What’s the
Function?
Subject/Verb Agreement
•Copyright 2014 by Write Score, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Though many students may consider subject/verb
agreement to be a rather inconsequential part of writing,
it is actually extremely important.
To communicate effectively to an audience, a person must
be able to express himself or herself coherently.
Clarity is key, and correct subject/verb agreement
contributes to clarity.
Mastering basic skills such as subject/verb agreement
builds a foundation for excellent writing.
A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural
subject takes a plural verb.
Examples:
She cleverly outsmarts him. (singular subject, singular
verb)
They cleverly outsmart him. (plural subject, plural
verb)
Use a singular verb with two singular
subjects connected by “or” or “nor”.
Example:
Julianne or Toby is going to work the late shift
tonight.
Use a singular verb with two singular
subjects connected by “either/or” or
“neither/nor.”
Example:
Neither Raul nor Janet is available to drive me
to the movies.
When “I” is one of the two subjects
connected by “either/or” or “neither/nor,”
put the “I” second and use a (firstperson) singular verb.
Example:
Neither he nor I am planning a birthday
party for Lisa.
When a singular subject is connected by
“or” or “nor” to a plural subject, put the
plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Example:
The dog or the cats have torn down the
window shades in the living room.
When a singular and plural subject are
connected by “either/or” or
“neither/nor”, put the plural subject last
and use a plural verb.
Example:
Neither Henry nor his friends know when
the bikes were stolen.
Generally, use a plural verb with two
or more subjects when they are
connected by the word “and.”
Example:
Jupiter and Saturn are located in our
solar system.
When the subject is separated from the
verb by an expression such as “along with,”
“besides,” “as well as,” etc., determine the
verb by using the original subject.
Example:
Stephen, along with his sisters, is attending
the school play tonight.
Use singular verbs with pronouns such as
“anyone,” “anybody,” “each,” “everyone,”
“every one,” “everybody,” “someone,” and
“somebody.”
Example:
Anyone who speaks during the test gets five
points taken away.
With “portion words” – such as “percent,”
“fraction,” “part,” “majority,” “some,” “all,”
“none,” “remainder,” etc. – determine the
verb by the object of the preposition.
Example:
The majority of the cake is gone.
A fraction of the cookies are left.
The expression “the number” requires a
singular verb, while the expression “a
number” requires a plural verb.
Example(s):
The number of people attending is high.
A number of participants are not coming
anymore.
Always use singular verbs with “either” and
“neither” as subject.
Example(s):
Neither of the students was willing to admit
what happened.
Either of the students is able to enter the
contest.
The subject follows the verb in sentences
that begin with “here” and “there.”
Examples:
There are four popsicles left in the freezer.
There is one ice-cream sandwich left.
Use a singular verb with periods of
time or amounts in money.
Examples:
Thirty dollars is a steep price.
Four years seems like such a long time.
The pronouns “who,” “that,” and “which” are
made singular or plural depending on the noun
in front of them.
Example(s):
She is the student who collects cans for the
clothing drive each year.
He is one of the club members who organize the
car wash each year.
Collective nouns such as “staff” and “team”
may be either singular or plural, depending on
how they are used in the sentence.
Examples:
The team usually wins the championship.
(referring to the team as a unit)
The team are undecided about the lineup.
(referring to individual members)
Apply your new knowledge on subject/verb
agreement.
Review your answers with your partner.
Were there observations you found
that they did not?
What did they find you didn’t?
Review one of your already graded writing
assignments.
What subject/verb errors do you notice?
Are there trends with subject/verb errors?