1. Subject – Verb Agreement

2. Number and Agreement of Subject and Verb
Most singular nouns do not end in –s.
Most singular verbs end in –s.
Most plural nouns end in –s.
Most plural verbs do not end in –s.

3. A verb must agree with its subject in number.
A singular subject takes a singular verb.
A plural subject takes a plural verb.
Examples:
The ocean roars in the distance.
Marla plays the trumpet.
Squirrels eat the seeds from the bird feeder.
The dancers practice after school.

4. The singular pronouns “I” and “you” take plural verbs.
Examples:
You look beautiful.
I eat two bowls of cereal each morning.

5. Compound Subjects
A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects that are connected by and, or, or nor.
Subjects connected by “and” take a plural verb.
When subjects are connected by “or” or “nor”, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to the verb.
Examples:
The boy and the girl work on their homework.
The boy or the girls run around the track.
The girls or the boy runs around the track.

6. Subject After the Verb
When the subject follows the verb, find the subject. Then make sure that the verb agrees with it.
Examples:
There are fifty runners in the marathon.
There is the winner.
Here is my library card.
Are the birds in the nest?

7. Problems in Agreement
Be careful when a phrase comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not the noun or pronoun in the phrase.
Examples:
These shades of blue are my favorite.
The smallest kitten of the four is sleeping in the basket.

8. Indefinite Pronouns
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a definite person, place, thing or idea.
Singular indefinite pronouns require singular verbs.
Examples:
each, either, neither, one, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody

9. Indefinite Pronouns Plural indefinite pronouns require plural verbs.
Examples:
Both, few, many, several
Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural and require singular or plural verbs.
All, any, most, none, some

10. Don’t and Doesn’t
Don’t is short for do not. Use don’t with all plural subjects and with pronouns “I” and “you”.
Doesn’t is short for does not. Use doesn’t with all singular subjects except pronouns “I” and “you”.