NAME ____________________ CLASS ___________ DATE _________
Agreement of Subject and Verb A
5a. A verb should agree in number with its subject.
A word that is singular in number refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. A word that is plural refers to
more than one person, place, thing, or idea. A verb and a subject agree when they have the same number.
Singular and Plural Subjects
Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
EXAMPLES
The clock chimes every hour. [The singular verb chimes agrees with the singular
subject clock.]
Two girls in the orchestra play the oboe. [The plural verb play agrees with the plural
subject girls.]
Seven ears of corn are lying on the table. [The plural helping verb are agrees with
the plural subject ears.]
EXERCISE A Underline the verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject in each
of the following sentences. Hint: The subject has been underlined for you.
Example
1. Melanie (is, are) studying cactuses in her spare time. [The singular helping verb is
agrees with the singular subject Melanie.]
1. The members of our football team (has, have) been lifting weights after school. [Is the subject of this
sentence singular or plural?]
2. Spiders (has, have) eight legs.
3. Mississippi (lies, lie) between Louisiana and Alabama.
4. (Does, Do) this flashlight need new batteries?
5. Peaches (grows, grow) well in warmer climates.
Compound Subjects
A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by the connecting words and, or, or nor,
and that have the same verb.
EXAMPLE
Carol and Jeremy take piano lessons from Mrs. Winters. [Carol and Jeremy form a
compound subject because both share the same verb, take.]
5c. Subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb.
EXAMPLE Cheese, yogurt, and milk are all dairy products. [The
parts of this compound subject, Cheese, yogurt, and milk,
are joined by and, so the subject takes the plural verb are.]
Underlying content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the underlying content are the
responsibility of the instructor.
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NAME ____________________ CLASS ___________ DATE _________
for CHAPTER 5: AGREEMENT pages 156-164 continued
5d. Singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb. Plural subjects joined by or or nor take
a plural verb.
Either Lisa or her sister studies Italian. [The singular verb studies agrees with the
two singular subjects Lisa and sister.]
EXAMPLES
Neither the shelves nor the brackets are available. [The plural verb are agrees
with the two plural subjects, shelves and brackets.]
5e. When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the
subject nearer the verb.
My parents or my grandmother has the key to the gate. [The singular subject
grandmother is nearer the verb, so the verb is singular.]
EXAMPLES
My grandmother or my parents have the key to the gate. [The plural subject
parents is nearer the verb, so the verb is plural.]
EXERCISE B Circle each part of the compound subject in each of the following sentences. Then,
underline the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the compound subject.
Examples
1.
2.
6. The art paper and the charcoal pencils (belong, belongs) in the cabinet. [Do compound subjects joined by
and take singular or plural verbs?]
7. Neither the box nor the drawers (contain, contains) the part we need. [Which part of the compound
subject joined by nor should the verb agree with?]
8. Jody or Monica (is, are) going to the store.
9. Lewis and Clark (was, were) famous American explorers.
10. The dog or the children (have, has) been playing with the garden hose again.
11. Either a robin or a sparrow (occupies, occupy) the nest outside my window.
12. Pasta or rice (is, are) part of Phoebe’s daily diet.
13. On scheduled evenings, the students and Ms. Soyer (gazes, gaze) at stars through a telescope.
14. Neither rain nor heavy winds (has, have) damaged the building.
15. The trees and the stream (look, looks) peaceful in the morning sunlight.
Underlying content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the underlying content are the
responsibility of the instructor.
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