0. Subject and Verb Agreement

1. What is subject-verb agreement?
Review
What is subject-verb agreement?

2. Review In general, subject-verb agreement means…
-If the subject is singular, than the verb is singular
-If the subject is plural, then the verb is plural
Of course, there are always exceptions.

3. Rules & Examples

4. *** Orange = the subject
Red = the verb
Rule #1
- The indefinite pronouns such as anyone, nobody, and someone, must be accompanied by singular verbs since they are singular, as well.
Examples: Everyone has arrived to the game.
Each of the athletes is talented.

5. Rule #2
Depending on the subject, some indefinite pronouns can be plural, such as all, some, and none.
Examples: All of the papers are scattered.
All of the cake is sliced.

6. Rule #3
-Sentences using as well as, together with, and similar phrases are not interchangeable with the word and.
Examples:
The teacher as well as her students is going to the assembly.
The teacher and her students are going to the assembly.

7. Rule #4
The words neither and either are accompanied by singular verbs, since they are also singular.
Example: Neither of the defenders is playing well.

8. Rule #5
-In sentences with nor or or, the subject closest to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural.
Example:
Either my mother or my sisters are coming to my play.
Either my sisters or my mother is coming to my play.

9. Rule #6
-Sentences starting with here or there must have a subject that follows the verb; there and here will never be the subject.
Example: There are two applications on the desk.

10. Rule #7
-Verbs in third person and in present tense that are accompanied by singular subjects (such as he, she, and it) should end in -s; other verbs do not end in -s.
Example: She likes taking walks on the beach.
They like taking walks on the beach.

11. Rule #8
-Do not let modifiers/descriptions confuse you with the subject-verb agreements.
Example: Sally, who must set several alarms, is not used to waking up early.

12. Rule #9
-Unless specified as “a pair of”, words such as pants, glasses, and scissors are viewed as plural.
Example: The pair of white pants is in the basket.
The white pants are in the basket.

13. Rule #10
-Some words that end in -s are actually singular and need singular verbs.
Example:
Diabetes is a disease that can be deadly.

14. Rule #11
-Although some words with s-endings are talking about a specific item, the words are still plural and need a plural verb.
Example: My earnings have tripled in the past year.

15. Rule #12
- Phrases speaking of fractions such as a percentage of, half of, and a majority of, can be singular or plural depending on the content.
-Products or sums in math will always be singular and have singular verbs.
-The phrase “more than one” will always have a singular verb in the sentence.
Examples: A majority of the citizens vote in the Presidential Elections.
One plus one is two.
More than one of the boxes had fallen.

16. Rule #13
-If there is a positive and negative compound subject in a sentence, and one is plural while the other is singular, the verb must agree with the positive subject.
Example: The students, not the teacher, have to write in black ink.

17. Works Cited
Aaron, Jane E. "Using Subjects and Verbs Effectively." The Little, Brown Compact Handbook: With Exercises. New York: Pearson/Longman, Print.
Paiz, Joshua M., Chris Berry, and Allen Brizee. "Making Subjects and Verbs Agree." Purdue OWL: Subject/Verb Agreement. Purdue OWL, 01 Apr Web. 16 Sept
"Subject-Verb Agreement." Subject-Verb Agreement. Capital Community College Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Sept
"Usage - Subject-Verb Agreement." Subject-Verb Agreement. Towson University, n.d. Web. 16 Sept
Warriner, John E. "Agreement of Subject and Verb." Holt High School Handbook. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Print.

18. Each of the athletes is/are talented.

19. The pair of scissors is/are in the basket.

20. Either my sisters or
my mother is/are coming
to my play.

21. The players, not the
coach, has/have to
nominate the MVP..

22. Neither of the students is/are ready for the quiz.