Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural. !n present tenses, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite wa"s# nouns A$$ an s to the singular form, BUT verbs RE%&'E an s from the singular form.

(ere are nine subject)verb agreement rules. 1. A phrase or clause between subject and verb does not change the number of the subject. E*amples#

2. nde!"n"te pronouns as subjects

S"ngular "nde!"n"te pronoun subjects ta+e singular verbs.

#lural "nde!"n"te pronoun subjects ta+e plural verbs.

,-.RA-# several, few, both, many

/ome "nde!"n"te pronouns ma" be either s"ngular or plural# with uncountable, use singular with countable, use plural.

E!T(ER /!0G.-AR &R ,-.RA-# some, any, none, all, most

/ugar is uncountable therefore, the sentence has a singular verb.

%arbles are countable therefore, the sentence has a plural verb.

3. $ompound subjects jo"ned b% and are alwa"s plural.

&. 1ith compound subjects jo"ned b% or/nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it.

!n the above e*ample, the plural verb are agrees with the nearer subject actors.

!n this e*ample, the singular verb is agrees with the nearer subject director.

'. nverted Subjects must agree with the verb.

(. $ollect"ve )ouns (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) ma" be singular or plural, depending on meaning.

!n this e*ample, the jur" is acting as one unit therefore, the verb is singular.

!n this e*ample, the jur" members are acting as twelve individuals therefore, the verb is plural.

*. T"tles o! s"ngle ent"t"es (books, organizations, countries, etc.) are alwa"s s"ngular.

+. #lural !orm subjects

#lural !orm subjects w"th a s"ngular mean"ng ta+e a singular verb. (e.g. news, measles, mumps, physics, etc.)

#lural !orm subjects w"th s"ngular or plural mean"ng ta+e a singular or plural verb, depending on meaning. (e.g. politics, economics, etc.)

!n this e*ample, politics is a single topic therefore, the sentence has a singular verb.

!n this e*ample, politics refers to the man" aspects of the situation therefore, the sentence has a plural verb.

#lural !orm subjects w"th a plural mean"ng ta+e a plural verb. (e.g. scissors, trousers)

)ote, !n this e*ample, the subject of the sentence is pair therefore, the verb must agree with it. (2ecause scissors is the object of the preposition, scissors does not affect the number of the verb.)

-. ."th subject and subject"ve complement o! d"!!erent number, the verb alwa"s agrees with the subject.

1/-A. ."th one of those ________ who, use a plural verb.

The above e*ample implies that others besides (annah li+e to read comic boo+s. Therefore, the plural verb is the correct form to use.

1/-B. ."th the only one of those ________who, use a singular verb.

The above e*ample implies that no one else e*cept for (annah li+es to read comic boo+s. Therefore, the singular verb is the correct for to use.

33)A. ."th the

number of

_______, use

singular

verb.

33)2. ."th a

number of

_______0 use

plural

verb.

34. ."th every ______ and many a ________, use a singular verb.