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Subject Verb

Agreement

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Rule

A verb must agree with its subject in

number

Singular subjects should have singularverbs

Plural subjects plural verbs

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Hints

Use he and they as substitutes for a

subject to find a correct verb

He is always singular (only one guy) They is always plural (two people, at least)

He runs/ they run

He walks/ they walk

Singular verbs usually end in s

Runs, walks, plays

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Examples

Early detectives (is/are) Sherlock

Holmes and his assistant.

This book (describes/describe) ways tofind evidence.

In the play, a neighbor(reports/report) a

murder.

The officers (have/has) been looking for

a clue.

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Be careful!

The subject of a verb is never in a

prepositional phrase or an appositive

phrase.

Dont be fooled by words that come inbetween the subject and the verb

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Examples

The files of any computer (is/are)

vulnerable to electronic-age thieves.

A computer thief with the right codes(control/controls) all the data files.

These thieves, people like Kevin Mitniek,

(steal/steals) many files.

Mitnick, the most cunning of thieves,

(is/was) caught by one of his victims.

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Indefinite Pronouns

A pronoun that refers to an unspecified

person or thingSome are always singular, some are always

plural

Some, however, can be either- it then

depends on the context of the sentence

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Always singular indefinite

pronouns Each everyone nobody

Either everybody nothing

Neither everything anyone

One no one

anybody

Another muchanything

Someone somebody

something

No one except the nice studentsleaves early.

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Always plural

Several

Few

Both

many

A few in the crowd aretroublesome.

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Either

Some

All

Any

More

Most

none

Most of the Nobel Prizes forliterature have been awardedto men.

Most refers to prizes (plural)so verb is plural

Most of the money for theprizes comes from a fundestablished by Alfred Nobel.

Most refers to money (singular)so verb is singular

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Compound Subjects

Two subjects joined by and are plural

My mom and sisters are in Las Vegas.

Two subjects joined by or/nor aresingular

Verb should agree to subject closest

My sisters ormy mom is in Las Vegas.

My mom ormy sistersare in Las Vegas.

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Using THERE to Begin a

SentenceAlthough sentences sometimes begin with

there, therecannot be the subject of a

sentence. Usually the subject followsthe verb in

sentences that begin with there.

There isa squirrel in the yard.

There aretwo squirrels in the yard.

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WHO, WHICH, and THAT as

Relative PronounsWhen you use a relative pronounwho,

which, orthatto introduce a dependentidea, make sure you choose the correct verb:

Find the word that relates to the relativepronoun to see if it is singular or plural

I know a woman who (play, plays) expert chess.

Suede coats, which (stain, stains) easily, shouldnot be worn in the rain.

Computers that (talk, talks) make me nervous

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Prepositional Phrases dont

=AndAs well as, together with, in addition to,

along with, besides, andincludingare

often similar in meaning to and. However,they are not a part of the subject. Thesewords are prepositions, not conjunctions.

Aunt Martha, together with 6 children, (is,

are) leaving town. Sigma Rho, as well as Phi Kappa and Chi

Beta, (is, are) buying new T-shirts.

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Collective Nouns

Collective nounsteam, family, group,

classtake a singular verb if the noun

acts as a unit but a plural verb is thegroup is considered as a number of

individuals

The team is playing well tonight.

The team are getting dressed.

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Sums of money, distances, and

measurements

Sums of money, distances, and

measurements are followed by a

singular verb when a unit is meant. Theyare followed by a plural verb when the

individual elements are considered

separately.

Three dollars was the price. (unit) Three dollars were lying there. (individual)

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Some nouns have only a plural

form Some nouns have only a plural form and

so take only a plural verbfor example,

clothes, fireworks, scissors, pants,glasses.

His glasses are dusty.

Marys clothes were stylish and expensive.