Subject - Verb Agreement
Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural).
Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its
verb must also be plural.
*In the present tense, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways: nouns ADD
an s to the singular form; verbs REMOVE the s from the singular form.
E.g. The dog chases the cat. “Dog” is the singular noun, so “chases” is the
singular verb.
E.g. The dogs chase the cat. “Dogs” is the plural noun, so “chase” is the plural
verb.
Caveat: Be mindful that there are some nouns that take the plural form, even
though they represent a singular entity; so, consider them singular. For example,
“The news, reports on the most lurid events.” “News” ends with an “s” but is
singular; thus, the verb “reports” is also singular and ends in “s”.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #1:
 Two or more singular or plural subjects join by AND act as a plural
compound subject and take a plural verb.
E.g. The doctor and the dentist work very hard. There are two subjects joined
by “and” so use the plural verb “work”.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #2:
o Two or more singular subjects joined by OR or NOR act as a singular
compound subject, and therefore, take a singular verb.
E.g. The doctor or the dentist works very hard. The subject is singular because
we are dealing with one or the other—the doctor or the dentist; not both.
o Two or more plural subjects joined by OR or NOR act as a plural
compound subject, and therefore, take a plural verb.
E.g. The doctors, or the dentists work very hard.
o If a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by OR or NOR, use
the verb form (plural or singular) that agrees with the subject closest to the
verb.
E.g. The teacher or the students write on the smart board. “Students” (a plural
subject) is closest to the verb, so the verb “write” takes the plural form.
E.g. The students or the teacher writes on the smart board. “Teacher” (a
singular subject) is closest to the verb, so the verb “writes” takes the singular form.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #3:
o Even if the subject comes after the verb in a sentence, the subject and verb
must still agree in number.
E.g.
o A penguin saunters into the room.
o Into the room saunters a penguin.
E.g.
o Two friends are sitting on the sofa.
o On the sofa are sitting two friends.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #4:
o Group nouns can be considered as a single unit, and thus, take a singular
verb.
o Group nouns can be considered as individual members within a single unit
and thus, take a plural verb.
o Group nouns can be given plural forms to mean two or more units and thus,
take a plural verb.
E.g.
o The couple are separating this week. (The couple = more than
one person; the verb is plural).
o The couple is separating this week. (The couple= one unit; the
verb is singular).
o The couples are separating this week. (The couples= more than
one unit; the verb is plural).
*These are tricky because how they are written depends on the meaning the writer
is trying to convey.
Common Group Nouns
companies
clubs
juries
families
organizations
teams
groups
governments
armies
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Mrs. Alston-Roache
CP English 3
2012
Subject - Verb Agreement
Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is
singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.
*In the present tense, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways: nouns ADD an s to the singular
form; verbs REMOVE the s from the singular form.
E.g. The dog chases the cat. “Dog” is the singular noun, so “chases” is the singular verb.
E.g. The dogs chase the cat. “Dogs” is the plural noun, so “chase” is the plural verb.
Caveat: Be mindful that there are some nouns that take the plural form, even though they represent a
singular entity; so, consider them singular. For example, “The news, reports on the most lurid events.”
“News” ends with an “s” but is singular; thus, the verb “reports” is also singular and ends in “s”.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #1:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
E.g. The doctor and the dentist work very hard. There are two subjects joined by “and” so use the
plural verb “work”.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #2:
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
E.g. The doctor or the dentist works very hard. The subject is singular because we are dealing with one
or the other—the doctor or the dentist; not both.
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
E.g. The doctors, or the dentists work very hard.
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
E.g. The teacher or the students write on the smart board. “Students” (a plural subject) is closest to the
verb, so the verb “write” takes the plural form.
E.g. The students or the teacher writes on the smart board. “Teacher” (a singular subject) is closest to
the verb, so the verb “writes” takes the singular form.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #3:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
E.g.
o A penguin saunters into the room.
o Into the room saunters a penguin.
E.g.
o Two friends are sitting on the sofa.
o On the sofa are sitting two friends.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULE #4:
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
o _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
E.g.
o The group are separating this week. (The group = more than one person; the verb is
plural). *It is preferable to say “group members”.
o The group is separating this week. (The couple= one unit; the verb is singular).
o The groups are separating this week. (The couples= more than one unit; the verb is
plural).
*These are tricky because how they are written depends on the meaning the writer is trying to convey.
Common Group Nouns
companies
clubs
juries
families
organizations
teams
groups
governments
armies