SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Subject-Verb Agreement: a singular subject must have a singular verb as a partner. A plural
subject must have a plural verb as a partner – don’t get confused by words in between
Examples:
 INCORRECT: People is living longer in many counties.
 CORRECT: People are living longer in many countries.
“People” = plural / “are” = plural
 INCORRECT: A person usually live longer if he has good health habits.
 CORRECT: A person usually lives longer if he has good health habits.
“Person” = singular / “lives” = singular
Strategy: Cover up all the words in between the subject and the verb with your fingers and read
the sentence without them. Usually, you’ll be able to decide which verb-form to use by cutting
out all of the distracting words in the sentence and making it the simplest it can be.
Rule: Has vs. Have: When the subject of the sentence is referred to with the word “some,” then
the verb should be “have.” When the subject of the sentence is referred to with the word “each,”
then the verb should be “has.”
Examples:
 Some of my roommates have been leaving wet towels on the bathroom floor.
 Each of you has his own key to the apartment.
 Some squirrels in the park have tried to steal my bag of potato chips.
 Each of the players on the school’s teams has offered to donate a uniform shirt to the
charity auction.
Rule: If two singular words appear together as compound subjects, the verb will be plural.
 CORRECT: Hank and Sandy think they passed the test.
 INCORRECT: Hank and Sandy thinks they passed the test.
Why? Because “Hank and Sandy” = a compound subject (can’t be torn apart)
Rule: If a compound subject is joined with the words either/or, neither/nor, the verb must agree
with the subject that is closer to the verb.
 CORRECT: Neither my brother nor I think we look alike.
 INCORRECT: Neither my brother nor I thinks we look alike.
Why? Because “I” is the subject closer to the verb “think,” so the verb agrees with “I” instead
of “brother.”
 CORRECT: Either my dog or my cats are making noise outside.
 INCORRECT: Either my dog or my cats is making noise outside.
Why? Because the subject “cats” is closer to the verb and “cats” = plural, the verb must be
plural, too.
Rule: Words such as everyone, anyone, no one, somebody, someone, and something are called
singular indefinite pronouns. They always require a singular verb.
Examples:
 CORRECT: Everyone who comes to my party is bringing a gift.
 INCORRECT: Everyone who comes to my party are bringing a gift.
Practice: Nine of the fifteen sentences below show correct agreement between the subject and
the verb. On the line next to each sentence, write the letters “CA” for correct agreement and the
letters “IA” for incorrect agreement. If the sentence is incorrect, circle the word(s) that need to
be fixed.
_____ 1. The lights on top of the building were beautiful.
_____ 2. Some of the papers was ripped from the rain.
_____ 3. Each of the students has the correct answer.
_____ 4. Several members of the team were absent for the picture.
_____ 5. Seventy-five cents are not enough.
_____ 6. Ham and eggs is his breakfast selection.
_____ 7. Mumps are a common childhood illness.
_____ 8. Here are your sister and brother.
_____ 9. The decisions of the umpires have not frustrated the team.
_____ 10. All of my friends were happy to go to the assembly.
_____ 11. Both of the musicians have been selected for the next musical.
_____ 12. Most of the magazines is ready for delivery.
_____ 13. Many of the breads is prepared on the premises.
_____ 14. Have all the pictures been developed yet?
_____ 15. Neither the boy nor his sisters is happy about the plan.
Practice: Cross out the incorrect verb form and write the correct form in the space provided.
Underline the subject(s) that go with the verb.
_______________ 1. Why is Martha and her mother digging a hole in the yard so late at night?
_______________ 2. Neither of my children look like me.
_______________ 3. Several packages and a supermarket circular was lying on the front porch.
_______________ 4. Here is the low-calorie soda and the double-chocolate cake you ordered.
_______________ 5. The odor of those perfume ads interfere with my reading of the magazine.
_______________ 6. One of my students are always coming to class late.
_______________ 7. Only Linda and Jodie believes the story is true.
_______________ 8. No one at play rehearsal are bringing the script.
_______________ 9. Either my rose or my daffodils needs more sunlight.
_______________ 10. Something on the back stairs smell funny.
_______________ 11. Some of the tomatoes on the vine has bugs on them.
_______________ 12. A person under the age of 18 who shows up without parents are not
allowed to watch the movie.