1. Using Subject-Verb Agreement
What is subject-verb agreement?
How to fix problems in agreement
Phrases between subjects and verbs
Indefinite pronouns
Compound subjects
Subjects after verbs
Don’t and doesn’t
Review A
Review B

2. What is subject-verb agreement?
Every sentence has a subject and a verb.
Subject
Verb
The dog runs.
The dog runs.
The dog runs.
Subject
Verb
A ship sails.
A ship sails.
A ship sails.
Subject
Verb
Two children play music.
Two children play music.
Two children play music.

3. What is subject-verb agreement? Number
Number is the form a word takes to show whether it is singular or plural.
A word that refers to one thing is singular.
A word that refers to more than one is plural.
Plural
Singular
scientists
scientist
geese
goose
they
she

4. What is subject-verb agreement? Singular subjects
A verb should agree in number with its subject.
Singular subjects take singular verbs.
Singular
Subject
Singular
Verb
Tabitha rides the train.
Tabitha rides the train.
Tabitha rides the train.
Singular
Subject
Singular
Verb
He repairs the bicycle.
He repairs the bicycle.
He repairs the bicycle.

5. What is subject-verb agreement? Plural subjects
Plural subjects take plural verbs.
Plural
Subject
Plural
Verb
The girls ride the train.
The girls ride the train.
The girls ride the train.
Plural
Subject
Plural
Verb
They repair the bicycle.
They repair the bicycle.
They repair the bicycle.

6. What is subject-verb agreement? Plural subjects
In a verb phrase the first helping verb agrees with the subject.
Singular
Subject
Singular
Helping Verb
Verb Phrase He He
is repairing
is repairing
the bicycle.
Plural
Subject
Plural
Helping Verb
Verb Phrase
They
They
are repairing
are repairing
the bicycle.

7. What is subject-verb agreement?
On Your Own
For each sentence, identify the subject, and then choose the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.
1. The water (rushes, rush) down the river.
2. The bees (buzzes, buzz) around the picnic table.
3. The photograph (was, were) a gift from my cousin.
At the science fair the winner always (receives, receive) a savings bond.
5. They (march, marches) in all the parades.
[End of Section]

8. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs
Sometimes a phrase comes between the subject and the verb.
Subject
Verb
Phrase
Verb
The hero
is Coyote.
of those folk tales
is Coyote.
The number of the subject is usually not changed by a phrase following the subject.
Subject
Verb
The hero
of those folk tales
is Coyote.

9. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs
A bag of marbles is on the shelf.
A bag of marbles is on the shelf.
Is agrees with bag, not marbles.
Subject
Verb
The peppers in the garden have grown quickly.
The peppers in the garden have grown quickly.
The helping verb have agrees with peppers, not garden.

10. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs
On Your Own
For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. A tidal wave, despite its name, (is, are) not caused by the tides.
2. Earthquakes beneath the sea (causes, cause) most tidal waves.
3. Tidal waves in the open ocean generally (does, do) not cause much interest.
The height of tidal waves there often (remains, remain) low.
[End of Section]

11. How to fix problems in agreement Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to a person or thing whose exact identity is unknown.
Some indefinite pronouns are singular.
Some are plural.
Some may be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used.

12. How to fix problems in agreement Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
Singular indefinite pronouns
anybody
either
neither
one
anyone
everybody
nobody
somebody
anything
everyone
no one
someone
each
everything
nothing
something
Subject
Subject
Subject
Verb
Verb
Verb
Nothing ever goes on sale at this store.
Neither of the boys is in my class.
Everyone on the team dribbles well.

13. How to fix problems in agreement Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are plural:
Plural indefinite pronouns
both
few
many
several
Subject
Verb
Both of them wear glasses.
Subject
Verb
Few have traveled there.
Verb
Subject
Are many of the tools sharp?

14. How to fix problems in agreement Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural, depending on how they are used:
Singular or plural indefinite pronouns
all
more
none
any
most
some
Subject
Verb
Singular when they refer to singular words
Most of the ice has melted.
Subject
Verb
Plural when they refer to plural words
Most of the ice cubes have melted.

15. How to fix problems in agreement Indefinite pronouns
On Your Own
For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. Most of the balloons (has, have) long strings.
2. Both of these shoes (gives, give) me blisters.
3. Someone on the soccer team (needs, need) a new uniform.
Neither of the boys (was, were) wearing a helmet.
5. None of the house (has, have) been painted yet.
[End of Section]

16. How to fix problems in agreement Compound subjects
A compound subject is two or more subjects that are joined by a coordinating conjunction and that have the same verb.
Subjects joined by and usually take plural verbs.
Red
and
blue
are the school’s colors.
Subject 1
Subject 2
Verb
Jana,
Kurt,
and
Riley
enjoy skating.
Subject 1
Subject 2
Subject 3
Verb

17. How to fix problems in agreement Compound subjects
Singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb.
Neither the
bus
nor the
train
stops in our town.
Singular
Singular
Verb
On Mondays,
Manuel or
Gina
baby-sits.
Singular
Singular
Verb

18. How to fix problems in agreement Compound subjects
Plural subjects joined by or or nor take a plural verb.
Curtains or
artworks
add color to a room.
Plural
Plural
Verb
Neither
lemons
nor
limes
were sold there.
Plural
Plural
Verb

19. How to fix problems in agreement Compound subjects
When a singular and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closer to the verb.
Plural
Singular
Verb
Either
flowers
or a
book
usually makes a nice gift.
The verb makes agrees with the nearer subject, book.
Singular
Plural
Verb
Maria
or her
parents
prepare the lunches.
The verb prepare agrees with the nearer subject, parents.

20. How to fix problems in agreement Compound subjects
On Your Own
For each of the following sentences, choose the verb that agrees with the compound subject.
1. Ants and spiders (has, have) invaded the backyard.
2. Mandy and her friends (is, are) going to the movies.
3. A statue or a fountain (looks, look) good in a park setting.
4. Neither maples nor elms (grows, grow) well in the valley.
5. Either potatoes or rice (is, are) served with the chicken.
[End of Section]

21. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs
In some sentences the subject comes after the verb.
Plural Subject
Here
(is, are)
are
the balloons.
the balloons.
When the subject follows the verb . . .
1. Find the subject.
2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

22. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs
Subjects also appear after verbs in questions.
Plural Subject
Where
(is, are)
are
the old magazines?
the old magazines?
1. Find the subject.
2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

23. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs
On Your Own
For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. There (is, are) a new student in my brother’s class.
2. (Was, Were) the fans cheering for the other team?
3. Where (has, have) Reggie hidden the gifts?
4. Here (stands, stand) the bravest heroes among us.
5. There (is, are) several correct answers to that question.
[End of Section]

24. How to fix agreement problems Don’t and doesn’t
The contractions don’t and doesn’t should agree with their subjects.
Don’t is the contraction of do not. Use it with I and you and with all plural subjects.
Singular
Plural I
don’t we
you
they
the puppies look cute?
Don’t
know the rules yet.
You
don’t
want that coat. I
don’t

25. How to fix agreement problems Don’t and doesn’t
Doesn’t is the contraction of does not. Use it with all singular subjects except I and you.
Singular I
don’t
you
he/she/it
doesn’t
run well in the winter.
The car
doesn’t
she bowl on a teen league?
Doesn’t
know you. He
doesn’t

26. How to fix agreement problems Don’t and doesn’t
On Your Own
For each of the following sentences, choose the correct contraction in parentheses.
1. I (don’t, doesn’t) have any math homework tonight.
2. (Don’t, doesn’t) you usually study with Julia?
3. That show (don’t, doesn’t) come on until 9:00.
My grandparents (don’t, doesn’t) live near us.
5. (Don’t, Doesn’t) Jerome play the guitar anymore?
[End of Section]

27. Review A
Choose the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the subject.
Everyone in her family (prefers, prefer) to drink water.
Jamal and his parents (enjoys, enjoy) musicals.
There (is, are) three baby birds in the nest.
Neither the mower nor the weed-eater (works, work) well.
5. Industries in the state (includes, include) farming and mining.

28. Review B
For each of the following sentences, if the subject and verb do not agree, write the correct form of the verb. If the verb already agrees with the subject, write C.
This table and this chair were made by hand in Mexico.
Each of my brothers go to college out of state.
Mr. Chang and his class has painted a mural for the hall.
A tornado or a hurricane is a dangerous storm.
5. Here is the decorations for the dance.
[End of Section]

29. The End