Subject/Verb
Agreement
The Basics
• First identify the subject of the sentence and
determine if it is singular or plural
• She likes apples.
• She=subject
• She is a singular subject
• Singular subject + singular verb
• She likes apples.
• Plural subject + plural verb
• Susan and Bill like apples.
Indefinite Pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns refer to an unknown or
unidentified person, place, or object
• Common indefinite pronouns: each, every,
neither, any, anyone, no one, someone,
somebody
• Indefinite pronouns usually use a singular verb
• Somebody needs to clean up this mess.
Exceptions
• The following indefinite pronouns use plural
verbs: both, few, many, several
•
•
•
•
Both of them need new computers.
Few understand the new material.
Many people love to watch football.
Several of the books are overdue.
More Exceptions
• The following indefinite pronouns use either
singular or plural verbs: all, most, none, some
•
•
•
•
All of the food is gone.
All of the groups are registered.
None of the people need money.
Some of the test appears difficult.
Parenthetical Phrases
• A phrase that provides a digression from the rest of
the sentence.
• If removed, it does not make the sentence
incomplete.
• Catherine, along with Monica, likes art museums.
• Singular subject=singular verb
• Do not be confused by words between subjects and
verbs.
• The vase of flowers looks beautiful on the table.
Expletives
• Expletives: here, there
• Expletives are not subjects. Be careful to identify
the subject of the sentence, not the expletive.
• Here is the cell phone.
• Cell phone is the singular subject, so the verb is singular.
• There are plates in the dishwasher.
• Plates is the plural subject, so the verb is plural.
Collective Nouns
• Words that refer to more than one person but
are singular subjects: family, group, class
• These nouns require singular verbs.
• My family wants a new car.
• Their group plans to split up the work for the project.
• Her class knows how to write a good paper.
Subjects joined by “and”
• When “and” joins two subjects together, that
sentence requires a plural verb.
• Samantha and Robert like to eat ice cream.
• The bookmark and the reading light are on the table.
• Her clothes and shoes need to be washed.
Use of: or, either, neither/nor
• Subjects joined using “or,” “either,” “neither,” and
“nor” use singular verbs
• Sam or Brian listens to the radio.
• If the subjects are plural, the sentence uses a plural
verb
• Neither the boxes nor the crates are heavy.
• The subject closest to the verb determines if the
verb is singular or plural.
• Either the students or the teachers eat lunch at noon.
Practice
• Choose the correct form of the verb:
• Tara takes/take a shower after practice.
• Mike and Dylan likes/like to watch football together.
• Either he or she puts/put the papers there.
• Her family travels/travel to Paris every summer.
• Someone in my classes never comes/come to the study
sessions.
More Practice
• One of my friends eats/eat a sandwich every day.
• There is/are two cars in the driveway.
• Neither Kim nor Tom ever cheats/cheat.
• Few realizes/realize how difficult it is to write a poem.
• Each person receives/receive a different grade.
• Candice along with her friends enjoys/enjoy watching the
news.