Subject-Verb Agreement

A verb must agree in number with its subject.

The phone rate is affordable for everyone.

The clients are waiting for our decision.

SING

PL

Examples

Customers [calls, call] the company daily.

He [seeks, seek] for more answers to this question.

There are tricky rules, but There are tricky rules, but the bottom line is: the bottom line is:

SINGLE SINGLE SUBJECTSUBJECT

==SINGLE VERBSINGLE VERB

PLURAL SUBJECTPLURAL SUBJECT==

PLURAL VERBPLURAL VERB

Exercises

1. The plan (was, were) based on customer feedback.

2. The team (recognizes, recognize) the manager’s efforts.

3. Sheila (pays, pay) her bills through the phone.

Exercises

4. The customers (is, are) aware of the company’s system updates.

5. If symptoms (persists, persist), consult your doctor.

6. Keypad locking (helps, help) protect you computer.

Exercises

7. You (calls, call) for technical support tonight.

8. They (dials, dial) the toll free number for customer support.

9. The wild geese (has, have) flown southward.

The S rule

A plural action verb is always used with a plural subject.

Most subjects that are plural end in s.Exceptions: “I” and “you”

Plural verbs DO NOT end in s.

Nouns

Verbs

Singular

Plural

S

S

S

S

Rule:Pronouns ending in –one, -body, and -thing always take singular verbs.

Everyone associated with the project [is, are] proud to be part of the effort.Somebody [has, have] to be responsible.Something [is, are] on the table.

Examples

WORDS IN BETWEENWORDS IN BETWEEN

What if What if there are words there are words between between the subject and the the subject and the verb?verb?

The best thing about birthdays The best thing about birthdays [is/are] the presents.[is/are] the presents.

Pretend they’re Pretend they’re not therenot there, , then choose a verb.then choose a verb.

EACH, EVERY, OTHER, EACH, EVERY, OTHER, MUCHMUCH always take always take singularsingular verbs verbs

Rule:

Examples

Much [has, have] been said about this new book.

Each child [gets, get] a balloon Each child [gets, get] a balloon today.today.

Tip:Don’t be confused by phrases that come between the subject pronoun and its verb — phrases that may contain plural words.

Each of the project partners [is, are] responsible for writing a chapter summary.

Example

Each of the project partners is responsible for writing a chapter

summary.

EACHEACH takes a takes a pluralplural verb if it appears verb if it appears after a noun.after a noun.

However…

Examples

The doctors and nurses each [has, have] contributed to this program.The children each [gets, get] a The children each [gets, get] a balloon today.balloon today.

The verb with ALL and SOME will be determined by whether the word is referring to something that is COUNTABLE or not.

Some of the students in the cafeteria [has, have] voted already.

Some of the grain [was, were] ruined by the flood.

Rule:

Examples

NONE may be considered singular or plural.

None of the representatives [has, have] indicated how he or she will vote.

None of the representatives [has, have] indicated how they will vote.

Rule:

Examples

With fractions or decimal equivalents, determine by what is being referred to: is it COUNTABLE or not?

Two-fifths of the grain [is, are] ruined.One-half of the students [was, were] convinced that there would be no final exams this year.

Rule:

Examples

Exercises

1. Everything (was, were) perfectly executed according to plans.

2. Some of the sugar (was, were) used for Uncle Ned’s coffee.

3. All of the trainees (was, were) not ready for the exam.

Exercises

4. One-half of the target (was, were) accomplished.

5. Some things (was, were) meant to be forgotten.

6. Everybody from the party (is, are) going to the graduation ball.

Two or more subjects joined with “and” become plural and require a plural verb.

ExamplesGlobe and Smart [competes, compete] against each other.

She and Mark [is, are] partners.

Rule:

However…

when the joined nouns are treated as one, it will require a singular verb

ExamplesMy brother and best friend [gives, give] me excellent advice.

Pork and beans [is, are] popular among kids.

Note:Phrases like “together with”, “accompanied by”, “as well as” and “along with” are NOT the same as “and”.

Watch out for determiners like “the”, “my”, “a” and “an” for they usually suggest whether joined nouns are treated as one or otherwise.

RememberWords in between the subject and the verb DO NOT change the number of the subject.

Example

Homer, together with Bart and Lisa, [munches, munch] on his snacks while watching television.

Either and Neither (without their sidekicks or and nor) take singular verbs.

Neither of these choices [appears, appear] to be satisfactory.The purchasing office will lend me a company car or compensate me for travel expenses. Either [is, are] fine with me.

Rule:

Examples

When either and neither act as correlative conjunctions, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the number of the verb.

Neither the principal nor the teachers [is, are] at fault.

Either the teachers or the principal [has, have] to be responsible for the festival.

[Has, Have] either the President or his aides been in touch with you?

Rule:

Example

Exercises

1. Toyota and Honda [is, are] the leading manufacturers of cars.

2. Mrs. Cruz, along with James and Andrew, [is, are] preparing for the concert.

3. Either Andrew or James [is, are] going to be the master of ceremonies.

Exercises

4. Neither [is, are] participating as performers in the concert.

5. His uncle and my father [is, are] planning a surprise party for Uncle Ned.

6. My adviser and friend [is, are] moving to Chicago next week.

Exercises

7. Mary, together with her children, (rides, ride) the bus everyday.

8. Emily and Jack (needs, need) five computers for their presentation.

9. The agents, along with a manager, (reviews, review) the company policies.

Exercises

10. His father and sponsor (cuts, cut) the ribbon.

11. This device, along with its attachments (has, have) a lot of features.

12. PLDT, together with its subsidiaries, (offers, offer) a variety of services.

Exercises

13. My best friend and my sister (reads, read) four books a week.

14. The officer and my father (executes, execute) difficult decisions everyday.

15. The computer and the projector (is, are) ready for your presentation.

Sentences that begin with HERE or THERE place subjects after the verb.

There [is, are] several explanations for the Civil War.We were looking down the street when —all of a sudden — here [comes, come] Joe and his two brothers.

If the management team takes this attitude, there [is, are] very little latitude for negotiation.

Rule:

Example

With “of phrases,” try turning the sentence “inside-out” to find the right subject-verb combination.

Connecticut is one of those states that [have, has] adopted a state income tax.Turn this around to

. . . .Of those states that [has, have] adopted a state income tax, Connecticut is one.

Rule:

? ? ?Example

The Untouchables [was/were] The Untouchables [was/were] a good movie.a good movie.

TitlesTitles of films, companies and of films, companies and such usually take such usually take singular singular verbsverbs..

Rule:

Example

Lion Films [produces, produce] Lion Films [produces, produce] quality movies.quality movies.

The number of absent trainees The number of absent trainees [is, are] small.[is, are] small.

The expressionThe expression THE NUMBER THE NUMBER takes a singular verb whiletakes a singular verb while A A NUMBER NUMBER takes a plural verb.takes a plural verb.

Rule:

Example

A number of trainees [is, are] A number of trainees [is, are] absent today.absent today.

Exercises

1. There [was, were] many people in the yard.

2. Of the people who applied for this position, they [is, are] the chosen ones.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean [was, were] shown last year.

Exercises

4. Here [is, are] my contribution for the project.

5. Out of the millions who auditioned, Kara, together with eleven others [was, were] chosen as winner.6. Dell and IBM [is, are] big companies.

Exercises

7. The number of websites in the list [is, are] amazingly small.

8. A number of militant groups [is, are] outside Malacañang.

rewind

A verb must ________________ with its __________.A plural action verb is always used with ________________.Plural verbs do not __________.

agreesubject

a plural subject

end in -s

Questions?