it refers to the
organization as a whole.)
1. Jone and Bills are holding a three-day annual meeting.
( The verb in this example is plural since it refers to the
individual members of the organization.)
 • If a sentence begins with expletive IT, the verb is always
singular even if the subject that follows the verb is plural.

Examples:
1. It is a beautiful day.
2. It was a very heartbreaking experience.

•FINAL RULE: Only the subject affects the verb!

 Let’s check how well you understand💡

1. In the province, the children ( play, plays) jn the yard

all day.
2. Kim Namjoon, one of the BTS members, ( lead, leads)
the band.
3. The automobile in the garage ( is, are ) scheduled for
repair.
4. There ( is, are) gummies in the jar.
5. Every child in this world of ours ( deserve, deserves ) a
good education.
 Learning References:
https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-
resources/grammar/forming-sentences-with-subject-verb-agreement
https://www.slideshare.net/draizelle_sexon/subject-
verb-agreement-14050826
https://writingexplained.org/grammar-
dictionary/subject-verb-agreement
https://youtu.be/LfJPA8GwTdk
Group Members:

Mabel Aboniawan

Jeaniel Mar Lanao

Jovelie Medallo

Christine Joy Rubio