Subject and Verb
Agreement
Subject/Verb Agreement



When making a verb agree with
its subject, you need to identify
the subject and determine if it’s
singular or plural.
A singular subject must have a
singular verb.
A plural subject must have a
plural verb.
Subject/Verb
Agreement
Finding the subject:
Rule #1 Take out all
prepositional phrases

The letters from
John(was/were) very
funny.
 A signed first edition of
one of his plays (is/are)
worth millions.
 Each of the girls
(were/was) to blame.

Rule #2—A compound subject
joined by and is generally plural
and must have a plural verb.
Fall and spring (is/are) my
favorite seasons.
 Joe and his friends
(was/were) late to
practice.

Rule #3—If a subject is joined to
one or more subjects by or / nor,
the subject closest to the verb
determines agreement.
Mom or Dad usually (take/ takes)
us to school.
Joe or Fred (look/looks) fat in
striped shirts.
Joe or his friends (is/are)
going to buy the cake.
 Mary’s friends or she
(was/were) at the bake
sale.

Rule #4
Hypotheticals
 If I (was/were) King.
 If I (was/were) you.
Rule #5—Singular Indefinite
Pronouns take singular verbs
Singular Indefinite Pronouns:
anybody, anyone, anything,
each, either, every,
everybody, everyone,
everything, neither, nobody,
no one, nothing, somebody,
someone, something
Helpful hint: if the
word ends in -one,
thing, or body, it is
singular.
 Someone like/likes
 Everybody like/likes

Everyone on the rescue
squad (has/have) left for
the day.
 Each boy (does/do)
homework.

Rule #6—Plural Indefinite
Pronouns take plural verbs:
Both, few, many, others, several
Both of the students
(like/likes) ice cream.
 Few of them (like/likes) ice
cream.
 Many of them (like/likes) ice
cream.


Rule #7 Most, all,
none, some, any, and
more depend on the
antecedent (or what
it is referring to)
None of the stew
(is/are) left.
None of the
teachers (like/likes)
ice cream.

All of the group
like/likes ice cream.
 All of the students
like/likes ice cream.
 Most of the class
like/likes ice cream.

Rule # 8—Commands:
(You) is actually the
subject
Fred, look/looks out
the window.
Rule #9—Collective Nouns take a
singular verb when the group it
names acts as a single unit. It
takes a plural verb when the
group it names act as individuals
with different viewpoints.
The weather club plans to
track the tornado.
 The weather club have
split the responsibilities of
tracking the tornado.

Rule #10—Titles of Creative
Works and Names of
Organizations are singular
War and Peace is my
favorite novel.
 Weather Services is a
helpful agency.

Rule #11—Amounts, although
they appear to be plural,
actually express single units or
ideas.
 Ninety dollars was/were
missing.
 Ten years is/are a long
time.
Twenty of the dollars
was/were missing.
 Most of the money
is/are missing.
 Five of the years on
his sentence
was/were removed.

Rule #12--Schools of
thought are plural in form
but singular in meaning.
Economics is/are a
tricky field of study.
 Politics is/are a dirty
game.

Singular items with
plural verbs
Scissors is/are useful for
cutting fabric.
 Pliers is/are handy for
certain jobs.
 Slacks is/are required
for graduation.

Dishes
Macaroni and cheese
is/are my favorite.
 Peanut butter and
jelly is/are delicious!
