Subject-verb Agreement A Review of the Rules with Practice Exercises

1. The verb agrees with the subject, not with intervening words. Toby, along with his girlfriend, plays paintball nearly every weekend. One of the students has left his or her cell phone in the classroom. A harness with bells is for sale on eBay.

Let’s practice! Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. The President, along with the press secretary, were late to the press conference. The President, along with the press secretary, were late to the press conference.The President, along with the press secretary, were late to the press conferenceThe President, along with the press secretary, were late to the press conference The President, along with the press secretary, was late to the press conference. The President, along with the press secretary, was late to the press conference. The President, along with the press secretary, was late to the press conference. The President, along with the press secretary, was late to the press conference.

Not quite! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

Right! Click here for the next question. Click here for the next question. Click here for the next question. Click here for the next question.

Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. T T hhhh eeee c c c c oooo ssss tttt o o o o ffff r r r r eeee pppp aaaa iiii rrrr iiii nnnn gggg a a a a llll llll t t t t hhhh oooo ssss eeee c c c c oooo mmmm pppp uuuu tttt eeee rrrr ssss iiii ssss q q q q uuuu iiii tttt eeee p p p p rrrr oooo hhhh iiii bbbb iiii tttt iiii vvvv eeee. T hhhh eeee c c c c oooo ssss tttt o o o o ffff r r r r eeee pppp aaaa iiii rrrr iiii nnnn gggg a a a a llll llll t t t t hhhh oooo ssss eeee c c c c oooo mmmm pppp uuuu tttt eeee rrrr ssss aaaa rrrr eeee q q q q uuuu iiii tttt eeee p p p p rrrr oooo hhhh iiii bbbb iiii tttt iiii vvvv eeee.

Oops! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence.

Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. A A d d d d rrrr iiii vvvv eeee rrrr ’’’’ ssss l l l l iiii cccc eeee nnnn ssss eeee,,,, a a a a ssss w w w w eeee llll llll a a a a ssss a a a a nnnn oooo tttt hhhh eeee rrrr f f f f oooo rrrr mmmm oooo ffff I I I I DDDD,,,, i i i i ssss r r r r eeee qqqq uuuu iiii rrrr eeee dddd. A d d d d rrrr iiii vvvv eeee rrrr ’’’’ ssss l l l l iiii cccc eeee nnnn ssss eeee,,,, a a a a ssss w w w w eeee llll llll a a a a ssss a a a a nnnn oooo tttt hhhh eeee rrrr f f f f oooo rrrr mmmm oooo ffff I I I I DDDD,,,, a a a a rrrr eeee r r r r eeee qqqq uuuu iiii rrrr eeee dddd.

Not quite! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

Yes! Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule.

Rule 2 The verb agrees with its subject, even when the subject follows the verb. In the back of the room sits a snoring student. There are only two cookies left.

More Examples Notice the highlighted subject in these sentences. Notice the highlighted subject in these sentences. Here is the report you were looking for. Here is the report you were looking for. Here are the keys you were looking for. Here are the keys you were looking for. On the wall hangs a portrait of his father. On the wall hangs a portrait of his father.

Let’s practice! Click on the correct sentence: T T hhhh eeee rrrr eeee s s s s eeee eeee mmmm t t t t oooo b b b b eeee a a a a f f f f eeee wwww e e e e rrrr rrrr oooo rrrr ssss i i i i nnnn t t t t hhhh iiii ssss pppp rrrr oooo gggg rrrr aaaa mmmm. T hhhh eeee rrrr eeee s s s s eeee eeee mmmm ssss t t t t oooo b b b b eeee a a a a f f f f eeee wwww e e e e rrrr rrrr oooo rrrr ssss i i i i nnnn t t t t hhhh iiii ssss pppp rrrr oooo gggg rrrr aaaa mmmm.

Not quite! Be sure that you can identify the subject of the sentence. Be sure that you can identify the subject of the sentence. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

Good! Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence.

Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. Included in the festivities was a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities was a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities was a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities was a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities were a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities were a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. Included in the festivities were a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest Included in the festivities were a three- legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest

Not quite! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

Right! Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule.

Rule 3 Compound subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb. * Some subjects joined by “and” are considered singular, however.

Here are some examples: Shannon and her sister are both on the tennis team. My favorite salad dressing is vinegar and oil. Macaroni and cheese is Jason’s favorite lunch.

Let’s try some practice exercises: Click on the correct verb. Click on the correct verb. Strawberries and cream ( is are ) a traditional Wimbledon treat. Strawberries and cream ( is are ) a traditional Wimbledon treat.isareisare

Not quite! Remember, some compound nouns act as one unit and are considered singular. Remember, some compound nouns act as one unit and are considered singular. Click here to return to the question. Click here to return to the question. Click here to return to the question Click here to return to the question

Yes! Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb: Charlotte and her mother ( l l l l l iiii vvvv eeee ll iiii vvvv eeee ssss ) in Las Vegas.

Not quite! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! Let’s move on to Rule 4: When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearest subject. This is a tricky rule, which doesn’t always sound “right” to the ear, so let’s look at some examples.

Examples: Either David or his cousin owns that property across the river. Neither Sylvia nor her mother likes going to rodeos. Neither the students nor the instructor knows if classes will be held on Columbus Day.

Let’s practice this tricky rule. Click on the correct verb. Either a check or a money order ( ii ssss aa rrrr eeee ) acceptable.

Oops! Remember, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. Remember, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

Yes! Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb. ( W W W W W aaaa ssss WW eeee rrrr eeee ) Mr. Phelps or his son put on the committee?

Not exactly. Look for the nearest subject. Look for the nearest subject. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

Right! Here’s another. Click on the correct verb. Click on the correct verb. Either the employees or the manager Either the employees or the manager ( is are ) confused about the policy. isareisare

Oops! Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

Right! Let’s move on to Rule #5: Let’s move on to Rule #5: Amounts and distance, when used as singular units of measurements, are considered singular. Amounts and distance, when used as singular units of measurements, are considered singular.

For example: A million dollars just is not enough to retire on these days. Thirty miles seems like a long walk to me.

Rule #6 Most collective nouns, nouns that stand for groups of people or things, are generally treated as singular: The team is practicing at 6:00 a.m. Our class has been cancelled tonight. The jury is still deliberating.

Exception! If individuals within a group are acting separately, the collective noun is considered plural: The band are tuning their instruments. (Each member is tuning a different instrument.) The audience are stomping their feet.

Let’s try a few. Click on the correct pronoun in parentheses. Click on the correct pronoun in parentheses. The committee ( has have ) recommended a further review. The committee ( has have ) recommended a further review.hashavehashave

That’s not right. It’s one committee, singular, not two committees. It’s one committee, singular, not two committees. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

Right! Let’s try another. Click on the correct pronoun. The team ( i i i i ssss aa rrrr eeee ) loading their suitcases onto the bus.

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You’ve got it! Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule.

Most indefinite pronouns are singular What’s an indefinite pronoun? An indefinite pronoun takes the place of many unspecified persons or things: Examples: Any, anybody, anyone, each, every, everyone, nobody, nothing, something, no one, one

Some indefinite pronouns are plural. Plural indefinite pronouns: Both, several, few, many

Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural. P Pay close attention to the following indefinite pronouns: All, any, some, none, most, enough, half These can be either singular or plural, depending upon their function in the sentence.

Look at the noun or object that this pronoun refers to. If the noun being modified is singular, treat the pronoun as singular: Some of the newspaper is missing. Most of the cake has been eaten. Half of the house was damaged.

Notice that in the following sentences, the pronoun refers to a plural noun: Some of the newspaper pages is missing. Most of the cupcakes have been eaten. Half of the houses were damaged.

Let’s practice! Choose the correct pronoun. Everyone concerned with the community theater ( h h h h h aaaa ssss hh aaaa vvvv eeee ) helped in the fund raising.

Not quite! Remember, “everyone” is considered singular. Remember, “everyone” is considered singular. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

Right! Let’s try another: Several of the students ( w w w w w aaaa ssss ww eeee rrrr eeee ) delayed by the highway construction.

Not exactly. “Several” is plural. “Several” is plural. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

Right! Let’s try one more. N None of the employees ( t t t t t aaaa kkkk eeee tt aaaa kkkk eeee ssss ) enough vacation time.

Not quite! “None” in this case is considered plural because “none” refers to “employees.” “None” in this case is considered plural because “none” refers to “employees.” Click here to try again. Click here to try again. Click here to try again Click here to try again

You’ve got it! This concludes the lesson. This concludes the lesson. For more practice, try the supplemental PowerPoint containing just subject-verb agreement exercises. For more practice, try the supplemental PowerPoint containing just subject-verb agreement exercises.