When studying Subject Verb agreement you Need to know this first..

What is a Subject?
It

is the thing doing the action.

a noun!

Normally

What is a Verb?
action word! Something doing the action Also can be a linking verb or a helping verb Examples: is, was, run, play, were, are
The

Find the Subject and Verb

1.

2.
3.

4.
5. 6.

Harvey is a pooka! Harvey plays tricks on people. Harvey and Elwood are playing cards. Veta and Myrtle sing at the party. Grammar worksheets are complicated. The cats and the dogs like to play with each other.

Prepositional
Prepositions

get in the way and confuse people you need to remove these first before you do anything else when looking at verb agreement! Example: of, to, by, in, since, around, above, along, before, from, for, on, until

When

you see these get rid of the phrase!

Here is what I mean

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

I along with my brother went to the store! Peter of Sunny Brook Farm is coming over tonight. The cat by the bookshelf and the desk is eating the plants. The pictures beside the window are fading from the sunlight. The witch between the ghost and the monster is very ugly.

Subject Verb Agreement

Definition of Subject verb agreement: the subject agrees with the verb in number

The verb must be plural and the subject must be plural

The verb must be singular and the subject must be singular

Sounds easy enough, so whats the problem?

Plural

verbs dont end in S

Plural subjects usually end with S, but the singular verbs end with S

Examples:
is,

was, seems, needs, etc. are singular

The peach seems ripe.

are,

were, seem, need, etc. are plural The peaches seem ripe.

Maybe this will clear things up!

The cat runs into the wall.

The cats run into the wall.

Exception to the rule!

The form were is plural except when used with the singular you and in sentences that are contrary to the fact. You were the best player on the team. (You is the singular subject)

If he were captain, we would be a stronger team. (The statement is contrary to fact, HE IS NOT THE Captain.)

Watch out! Here is what will trip you up!

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

Example of a preposition:

Of, over, under, through, in, between, along, below, besides,by, off, near, into, instead of, up, up to

TIP:
Remove

all prepositional phrases when you are trying to find the subject.

Examples
The interest shown in the Romeo and Juliet movie (has/have) been amazing. The interest shown in the Romeo and Juliet movie has been amazing.

How we do that?

Remove the prepositional phrasein the Romeo and Juliet movie

Find the subject--Interest

The subject is singular so the verb must be singular Singular verb is has

Try these!
A list of groceries (is/are) hanging on the fridge.
The cottages between the sea and the road beyond the board walk (is/are) for sale

Answers
The list (of groceries) is hanging on the fridge The cottages (between the sea and the road) (beyond the board walk) are for sale.

BE CAREFUL YOU DONT DO THIS

When

correcting sentences do not change the tense of the verb. Change the form (singular, plural)

Example
John

make pancakes for his friends. (incorrect) We need to correct this how?

 John

made pancakes for his friends. (incorrect changetense is wrong)

John

makes pancakes for his friends. (corrected correctly).

Practice Time!
1. 2.

3. 4.

The witches in the city (plan/plans) to do great damage to the people. Kims actors (recite/recites) a soliloquy from William Shakespeares plays. Mr. Butnick (make/makes) supper all the time. The cat in our house and cabins (chase/chases) the dog.

English class at the university and in high school (are/is) always very interesting. 6. If Tom (was/were) in this class, it would really be fun. 7. You (was/were) always fun to hang out with. 8. Turkey (is/are) my favorite part of Thanksgiving.
5.

9.
10.

The pilgrims under the table (was/were) afraid to eat the turkey. Harry Potter of the famous books often (makes/make) his aunt and uncle angry.

Compound Subjects joined by or or nor

The verb agrees with the Closest Subject to the verb.

Examples:
Sara

or Jamie (is/are) at

fault.
Jamie

is at fault.

Example
The

principal nor the teachers (is/are) staying after school on Friday. Teachers are staying (after school) (on Friday).

Compound Subject joined by and

Are

usually plural in number

Example: The cat and the dog are running around the yard.

EXCEPT when they stand for one unit Example: Macaroni and Cheese Salt and Pepper
Macaroni and cheese is not my favorite meal.

Except describing one person

Example: John the singer and dancer

The brown and white dog is chasing the cat. The singer and dancer is John.

PHRASES SUCH AS
Together

with As well as Along with

ARE NOT THE SAME AS AND

Examples
The

king, along with his court, is to arrive at the castle shortly.

suitcases,along with my duffle bag, were loaded onto the plane.

My

Try These
John nor the boys can (runs/run) the mile in two minutes. 2. Tom and Jerry over by the trees (hides/hide) the food from the dogs. 3. Spaghetti and meat balls (seems/seem) to be the favorite meal of most children. 4. My best friend and paintball partner (is/are) coming over tonight.
1.

5. Mason jars or a pail (hangs/hang) from the hook in the kitchen. 6. If Kim (was/were) president, we would have a peaceful world. 7. The book over on the counter under the blanket (has, have) over 200 quotes in it.

8. The turkeys over the mountain beside the river (runs/run) wild. 9. You (was/were) supposed to come to Mrs. Butnicks room after class. 10. The old dog or the cat that live in the barn beyond the river over the highway (is/are) fat and hungry.

Watch out for sentences that begin with these

Here
There

Where

Are not subjects

Tip One
Rearrange

the word order of the sentence to get rid of here, there, and where.

Example:

There (is/are) a million stories in every big city.

A million stories are in every big city.

Tip Two

To find the subject in there is/was sentences, look at the first word after the verb that makes sense as a subject.

Examples
There

(was/were) dozens of books piled on the couch.

were dozens (of books) piled (on the couch.)

There

You Try It Now!

There

(is/are) two reasons to

stay. There (is/are) no reason to do this. Here (is/are) the apples you wanted.

Answers
There There
Here

are two reasons to stay is no reason to do this.

are the apples you wanted

Watch Out for Questions

The subject is usually NOT at the beginning

Examples
Where

(is/are) the books for the next unit?

are the books for the next

Where

unit?

You Try It
(Is/Are)

there a quiz tomorrow?

there a quiz tomorrow?

Is

Words that Look Plural but are Singular in meaning

Measles,

mumps, rickets

(names of diseases)
Physics,

mathematics, economics, etc

Example
Civics

is really hard.

Rickets

is caused by a vitamin deficiency.

Specific units of time, distance, weight, or amount

Are

singular

Example
Ten

dollars is how much the movie cost.

minutes is how long you have to wait.

Five

Titles
For books, magazines, short stories, and movies

Are

Singular

Examples
Seventeen Harry

is my favorite magazine.

Potter and the Sorcerers Stone is a cool book.

Collective Nouns
are

singular, but they name a group of persons or things

Examples
Jury,

chorus, family, troop, class, army, audience, committee, team, band, crowd, group, congregation, crew, camp, etc.

Examples
The class is always loud and annoying.
The faculty meets every Wednesday.

Practice Time
Here (is/are) the pictures we took from the play. 2. What (is/are) your problems? 3. Measles (is/are) not fun to have. 4. Five dollars (is/are) not a lot of money today.
1.

Roughing it (is/are) written by Mark Twain. 6. This class (is/are) obnoxious. 7. Ten pounds (makes/make) a large bag. 8. The army (says/say) that you should be all you can be.
5.

9.
10. 11. 12.

Rachel and John (makes/make) the best macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese (is/are) only good if Rachel and John (makes/make) it. Dracula or the ghosts (tends/tend) to scare children. My student and friend (bothers/bother) me after school.

Indefinite Pronouns
Plural

Many, Both, Few, Several

Marching Bunnies Fall Swiftly

Many Birds Fly South

Examples
1. 2.

Both Sara and Jen are going to state. Many of my friends have seen that movie.

Indefinite Pronouns
Singular

Each, every, either, neither, everyone, anyone, no one, someone, one, everybody, anybody, nobody, Somebody

How Mrs. B remembers these!

The

singular indefinite pronouns have Body and One in it.

Every, Either and Neither have E or rhyme.

Each,

Examples Each (of the students) is

responsible for doing his or her own work.

Be Careful
Some

of the indefinite pronouns that are singular feel plural because they are often followed by prepositional phrases that end in a plural word.

Example
Everyone

of the friends was involved with the prank.

Indefinite Pronouns sometimes singular and sometimes plural

Some,

Half, All, Rest, Part, Most, Any, None (SHARPMAN)

HOW DO WE KNOW if it is singular or plural?

Look

at what it is talking about! Can you Count it? Then it is plural! If you cant, it is singular!

Warning!
This

is the only time you will look at the prepositional phrase!

Examples
Some of the beads (is/are) missing. Look at what is being counted Beads. Can you count them?

Example
Some of the water (is/are) gone.

Can you count water?

Some of the water is gone.

Indefinite Pronoun Practice

Everyone of the students (is/are) annoying the teacher today. 2. All of the students (is/are) loud and make Mrs. Butnick scream. 3. Many of the dogs (yelps, yelp) at the neighbors when they walk by the houses.
1.

Half of the class (is/are) not done with the project. 5. Either Tom or Joe (yells, yell) down the hall every day. 6. Everyone of the cats (meows, meow) for milk. 7. Each of the witches (flies, fly) by the old castle on Halloween.
4.

Several of the bunnies (was/were) eating carrots. 9. Any of the Smurfs (sings/sing) in the valley. 10. Part of the play (was/were) in Spanish. 11. Everybody on the team (was/were) hanging out after school.
8.

Practice on All the rules!

1.
2.

Winnie the Pooh with his friends (is/are) running a marathon. (rule 3)
Tom and Paul (walks, walk) me home every night Rule 5

3. 4.

Tom or the Jones sisters (applies/apply) for the application.(Rule 4) The pilgrims or Mr. Tom Turkey (eats/eat) lots of potatoes with gravy. (Rule 4)

5. How (is/are) we suppose to do this? (Rule 7)

6. The movie or the plays (portrays/portray) the character as evil. (Rule 4) 7. Twenty miles (is/are) the distance the
runners have to go. (Rule 9) 8. Spaghetti and meat balls with lots of noodles (is/are) the best meal for runners before a meet. Rule 5

9.The neighbors house by Mr. Johnsons and Tonys houses (is/are) very scary. (rule 3)

10.

My favorite singer and dancer (sings/sing) that song. Rule 5

11. The cats and dog (eats/eat) a lot of food. Rule 5 12. There (is/are) mice in the attic. (Rule 6)
13. Where (is/are) the actor that is playing the main role? (Rule 6) 14. Here (is/are) the rolls you wanted. (Rule 6)

15.
17.

What (is/are) the meaning of this? (Rule 7)

Rickets (is/are) a disease caused by a vitamin deficiency. (Rule 8)

18. Physics (is/are) a hard class. (Rule 8)

19. Two dollars (was/were) found at the office. (Rule 9)

20. Twenty pounds of weight (is/are) a lot to carry.

(Rule 9)
21. Twilight (is/are) the new movie coming

out on Friday. (Rule 10)

22. The Mona Lisa (is/are) one of the most famous pieces of art. (Rule 10) 23. The jury (was/were) out for hours. (Rule 11)

24.

The class of almost all boys (loves/love) to tease the girls. (Rule 11).

25. Both of the girls (likes/like) to read those books. (Rule 12) 26. Each of the boys (runs/run) to Toms house after school. (Rule 12). 27. Half of the class (does/do) like the homework. (Rule 13)

28. The bear of the big woods (runs/run) all

the way to the neighbors house. (rule 3)

29. The plays or the movie (portrays/portray)

the character as evil. (Rule 4)

30. Some of the cows (eats/eat) grass and hay for supper the others eat soup. (Rule 13).