Rules on Agreements

Name: _______________________________ Section:

Section: _________ Date: _____________ Score: _______

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULES

1. Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning require a singular verb.
a. Forty million pesos was lost.
b. These books are for you.
2. Singular subjects connected by and which denote the same person require a singular verb.
a. My secretary and typist is efficient. (1 person)
b. My secretary and my typist are efficient. (2 persons)
3. Words ending with –ics may either be singular when an ics-word refers to one thing that is, as a subject, science, or a gen eral
practice, or plural when an ics-word refers to separate quantities or activities.
a. Dramatics is her field of specialization.
b. Julie’s dramatics disturb everyone.
4. When the parts of a compound subject are modified by the words EACH, EVERY, or MANY A, t he verb is singular.
a. Each officer and member is expe cted to help.
b. Many a boy and girl has volunteered to help too.
5. Word joined to the subject by such expressions as INCLUDING, WITH, TOGETHER WITH, ALONG WITH, AS WELL AS, ACCOMPANIED
BY are considered parenthetical; therefore, they do not affect the number of the verb.
a. Ms. Diaz, as well as her friend, is working at the station.
b. The class, accompanied by the t eacher, is on a field trip.
6. When the words OR, NOR, EITHER-OR, NEITHER-NOR, NOT ONLY-BUT ALSO join the parts of a compound subject, t he verb should
be singular if the parts are singular; but it should be plural if both parts of the subject are plural. Otherwise, if t he parts
connected differ in number, the verb agrees with the nearer subject part.
a. Not only the horse but also the cows were driven away.
b. Either the writer or the editor is to blame.
7. The expression THE NUMBER requires a singular verb; A NUMBER requires a plural verb.
a. The number of new students is forty-three.
b. A number of students were members of the club.
8. A collective noun (army, flock, herd, swarm, navy, class, band, crowd, audience, school, etc.) requires a singular verb wh en the
group is thought as a unit; but it requires plural verb when the individuals composing the group are thought as acting separately
or individually.
a. The audience was silent.
b. The crowd were discussing the accident.
9. The verb agrees with the subject not with the predicate noun.
a. My objection is the too many errors.
b. Modifiers are our lesson for today.
10. Fractions take a singular verb if the object of the OF-phrase that follows is singular but a plural verb if the object of the OF -
phrase is plural.
a. One-sixth of the cake was eaten.
b. One-fourth of the girls were out.
11. When a compound subject is composed of an affirmative and a negative part, the verb agrees with the affirmative part.
a. The black horses, not the white one, were the fault.
b. Not Jim, but Sam and Jack, were penalized.
12. THERE IS/WAS precedes or is followed by a singular subject; THERE ARE/WERE precedes or is followed by a plural subject.
a. There was singing all night.
b. There were dancing, singing and laughing.
13. MANY (plural) and MUCH (singular) are also used as nouns.
a. Many say that Physics is difficult.
b. Much is left undone.
14. The verb ties with a relative pronoun used as a subject; the relative pronoun ties with the number of the person of its
antecedent. 4
a. He is one of the men who were arrested during the rally. /
b. A mosquito is one of t he most harmful insects which need to be eradicated. 1e
15. Singular pronouns tie with singular verbs. These pronouns include: EACH, EVERYBODY, EVERYONE, ANYONE, ANYBODY, SOMEONE, g
a
SOMEBODY, NONE, NOBODY, ONE, ANOTHER, ANYTHING, EITHER, NEITHER. This rule holds true even with a compound subject. P

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 a. Every soldier is bound to obey his superior’s orders.
b. Every boy and girl in the class was abandoned. Every boy and girl means everyone.

Sample Test on Subject-Verb Agreement 

The verbs of the following sentences below are omitted. Of the four choices given choose the correct verb form for each
sentence.

1. Some of the sugar ____ spilled on th e floor.

a. was b. were c. am d. will
2. Thousands of sacks of rice ____ loaded on the ship.
a. is b. are c. seems d. must
3. Uncle Luis’s house and garage ___ just been *reshingled.
a. has b. have c. is d. are
4. Neither of the morning flights to Davao ___ allowed to depart.
a. was b. were c. has d. would
5. Chicken adobo and rice ___ my favorite meal.
a. is b. are c. look to be d. were used to be
6. A great part of the people ___ no opinion on the question.
a. does not have b. do not have c. has d. have
7. The rest of the page ___ illegible.
a. will b. can c. seem to be d. seems to be
8. Every mountain and hill ___ alive with the laughter of the children.
a. will b. must c. were d. was
9. A sack of rice, as well as two cases of coke, ___ placed in the car.
a. was b. were c. has d. have
10. Some of the books ____ destroyed in the fire.
a. was b. were c. should d. shall
11. None of the guest ___ left early.
a. was b. were c. has d. have
12. A number of errors ___ been found in his test papers.
a. is b. are c. has d. have
13. There ________different kinds of marble for sale in that store.
a. seem b. seems c. is d. are
14. He is one of the studen ts who ______ received an award.
a. was b. were c. has d. have
15. The rest of the participants ________ from provincial cities.
a. is b. comes c. are d. have
16. Half of the money _______ yours.
a. are b. become c. have been d. is
17. Neither Cezar nor any of the othe r students ______able to solve the math problem.
a. was b. is c. have d. were
18. Since fines for jaywalking have been imposed, the number of pedestrian accidents _____decreased.
a. will b. are c. has d. have
19. Students who have graduated from our business course ___ trained.
a. is well b. are well c. has d. have
20. The clerks in the brightly lighted office ___ very happy.
a. looks b. look c. feels d. is
21. Hundreds of tanks of oil ___ shipped today.
a. is b. are c. has d. have
22. Neither of the books ___ to me.
a. are sent c. appeals
b. have been sent d. appeal
23. It is I, not he, who ___ the bowling enthusiast in our family.
a. is b. are c. am d. has
4
24. How far is Cagayan from Iligan? It ___ 89 kms way.
/
a. is b. are c. am d. has
2e
25. Down the river ___ the beautiful lilies.
g
a. float b. floats c. is float d. are float a
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Christian Group Ministry Review Center\English-Agreement

 a. Someone left his/her pen on the table.
b. Each of the lady guests had her corsage.
9. The indefinite pronouns ALL, SOME, ANY, and NONE may be referred to by either a singular or plural pronouns.
a. All of the equipment was in its proper place.
b. All of the money was gone from where I placed it.
c. All of the teacher t rainers were in their places at 8:40.
10. Personal pronouns have singular and plural forms. They also show changes to den ote CASE or USE in the sentence.
a. He is my brother. b. It is he.
c. I gave the book to him. d. This is his book.
11. When a pronoun appears in an incomplete clause and follows THAN or AS in a statement of comparison, the correct form may be
determined by supplying mentally the words that are not expressed.
a. Charles says that he has more experience than (I, me). (If you complete the meaning of the sentence, you will have;
“Charles says that he has more expe rience than I have.” I is correct because it is the subject of an understood verb.)
b. Unnecessary noise disturbs Mr. Roces as much as (I, me). (Supplying the missing words would give you; “Unnecessary
noise disturbs Mr. Roces as much as unnecessary noise (or it) disturbs me.

Sample Test on Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Select the correct pronoun for each sentence. Answer only using letters.
1. It was ____ who made the noise.
a. us b. we c. our d. ours
2. We saw Bobby and ____ last week.
a. he b. his c. him d. her girlfriend
3. Mr. Reyes promised ___ boys summer job.
a. us b. we c. they d. their
4. This seat is reserved for ___.
a. she b. hers c. her d. she friend
5. I don’t know ___ he is.
a. which b. that c. who d. whom
6. Do you know the student ___ was slated for a scholarship?
a. which b. who c. whom d. that
7. We are as good as ___.
a. them b. their c. they d. theirs.
8. Do you know of anyone who can talk faster than ___.
a. her b. hers c. she d. hers sister
9. She sat between Irine and ___.
a. I b. my c. mine d. me
10. My mother and ___ did all the work.
a. her b. me c. she d. I
11. Luis and ___ mother called on us.
a. her b. he c. him d. his
12. Did you do ___ homework?
a. his b. yours c. he d. your
13. He placed the package in ___ aunt’s bag.
a. her b. hers c. his d. him
14. We invited ___ parents to visit our school.
a. my b. his c. her d. our
15. She could not find ___ grandfather.
a. our b. her c. his d. my
16. ___ bakery over there is clean.
a. This b. These c. Those d. That
17. The athletes ___ were sent to SEA games asserted their rights.
a. which b. whom c. that d. whose
18. She is the woman ___ courage and resourcefulness inspired all.
a. which b. whom c. that d. whose
19. ___ is the most hardworking student? 4
a. That b. Which c. Whose d. Who /
20. Leo is looking for ___ slippers. 4e
a. our b. her c. his d. my g
a
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Christian Group Ministry Review Center\English-Agreement