NINTH/ Egith GRADE ENGLISH
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #1

Plural nouns usually
end in –s.

Singular verbs
usually end in –s.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #2

Singular subjects need singular verbs.

Examples:
 He washes the dishes.
 A girl in my neighborhood plays in the band.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #3

Plural subjects need plural verbs.

Examples:
 They wash the dishes.
 Several girls in my neighborhood play in the
band.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #4

Don’t determine the number of a subject
by a word in a phrase or clause
following the subject.

Examples:
 The apartments across the street (does, do)
have balconies.
 Eli, one of my friends, (was, were) late.
 The planes pulling up to the gate (was,
were) purchased by a movie company.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #5

Singular Indefinite Pronouns Take
Singular Verbs…
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Each
Either
Neither
One
Anybody
Somebody
Nobody
Everybody
Anyone
Someone
No one
Everyone
Anything
Something
Nothing
Everything
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular Indefinite Pronouns

How to remember these????

Each, Either, Neither…The ONES, The
BODYS, The THINGS, + ONE
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Examples
 Each of the athletes (run, runs) effortlessly.
 Neither of the women (is, are) ready to start.
 Someone (was, were) waving a large flag.
 (Does, do) everyone who signed up enjoy
playing tennis.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #5

Plural Indefinite Pronouns Take Plural
Verbs
Subject/Verb Agreement
Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Both
Several
Few
Many
Subject/Verb Agreement
Plural Indefinite Pronouns

How to remember these????

Both sisters found mom.

BOTH SEVERAL
FEW
MANY
Subject/Verb Agreement
Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Examples
 (Were, was) both of the games postponed?
 Few that I know of (has, have) qualified.
 Several of the runners (is, are) exercising.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #5

Singular OR Plural Indefinite Pronouns
can take either singular or plural verbs
depending on how they are used in each
sentence
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular-Plural Pronouns
All
Any
More
Most
None
Some
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular-Plural Pronouns

How to remember these????

All Active Men Need More Sports.

ALL
ANY
MOST
NONE
MORE
SOME
Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular-Plural Pronouns

Examples
 Some of the test (is, are) hard.
 Some of the questions (is, are) hard.
 Most of his routine (sound, sounds)
familiar.
 Most of his jokes (sound, sounds) familiar.
 (Was, were) any of the feedback positive?
 (Was, were) any of the reviews positive?
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #6

Two subjects joined by AND take a
plural subject

Examples:
 George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (make,
makes) movies.
 Rhythm and imagery (helps, help) poets
express their feelings.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #6

Exception…Compound subjects that
name only one person, thing, or place
take a singular verb.

Examples:
 My pen pal and best friend (is, are) my
cousin.
 Macaroni and cheese (is, are) my favorite
dish.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #7

Subjects joined by OR or NOR…the
verb should agree with the subject
closest to it.
 Neither the children nor the their mother
(were, was) ready for the trip.
 Neither the mother nor her children (were,
was) ready for the trip.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Compound Subjects Examples
Either Anne or Tony (load, loads) the
dishwasher.
 Neither the coach nor the principal (is,
are) happy with the team’s performance.
 Either the boys or their sisters (take,
takes) the garbage out.
 Neither the dogs nor the cats (comes,
come) when we call them.

Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #8

Collective nouns may be either singular
or plural, depending on their meaning in
the sentence

Examples:
 The class (has, have) completed their
projects.
 The class (has, have) elected its officers.
Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #9

An expression of an amount may be
singular or plural depending on how it’s
used in a sentence.
Three fourths of the pizza (is, are) gone.
 Of these songs, three fourths (is, are)
new.

Subject/Verb Agreement
Amount Examples
Two hours (was, were) a long time to
wait.
 Thirty dollars (was, were) too much for
a concert ticket.
 Six dollars (was, were) found in the
couch cushions.
 Two hours—one before school and one
after—(is, are) all I have for practice.

Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #10

Some nouns that are plural in form that
singular verbs
“Memories” (is, are) my favorite poem.
 Rickets (are, is) a serious health
concern in some countries.
 The news of the nominee (was, were) a
surprise.

Subject/Verb Agreement
Rule #11

Subjects preceded by EVERY or MANY
A take singular verbs.
Every homeowner and storekeeper
(has, have) joined the cleanup.
 Many a litterbug (was, were) surprised
by the stiff fines.
