Subject Verb

Agreement

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 Subject/Verb Agreement
• In sentences the subject and the
verb have to agree in number.
Ok….well, what does that mean?

Let’s break it down. We’re going to talk

about:
• Subjects - Number
• Verbs - Agreement

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 Subject
• The subject is what the sentence is about.
It’s the WHO that does something.
The cat ate some cheese.

My sister and I love to dance.

While riding my bike, I ran over an acorn.

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 Verb
• The verb is an action or state of being.
• The action verbs are the easiest to find,
because they are verbs of DOING.
The girl ate a hot dog.
My sister dances for hours.
• A state of being verb shows that something
EXISTS. (You just have to memorize these
verbs)
You are my friend. My sister was tired.

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 Agreement and Number

• When things agree they are the same.

• Number just means singular or plural.

So…
In order for your subject and verb to agree
in number…
…they must both be singular or both be
plural.

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 Why it’s tricky?
•Plural subjects often end in S (boys,
stars, dogs)
•Plural verbs do not (eat, dance, burn)

•Singular subjects often don’t end in S (boy,

star, dog)
•Singular verbs do (eats, dances, burns)

Plus, there are those tricky “Be” verbs

Am, Is, Was, Has, Does, Has (singular)
Were Can Could May Might Must Shall Should Will
Would Have Had Be Being Been Do Did
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 BASIC RULE:
Subjects and verbs must agree in
number.
• Singular subjects - singular verbs.
• Plural subjects - plural verbs.

Cow= singular, eats= singular – Cow eats

Cows=plural, eat=plural – Cows eat

•My brother is a nutritionist. My sisters are

mathematicians.

•The person waits / The people wait

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Subject verb disagreement

A good student knows the value of

communication skills.
Good students know the value of
communication skills.
students knows

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Don’t get confused by the words
that come between the subject and
verb.

The detective who was called to the case is usually

very good.
The biker in this race is very competitive.
The bikers in this race are very competitive.
The people who read that report are coming today.
The manual, including all the chapters in the first
section, is very helpful.
The woman with all the answers sits next to her.

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 Some Common Rules
With… Use a…
I singular verb (no “s”)
You plural verb (no “s”)
He, She, It singular verb (“s”)
We plural verb (no “s”)
You plural verb (no “s”)
They plural verb (no “s”)

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The pronoun “YOU” always
takes a plural verb.
Examples:

 You were invited to come.

 You are asked to clean the
room.
 You sing so well.

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Singular subjects joined by AND
require a plural verb, except when
they mean one thing.
Examples:

 Larry and Mercy are reading novels.

 My teacher and friend is here.
 Idli and sambar is my favourite
breakfast.
 The president and chief executive of
the company has arrived.
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•The following words are considered plural
and take plural verbs: Pants, trousers,
spectacles, glasses, pliers, scissors,
tweezers, shears, tongs.
•However, if the word “Pair” is used the verb
is singular.
Examples:

 The pants are torn into two.

 Where are your spectacles?
 The pair of scissors was placed on the table.

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 Certain nouns, though plural in
form, are treated as singular nouns.
Hence, they take singular verbs
Examples:
 Mathematics is my favorite
subject.
 The baggage/luggage is heavy.
 The equipment was expensive.
 The furniture is new.
 The latest news is alarming to the
public.

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 When the word is preceded by
“A”, it takes a plural verb. When it
is preceded by “the”, it takes a
singular verb.
Examples:

 A number of students are

waiting outside.
 The number of students outside
is not recorded yet.

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 Collective nouns may take singular or plural
verb depending on whether, the individual
members are acting individually or
collectively- company, group, committee,
crowd, jury, flock, team…
Examples:

 The committee is against the plan.

(acting collectively-singular)

 The committee are of different

opinion. (acting individually- plural)
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 If a sentence begins with HERE
or THERE, the verb agrees with
the subject which follows it.
Examples:

 Here are the ways on how to

preserve vegetables.
 There is a meeting today.
 Here is the result of the campaign.
 There is a huge gap between the rich and
the poor.
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 If two singular subjects are
joined by ‘either…or’ and ‘neither…
nor’, singular verb is used
Examples:
 Either the president or the secretary
has signed this document.
 Neither Robert nor Abdul has come
to the meeting.
ALSO
 Neither of the two traffic lights is
working.
 Either of the shirts is fine for me.
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 If subjects joined by ‘either…or’
and ‘neither…nor’, are plural, then
plural verb is used
Examples:
 Either my children or their friends
have written the letter.
 Neither the girls nor the boys have
any knowledge of this matter.

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If two subjects, one single and one
plural, are connected by EITHER/OR
or NEITHER/NOR, the verb agrees
with the nearer subject.
Examples:
Either my father or my brothers are going to sell
the house.
Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell
the house.
 Neither the players nor the coach is joining.
 Either the manager or the singers are attending
the concert.
 His assistants or the president runs it.
 The President or his assistants run it. 20
The indefinite pronouns SEVERAL,
FEW, BOTH, MANY , OTHERS are
always plural.

Examples:

 Both were asking to be freed.

 A few have the right answer.
 Several need to finish the race.
 Several are seeking justice.

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The indefinite pronouns SOME, MOST, ALL,
NONE are singular or plural according to the
meaning of the sentence.
Examples:
 Some of the girls were absent.
 Some of the pearls are missing.
 Some of the water is gone.
 Most of the food is finished.
 Most of the apples are rotten.
 None of you claims responsibility for this.
 None of the students have reported yet.
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Indefinite pronouns such as everyone,
everybody, someone, somebody no one,
nobody require singular verbs.

Examples:

 Everyone wants to succeed.

 Everyone has done his/her homework.
 Someone has stolen the document.
 Somebody has left her purse.
 No one knows the answer.
 Nobody is allowed here.
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When fractions/percentages are used, the
verb agrees with the object of the phrase.

Examples:
 One-half of the cake was consumed.
 One-fourth of the employees were attending
the seminar.
 Forty percent of the student body is in favor of
changing the policy
 Forty percent of the students are in favor of
changing the policy.

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Expressions of Time, Money, Weight
and Distance is used with singular form
of the verb.
Examples:

 Two years is a long time to wait.

 One million dollars was given back to the
owner.
 160 kilometres is not a great distance.
 Six gallons of paint was used on the
house.

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When the amount of money refers to
separate units, the verb is plural.
Examples:

 Five 25-paise coins were found.

 Sixty 100-peso bills were added to the
budget.

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 A singular subject followed by words or
phrases such as with, as well as, in
addition to, accompanied by, together
with and no less than, takes a singular
verb.
Examples:

• Jake, accompanied by his sisters,

is enrolling in PCC.
• Daddy, as well as my brothers, is
enjoying the party.

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Adjectives used as nouns take plural
verbs.

Examples:

 The poor are to be helped.

 The efficient are what this country
needs.

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THANK
YOU
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