Skill 1: Agreement of Subject and Verb
RULE: A subject and its verb agree when they are in the same number; a single subject
takes a single verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Example: The student was taking a test. (Single subject student takes a single
verb was taking.)
The students were taking a test. (Plural subject students now agrees with
plural verb were taking.)
Note: The subject and verb may be separated by other words, but this does not
affect agreement. Look for the subject!
Example: The students of West High School were taking a test.
(1) These singular words usually act as subjects and take singular verbs:
each, every, either, neither, someone, anyone, no one, everybody, somebody, one,
anybody, everyone, nobody,
Example: Each was taking a test.
Each of the boys was taking a test.
(2) The subject of a sentence may have more than one word. A title of a book or country
or organization may be plural in form, but it is considered singular. A subject with two
or more parts connected by and takes a plural verb, unless the words are considered parts
of a single unit. Words connected by or, nor, either…or, neither…nor are singular.
Example: Sons and Lovers is a famous English novel. (title) (singular)
My brother and I are students at West High School. (plural)
Fred or Bob is the person to see about your problem. (singular)
Neither Fred nor Bob is going to solve all your problems. (singular)
Bacon and eggs is my favorite meal. (Bacon and eggs is one unit.)
(3) Remember that some verbs come before the subjects.
Example: There are many answers to your question. (subject: answers; this takes
a plural verb are.)
(4) Be especially careful don’t and doesn’t. I and you require don’t. Otherwise, use
doesn’t (does not) with singular subjects and don’t (do not) with plural subject.
Example: I don’t like this weather. You don’t either, do you? (He, she) doesn’t
Like the weather. It doesn’t agree with me. They don’t want to live
here anymore.
(5) The name of a group of persons, such as a team or a jury, can be either a singular or
plural subject. If it acts as a unit, it is singular; if it acts as individuals, it is plural.
Example: The Ohio State football team is not going to the Rose Bowl.
The football team were arguing in the locker room.