Opening Activity – Let us test your knowledge!

Directions: Read the following sentences, then choose the correct verb
for each statement.

1. Butter and sugar (is, are) used in baking a cake.

2. Both of them (know, knows) how to play volleyball.
3. Either my mom or my sister (is, are) coming to the market this
morning.
4. Each player (receive, receives) a consolation prize after the game.
5. The members of the board (meet, meets) the new appointed president.
 Opening Activity – Let us test your knowledge!

1. Butter and sugar are used in baking a cake.

2. Both of them know how to play volleyball.
3. Either my mom or my sister is coming to the market this
morning.
4. Each player receives a consolation prize after the game.
5. The members of the board meet the new appointed president.
 Subject-verb agreement refers to
the agreement of verb and subject in
the sentence. The verb must match in
the number of the subject. In short,
either both of it must be in singular
or plural form. The first thing you
have to do is to find the subject
(someone who is doing the action)
and the verb (action word) in the
sentence.
 The Basic
Rule
* If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too,
whereas if the subject is plural, it takes also a plural verb.

  Singular Plural
First Person I We
Second Person You You
Third Person He/She/It They
1. Trina (tease, teases) her best friend whenever
her crush is around.

2. The farmers (cry, cries) for their efforts are

taken for granted.

3. The leaves (dry, dries) under the shade of the

tree.

4. His pet (ignore, ignores) him for seconds.

5. Everyone (think, thinks) she is okay.

1. Trina (tease, teases) her best friend whenever
her crush is around.

2. The farmers (cry, cries) for their efforts are

taken for granted.

3. The leaves (dry, dries) under the shade of the

tree.

4. His pet (ignore, ignores) him for seconds.

5. Everyone (think, thinks) she is okay.

 * When the subject in the sentence is separated from
verb by a phrase or clause, it doesn’t affect the
number of the subject. (Like the words “with”, “as
well as”, “along with”, “of” and etc.)

Examples:
1. The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected
shortly.
2. The woman with ten children looks haggard.
3. Ruby, who is a celebrity, still sees me as her best friend.
1. The host, along with the contestants, (look,
looks) stunning.

2. Ahmie with her friends (showcase,

showcases) another side of her.

3. Everyone, except her haters, (applaud,

applauds) her performance.

4. Her mother, as well as her relatives, (know,

knows) well her normal self.
1. The host, along with the contestants, (look,
looks) stunning.

2. Ahmie with her friends (showcase,

showcases) another side of her.

3. Everyone, except her haters, (applaud,

applauds) her performance.

4. Her mother, as well as her relatives, (know,

knows) well her normal self.
 * In connecting multiple nouns or pronouns as your
subject by using conjunction “and”, the verbs are
always plural.
Examples:
1. Jess and Jane admit their wrongdoings.

2. Health and education are the sectors that should not be

taken for granted.

3. Chanel and Hermes best represent Heart Evangelista’s

lifestyle.
 There is an exception wherein compound subjects refer to a
singular idea.

Example:
The captain and coach of the basketball team has been dismissed.

“The captain and coach” is the compound subject that pertains only to
one idea that takes also a singular form of verb which is “has”. To
make it two different individuals, you will use two articles which are:
“a”, “an”, or “the”.

Plural: The captain and the coach of the basketball team have been
dismissed.
1. Bread and butter (is, are) my definition of
breakfast.

2. Philippines and Venezuela (is, are)

considered as powerhouses of pageantry.

3. Shopee and Lazada (snatch, snatches) my

money.

4. Thailand and New Zealand (combat,

combats) Covid-19.
1. Bread and butter (is, are) my definition of
breakfast.

2. Philippines and South Africa (is, are)

considered as powerhouses of pageantry.

3. Shopee and Lazada (snatch, snatches) my

money away.

4. Thailand and New Zealand (combat,

combats) Covid-19.
 * When the sentence begins with the word “here” or “there”, the
subject follows the verb. The words “there” and “here” are not
considered as subject, meaning the verb used in the sentence
must agree to with what follows them.

Examples:

1. There are few people in the park.

2. Here is the copy of your exam.

3. There are top students in my class.

1. Here (is, are) some good news to lighten
up your mood.

2. There (is, are) a sole reason why she said

that.

3. There (is, are) tons of things to be

grateful.

4. Here (is, are) the things you should bring

tomorrow.
1. Here (is, are) some good news to lighten
up your mood.

2. There (is, are) a sole reason why she said

that.

3. There (is, are) tons of things to be

grateful.

4. Here (is, are) the things you should bring

tomorrow.
 * If two subjects are joined by “or,
either…or/neither….nor”, “not only but also”, the verb
must take also the form of the subject closes to it.
Example:

Either Mary or my friends destroy the table.

The italicized words are the subjects in the sentence but as what
the rule say, just focus only to the nearest subject then identify if
it’s singular or plural. In the example, “my friends” is the nearest
subject so it uses plural form of the verb which is “destroy”.
1. My sisters or my mother (is, are) going to
cook our dinner.

2. Neither Win nor his brothers (play, plays)

musical instruments.

3. I have no issue whether Pia or Catriona

(represent, represents) our country.

4. Neither her relatives nor his brother

(attend, attends) the wedding.
1. My sisters or my mother (is, are) going to
cook our dinner.

2. Neither Win nor his brothers (play, plays)

musical instruments.

3. I have no issue whether Pia or Catriona

(represent, represents) our country.

4. Neither her relatives nor his brother

(attend, attends) the wedding.
 * In terms of collective nouns, subject might be singular or plural
depending on the meaning of it. It refers to a team, group, crowd or
something that made up of more than one.
Examples:

1. The gang was caught by the policemen yesterday.

2. The staff members have received an incentive bonus this month.

The first example takes a singular form of the verb because the subject (the
italicized word) act as one, while the second example subject (the italicized
word) is in the plural form, therefore the verb is plural.
1. The editorial board (decide, decides) to include her
article for next month’s issue.

2. Some members of the choir (fail, fails) to attend

the practice.

3. The committee (has, have) selected our new Ms.

Universe.

4. The president of the organization (agree, agrees) to

the members’ proposal.

5. The bouquet of flowers (was, were) given to her.

1. The editorial board (decide, decides) to include her
article for next month’s issue.

2. Some members of the choir (fail, fails) to attend

the practice.

3. The committee (has, have) selected our new Ms.

Universe.

4. The president of the organization (agree, agrees) to

the members’ proposal.

5. The bouquet of flowers (was, were) given to her.

 * Indefinite pronouns “each one”, “everyone”,
“everybody”, “anybody”, “anyone”, “nobody”,
“somebody”, “someone”, and “no one” should be used
with singular verbs.
Examples:

1. No one talks about the news.

2. Someone changes the password of my phone.

3. Everybody enjoys the Christmas party.

 * Plural indefinite pronoun like “several”, “few”, “both”,
and “many” should take plural verbs.

Examples:

1. Many houses have been stumbled by the earthquake

earlier.

2. Both tables were fixed this morning.

3. Many cockroaches come out because I poisoned them.

 * Take note that some indefinite pronouns are either singular
or plural such as “some”, “any”, “all”, and “most” depending
on the meaning of it. To know when to use singular or plural
form of the verb, identify first if the subject is uncountable or
countable. If it’s uncountable, use singular, otherwise use
plural if the subject used is countable.

Examples:

1. Some of the water spills because it is not properly closed.

2. Some of the rocks are mixed with the sand and cement.
1. Both of them (is, are) coming.

2. I wonder how someone (change, changes)

our perceptions in life.

3. Everything really (matter, matters) in life.

4. No one (is, are) entitled to do that.

5. Everyone (is, are) busy doing their

assignments.
1. Both of them (is, are) coming.

2. I wonder how someone (change, changes)

our perceptions in life.

3. Everything really (matter, matters) in life.

4. No one (is, are) entitled to do that.

5. Everyone (is, are) busy doing their

assignments.
 * Plural form subjects take singular verbs.

Examples:

1. Thesis stresses the students so much.

2. Mathematics is one of the most hated subjects.

3. News plays a vital role to everyone’s life.

 The meaning of such subjects may change depending
on the sentence usage.

Examples:

1. The pair of pants were given to the hardworking farmers.

2. Politics of different situations create confusion among

people.
1. We can’t deny the fact that politics (is, are) an
interesting topic.

2. My pair of scissors (is, are) missing.

3. Gymnastics (make, makes) me appreciate

complex body movements.

4. The pair of diamond earrings (is, are)

expensive.

5. Economics (is, are) the focus of the debate.

1. We can’t deny the fact that politics (is, are) an
interesting topic.

2. My pair of scissors (is, are) missing.

3. Gymnastics (make, makes) me appreciate

complex body movements.

4. The pair of diamond earrings (is, are)

expensive.

5. Economics (is, are) the focus of the debate.

 * In the situation where the title of single entities is
used as subject in the sentence, you will use singular
verb. (Ex: books, movies, organization, countries, and
etc.)
Examples:
1. 13 Reasons Why is my definition of a movie.

2. I think that the Department of Health lacks support to

mental health.

3. The Philippines is an archipelagic country.

1. The Little Prince always (leave, leaves) a
lasting impression to first-time readers.

2. The World Health Organization keenly

(monitor, monitors) the fair dissemination of
medical needs.

3. I personally think that Parasite (deserve,

deserves) standing ovation.

4. South Korea (produce, produces) quality films,

drama, and music.
1. The Little Prince always (leave, leaves) a
lasting impression to first-time readers.

2. The World Health Organization keenly

(monitor, monitors) the fair dissemination of
medical needs.

3. I personally think that Parasite (deserve,

deserves) standing ovation.

4. South Korea (produce, produces) quality films,

drama, and music.
 * With regards to measurement, time, money, and
weight, use singular verb if it refers to one unit, if not,
use plural verb.
Example (Singular) :

Ten thousand was donated for the victim of volcanic eruption.

Example (Plural) :

Ten thousand were scattered in the ground.

1. I think ten minutes (is, are) enough for you
to finish the activity.

2. Ten years (is, are) such a long time to wait

for someone.

3. Five miles (is, are) not a long distance.

4. Ten dollars (is, are) a lot of money.

1. I think ten minutes (is, are) enough for you
to finish the activity.

2. Ten years (is, are) such a long time to wait

for someone.

3. Five miles (is, are) not a long distance.

4. Ten dollars (is, are) a lot of money.