Subject-Verb Agreement

Australia Needs More National Parks

Australia desperately __________ (to need) more

needs
National Parks. Currently, there __________ (to be)
are
five hundred and sixteen national parks in
Australia including eleven World Heritage areas.
That may seem a lot, but in terms of area, they
cover
only __________ (to cover) 3.42 percent of the land
surface of the continent.

is
There __________
(to be) an urgent need to
increase the number if National Parks in Australia.

Most importantly,need
we __________ (to need)
more parks in order to preserve out embattled
flora and fauna species.
The Australian continent
is
__________ (to be) home to more
are than one millions
species, many of which __________
(to be) found
has
nowhere else in the world. Human activity
__________ are
(to have) put many of these species at
risk.
areOver 110 species of Australian plants and
animals __________ (to be) already extinct and over
630 species __________ (to be) classified as
endangered.
allows

visit

In addition, creating new National Parks will

relieve the pressures of crowding in existing park

Lastly, we have
all __________ (to have)
a
responsibility to future
have generations.
disappeaWe
__________ (to have) to conserve our precious
r
living resources before they __________ (to
disappear) and are lost forever.
increas

es

es
It is essential that Australia
__________
(to increase) the number of National Parks
to improve the quality of life for all the
plants, animals and people that inhabit this

1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number.

This is the cornerstone rule that forms
the
background of the concept.
singular

verb+swhen he is angry.
The dog growls
The dogs growl when they are angry.
verb
2. Dont get confused by the words that come
between the subject and verb; they do not
affect agreement.
plural

The dog, who is chewing on my jeans,

is usually very good.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject
and verb usually do not affect agreement.

The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

is,
was
(isnt,
r
a
l
u
He sing table) wasnt)
n
u
She (co
does, did
It
(doesnt,
An
didnt)
ostrich
A girl
has, had
An apple
(hasnt, hadnt)
The man
+
s
runs verb
smiles
falls
A child
cries (cry) dries (dry)
A fly
Fixes (fix) washes (wash)
sh
Catches (catch)
This
ch

are, were(arent,
werent)
l
We plura
)
e
l
b
a
t
do, did
They coun
(

(The)
(dont, didnt)
I am
ostriches
have,
had
I was
(The) girls I wasnt
(havent,
(The)
apples
hadnt)
(The) men
base
form
of
(The)
I do
run
smile
fall
I dont
the
verb
children
cry
dry
(The) flies
fix
wash
catch
I, You
These
Those

Uncountable Nouns

We can use some and any

with uncountable nouns:
-substances or concepts we cannot divide
I've got some money.
music, art, love, happiness
Have you got any rice?
advice, information, news
furniture, luggage
electricity, gas, power
We can use a little and
money, currency
much with uncountable
sugar, salt, rice, grain, pepper
nouns:
butter, cheese
water, milk, vinegar, soy sauce, oil
I've got a little money.
I haven't got much rice.

4. When sentences start with there or here,

the subject will always be placed after the verb, so
care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.
There is a problem with the balance sheet.
Here are the papers you requested.
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in
questions. Make sure you accurately identify the
subject before deciding on the proper verb form to
use.
Does Lefty usually eat grass?
Where are the pieces of this puzzle?
6. If two subjects are joined by and, they typically
require a plural verb form.
The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

same person or thing.

Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite
dish.
bread and butter
peanut butter and jelly
Nail and hammer

sugar and cream

salt and pepper
thunder and lighting

cereal and milk

macaroni and cheese
cup and saucer

8. If the words each, every, or no come

before the subject, the verb is singular.
No smoking and drinking is allowed.
Every man and woman is required to check
in.
9. If the subjects are both singular and
are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also the verb is singular.

10. The only time when the object of the preposition factors
into the decision of plural or singular verb forms is when
noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all,
etc. are followed by a prepositional phrase. In these
sentences, the object of the preposition determines the form
of the verb.
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens are gone.
11. The singular verb form is usually used for units of
measurement.
Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.
12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the
words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the
verb is plural.

Did
Do
Does
Dont
Doesn
t

the words or, nor, neither/nor,

either/or, and not only/but also, you
use the verb form of the subject that is
nearest the verb.
Do your sisters or your girlfriend want any
pizza?
The two boys or the girl wants to swim.
The girl or the two boys want to swim.
14. Indefinite pronouns typically take
singular verbs.
Everybody wants to be loved.
15. * Except for the pronouns (few,
many, several, both) that always take
the plural form.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
SINGULAR

Another
anybody anyone
anything each
either
everybody
everyone everything
little
much
neither nobody
no one nothing
one
other
somebody

PLURAL

SINGULAR OR
PLURAL

both
few
many
others
several

all
any
more
most
none
some

to + base form of the verb = infinitives

*These verbs are commonly followed by infinitives.

afford
beg
decide
forget
intend
mean
prepare
seem
threaten
agree
begin
Like
manage

demand
go
know
how
need
pretend
start
try
appear
care
deserve
happen
fail
hope

refuse
struggle
wait ask
claim
expect
hesitate
love
plan
regret
swear
want
attempt
consent

offer
choose
desire
hate
wish
tend
learn
neglect
promise
stop
volunte
er
arrange

16. If two infinitives are separated by and they

take the plural form of the verb.
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a
sentence they take the singular verb form of the
verb, but when they are linked by and they take
the plural form.
Standing in the water was a bad idea.
Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my
hobbies.

18. Collective nouns like herd,

senate, class, crowd, etc.
usually take a singular verb
form.
The herd is stampeding.
19. Titles of books, movies,
novels, etc. are treated as
singular and take a singular
verb.
The Burbs is a movie starring Tom
Hanks.

20. Final Rule Remember,

only the

subject
affects
the verb!

1. Neither the girls nor Tom _____ homework

tonight. (to want)
2. Ted brothers and he _____ going fishing tonight.
(to be)
3. _____ Kim and Martha gone to the movies this
week? (to have)
4. _____you or Mary going to bring in the poster
board? (was, were)
5. John and David always _____ before the rest of

1. Neither my teachers nor my mother _____ me to

do less than my best. (to allow)
2. When mom and my brothers _____ up, they are
not in a very good mood. (wake, wakes)
3. _____ the 10 boys and 5 girls really want
homework over the weekend? (does, do)
4. Both Amanda and Chasity _____ to distribute the
pens before we check our work. (to want)
5. Neither Josh nor his uncles ______ to fish at night.
(to like)

1. Every weekend Tom and Mary _____ for her father

(to work)
2. Either hamburgers or pizza ______ordered for
lunch today. (was, were)
3. Tom and Mary _____on the same street where
Nelly lives. (to live)
4. Mary and her mother __________ pepperoni cheese
pizza. (to like)
5. Both Mary and Martha _____ going to the dance
tonight. (to be)