Subject/Verb Agreement
Power Point Notes
Name:
Period:
1. Either of the answers (is / are) correct.
2. One of the DVDs that is on the table (belong / belongs) to Sarah.
3. There (is / are) a carton of eggs in the refrigerator.
4. The herd of elephants (was / were) fighting among themselves for position by the river.
5. John, along with two friends whose names I don’t know, (is / are) using my football.
A. A verb agrees with its subject in number.
B. The number of a subject is not changed by any intervening phrases or clauses found between the verb and its subject.
1. The descriptions characterizing Paul Revere almost (makes/ make) you forget where you are.
2. Every student who wants to pass Miss Griffin’s class (memorizes / memorize) a few lines of a poem.
3. The depth of some of these lakes (has/have) never been measured.
4. The decision of the umpires (was/were) overruled.
5. His answers to our question (change/changes) everything.
6. Clarity in writing and speaking (are/is) essential to success.
C. Indefinite pronouns functioning as subjects create a problem.
1. The following pronouns are singular and take singular verbs:
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
everybody
everyone
everything
neither
nobody
no one
one
somebody
someone
something
Examples:
Neither of the two candidates (was / were) present.
Each of these shirts (cost / costs) twelve dollars.
Which of these sentences is correct?
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Neither of the plays were interesting.
Each of the houses was brown.
One of my brothers plants tomatoes every year.
Either of my grandparents cultivate the flower garden every year.
Subject/Verb Agreement Notes, p. 2
Name:
Period:
2. The following pronouns are plural and take plural verbs:
both
few
many
several
Examples:
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Both of the maples in our front yard (turn / turns) red in the fall.
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Many of the group (prefer / prefers) reading to dancing.
Practice
a. Few in my family (look/looks) like me.
b. Many of the TV critics (objects/object) to violent programs.
c. (Have/Has) both of you handed in your essays?
d. Several of my pencils (have/has) broken points.
3. The following pronouns may be either singular or plural:
all
any
most
none
some
Note: This is an exception to rule I. B. because the number of the pronoun must be determined by the
prepositional phrase following it unless there is an antecedent in a preceding sentence.
Examples:
a. Most of the day (is / are) over.
b. Most of the children (was / were) crying.
Determine if each of the sentences is correct. Explain how you arrived at each answer.
a. Some of the nickels was stolen.
b. Some of the money was stolen.
c. Has any of the paint been delivered?
d. All of the bicycles have been rented.
Subject/Verb Agreement Notes, p. 3
Name:
Period:
D. Compound subjects cause a problem.
1. Most subjects joined by and are plural and take plural verbs.
Note: When a compound subject is considered as a unit, not as two distinct things, it takes a singular verb.
Examples:
a. Kaitlyn and Karl are studying vocabulary words.
b. Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite lunch.
c. The president of our class and leader of the committee is helping with the planning.
Identify the subjects and the verbs that agree with them.
a. A truck and a sedan (were/was) in the ditch.
b. Macaroni and cheese (are/is) the cafeteria special today.
c. Broadway at 48th Street and the surrounding area (are/is) known as Tin Pan Alley.
2. When compound subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
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Neither my sister nor my brother (mows / mow) the lawn without protesting.
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Either Lucille or Maddie (has/have) a dress like that.
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Kelly or Jing (have/has) been elected.
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Neither Joe nor Evan (want/wants) the job.
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Either the man or his friends (was / were) taking pictures.
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Neither Tyler nor they (believes/believe) that story.
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Either the judge or the lawyers (are/is) wrong.
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Neither the refrigerator nor the stove (have/has) been installed.
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Either my horse or hers always (wins/win).
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(Has/Have) the teacher or her students arrived yet?
E. Collective nouns may be either singular or plural.
1. The noun is singular when it refers to the group as a whole.
2. The noun is plural when it refers to the individuals in the group acting individually.
Examples:
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
The jury (was / were) presenting the verdict to the judge.
The jury (was / were) discussing the case in the jury room.
Explain why each of these sentences is correct.
 The crowd were fighting for their lives.
 The crowd was a quiet one.
 The team were talking over some new plays.
 The team was the best in the country.
Subject/Verb Agreement Notes, p. 4
Name:
Period:
F. A verb agrees with its subject and not with its predicate nominative.
Examples:

The best time to visit (is / are) weekday mornings.
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Weekday mornings (is / are) the best time to visit.
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The best gift (was/were) the clothes that you sent us.
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The clothes that you sent us (was/were) the best gift.

The biggest problem in gardening (is/are) the weeds.
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Weeds (is/are) the biggest problem in gardening.
G. When the subject follows the verb as in sentences beginning with here and there and in questions, find the subject
and make sure the verb agrees with it in number.
Examples:
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Here (is / are) my seat.
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There (is / are) exciting rides at the fair.
H. Don’t and doesn’t must agree with their subjects.
1. Use don’t with plural subjects and with the pronouns I and you.
2. Use doesn’t with all other subjects.
I. Some nouns are singular in meaning although plural in form. Amounts of time and money often reflect this
discrepancy.
Example:

Measles (is / are) a common ailment.

Fifty cents (is / are) enough for a bag of chips.

Two weeks never (seem / seems) long enough for a vacation.
More Practice

I (don’t/doesn’t) remember the score.

World economics (has/have) a direct bearing on world peace.
Which one is correct? Why?
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There’s more cookies in the cookie jar.
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There are fourteen thousand people in my town.