COM 2600, COM 3210
Grammar Review: Subject-verb and Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
A. Subject-verb Agreement
A verb must agree with its subject in number. A singular subject (one person or thing) takes a singular verb.
A plural subject takes a plural verb. To avoid mistakes in agreement, be aware of the following writing
situations:
1.
Words between the subject and verb do not change subject-verb agreement.
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2.
A verb agrees with its subject even when the verb comes before the subject. Words that precede the
subject in addition to the verb include here, there, who, which, what, where.
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3.
The crinkly lines around Joan’s eyes give her a friendly look.
Among the constitutional rights we cherish is freedom of speech.
Stimulating investment opportunities has won new friends on Wall Street for
the treasury secretary.
The foreign aid appropriation, as well as two anti-nuclear bills, was sent to
conference committee.
There are wild dogs in our neighborhood.
In the distance was a billow of black smoke.
Here are the subjects the president will discuss.
Compound subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb.
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Clark and Lois are a contented couple.
A patchwork quilt and a sleeping bag cover my bed in the winter.
3a When subjects are joined by either...or, neither...nor, or not only...but also, the verb agrees with the
subject closer to the verb.
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Neither the government negotiator nor the union leaders want a strike.
Either the records or the stereo has to go.
Indefinite pronouns always take singular verbs.
one, anyone, someone, nobody, anybody, everybody, somebody, nothing, anything, everything, something, each,
either, neither, every
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Neither of those hairstyles suits the shape your face.
Everyone enters the college kite-flying contest in the spring.
4a When each , either, every, or neither is used as an adjective, the noun it modifies always takes a singular
verb.
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Every cask of wine was spoiled.
Neither option seems very attractive.
4b Both , few, many, several , and a number always take a plural verb.
5.
Subjects that stand for definable amounts of money, measurement, time, organization, food, and
medical problems always take singular verbs.
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Five thousand dollars is the minimum bid for the foreclosed property.
The United Auto Workers is standing firm on its contract demands.
B. Pronoun-antecedent Agreement
Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. They are shortcuts that keep you from
unnecessarily repeating words in writing. A pronoun must agree in number with the
©2004 Calvin L. Hall
2/13/16
word or words it replaces -- its antecedent. To avoid the most common mistakes people
make with pronouns, refer to the following rules
1. Two or more nouns or pronouns joined by and are usually plural.
 Orville and Wilbur Wright are best known for their invention
of the airplane.
1a. Nouns joined by and are singular only if they refer to one person or thing.
 The chief cook and bottle washer demanded his pay.
2. When two nouns are joined by or or nor, the pronoun agrees with the second noun.
 Neither Pierre LaCroix nor his boldest followers wanted to
expose themselves to danger.
3. A noun or pronoun followed by a prepositional phrase is treated as if it stood by
itself.
 In 1980 Canada, together with the United States and several
other countries, kept its athletes from participating in the
Moscow Olympics.
 The leader of the strikers said that he would get them a new
package of benefits.
4. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context.
 The team chooses its captain in the spring.
5. Some indefinite pronouns are singular, some are plural, and some can be either
singular or plural.
Singular: -one, -body, -thing, -ever pronouns, each, none, another
 Everyone in the cast had to furnish his or her own costume.*
Plural: both, few, others, several
Sometimes singular, sometimes plural (depending on the number of the word or phrase to
which it refers): all, any, many, most, some
 Some of the students earn their tuition by working parttime.
 Some of the salad dressing left its mark on my shirt.
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