Subject and Verb

Agreement
And verb
• The basic idea of subject and verb
agreement is very simple. You must
make sure that both the subject and verb
are singular or that both are plural.
1. Number: Singular and Plural

Number refers to the two of a word: Singular

and Plural. Singular words indicate one; Plural
Words indicate more than one.

• The only part of speech that indicate

number are nouns, pronouns and verbs.
a. Number of Noun. The difference between the
singular and plural nouns is usually obvious.
Compare the singular and plural forms of the
nouns in the chart below.

Nouns
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Record records child children
Tax taxes goose geese
b. Number of Pronoun. Many pronoun also have
Different forms to be indicate their number.
Personal Pronoun
Singular Plural Singular/Plural
I, we you
He, she, it they
c. Number of Verbs. Many verbs can be either
Singular or plural. The number of such verbs
depends on their subjects.
Singular: I see. I have seen.
Plural: We see They have seen.
• Sometimes a verb can only be singular. In
the present tense and the present
perfect tense, he, she, it, and all
singular nouns have special forms that are
always singular.

Always Singular: He sees He has seen.

• The verb be has also a special forms that
are only use with certain singular subjects.
In the present tense, the pronoun I, has
its own form. he, she, it and singular
nouns also have their own singular form.

Always Singular: I am. He is.

• In the past tense, there is one form of be
that is shared by I , he, she, it and singular
nouns.

Always singular: I was He was

• The chart below show: the verb forms that
are always singular as well as those that can be
either singular or plural.

VERBS
Always Singular Singular or Plural
(he, Tina) sees (I, you, we, they) see
(he, Tina) has seen (I, you, we, they) have seen
(I) Am (he, Tina) is ( you, we, they) are
(I, he, Tina) was ( you, we, they) were
2. Singular and Plural Subject
The following two rules govern all rules as
about subject and verb agreement.
 A singular subject must have a singular verb.

 A plural subject must have plural verb.

Example:
• Singular Subject and Verb:
Father always drives to work.
She is about to leave for school.

• Plural Subject and Verb

We are about to leave for school.
My brothers were reading books.
• Verbs must agree with their subjects even if
a phrase or clause comes between them.

Example:
The actor most admired by the students is on stage.
The two raccoons that were being chased by our dog
were last seen climbing a tree.
3. Compound Subject
A compound subject has two or more
subjects usually joined by or or nor. Four
rules apply to compound subjects.
a. Singular Subject- joined or or nor. If both
parts of compound subject joined by or
or nor are singular, you must use a
singular verb.
Example: a car or bus is the only means of
travel upstate.
b. Plural Subject-
Joined by or or nor. If both
parts of compound subject joined connected
by or or nor are plural, you must use a plural
verb.
Example:
Only the fathers or the mothers are invited.
c. Subject of Mixed Number- joined by Or or Nor.
if one par of the compound subjects is singular
and other plural; the verb agrees with the
subject closer to it.
• If one or more singular subjects are joined
to one or more plural subjects by or or nor,
the subject to the verb determines agreement.

Example: Neither David nor my parents are

going with us.
4. Confusing Subjects
a. Hard-to-Find Subjects- come after their
verbs can sometimes cause problem.
- A subject that comes after the verb are
inverted word order. Check to make sure the
verb agrees by the subject by mentally
rewording the sentences so that the subject
come first.
Example: At the bottom of the hill are two silos
( The silos are at the bottom of the hill.)
5. Subject of Linking Verb – a sentence with
a linking verb and a predicate nominative
sometimes and presents an agreement
problem.
- A linking verb must agree with its subject,
regardless of the number of its predicate
nominative.
Example: The loud stereos are one reason for his
complaints.
One reason for his complaints is the loud
stereos.