Name: _________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Period: ___________
English II Bellringers Week 5
Focus: Subject-Verb Agreement
Monday, 11/9
Rule 1: Plural subjects take plural verbs. Plural subjects usually end in s, but plural verbs do not.
Example: The cats run toward the mouse.
PLural PLain
Rule 2: Singular subjects take singular verbs. Singular subjects do not end in s, but singular subjects usually do.
Example: The cat runs toward the mouse.
sing.
s
Remember: Objects of prepositions are never the subject.
-Example: The birds in the tree are growing. (Birds is the subject, not tree)
Circle the verb that agrees with the subject.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The award-winning pianist from the Philippines ( is / are ) playing my Fur Elise.
Teachers ( is / are ) working very hard to effectively teach their students.
The student, however, ( is / are ) very disrespectful and deserves detention.
My naughty kids ( is / are ) making mud pies in the back yard.
The sophomore girls from BHS ( is / are ) decorating for homecoming.
Tuesday, 11/10
Rule 3: When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural
verb.
-Example: She and her friends are at the fair.
Rule 4: When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular verb.
-Example: The book or the pen is in the drawer.
Rule 5: When a compound subject contains both a singular and plural noun joined by or or nor, the verb should agree
with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
-Example: The boy or his friends run every day.
His friends or the boy runs every day.
Do the subjects and verbs in the following sentence agree?
_____ 1. Cristina and Meredith is going to the fair after work.
_____ 2. After I take Marshall home, Ted and Robin are meeting me at McLarin’s.
_____ 3. Lilly or Robin are running in a marathon on Tuesday.
_____ 4. Neither Mr. Tate nor Mrs. Tate is coming to the dance.
_____ 5.The bench or the chairs is fine for the wedding.
Wednesday, 11/11
Rule 6: Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and verb.
-Example: One of the boxes is open.
The people who listen to that music are few.
The book, including all the chapters in the first section, is boring.
Rule 7: The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody,
someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.
-Example: Each of these hot dogs is juicy.
Everybody knows Mr. Jones.
Either is correct.
Rule 8: In sentences beginning with “there is” or “there are,” the subject follows the verb. Since “there” is not the
subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
-Example: There are many questions.
There is a question.
Circle the verb that agrees with the subject.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
There ( is / are ) five children going to the museum tomorrow.
Someone ( is / are ) buying pizza for the soccer team this weekend.
The team captain, as well as his players, ( is / are ) anxious.
The woman with all the dogs ( walk / walks ) down my street.
No one ( know / knows ) what time the bell rings.
There ( is / are ) only one lunch period today; there ( is / are ) usually three.
Thursday, 11/12
Rule 9: Collective nouns, such as group, team, committee, class, and family, take singular verbs
-Example: The team runs during practice.
My family has never been able to agree.
Rule 10: Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well do not change the
number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
-Example: The President, accompanied by his wife, is traveling to India.
All of the books, including yours, are in that box.
Circle the verb that agrees with the subject.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The committee ( decide / decides ) how to proceed.
The crew ( is / are ) preparing to dock the ship.
The piano as well as the pipe organ ( has / have ) to be tuned for the big concert.
The mayor together with his two brothers ( is / are ) going to be indicted for accepting bribes.
The team along with the coaches ( is / are ) going to play in the tournament Saturday.
Friday, 11/13
On a separate sheet of paper, create a 10-question quiz using each of the 10 rules. Include the answers to your quiz.