1. Subject-Verb Agreement
Grammar of the Week
Subject-Verb Agreement

2. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
People start to live when they can live outside themselves.

3. Rule 1 (for present tense)
If the subject is singular, add s to the verb.
Ex: My father works three blocks away.
Orwell writes about animals that
represent humans.

4. Rule 2 (for present tense)
If the subject is plural (more than one), do not add s to the verb.
Ex: Horses work on the windmill.
The pigs grow corrupt with power.

5. Caution #1
When a phrase comes between the subject and verb, the number of the subject is not changed.
The success of Hollywood films is based on ticket sales.

6. Caution #2
When a subject has “or” or “nor”, the verb should agree with the part closest to it.
Neither the animals nor the plant talk/talks to the humans.
Neither the plant nor the animals talk/talks to the humans.

7. Caution #3
Some pronouns are singular, plural, or either one depending on how they’re used.
Singular: another, anybody, each, everybody, everyone, no one, nothing, someone, something
Plural: both, few, many, several
Singular or Plural: all, any, more, most, none, some
Many watches/watch the show.
Everyone know/knows the host.
All of the program is/are broadcast live on TV.

8. Practice
Jurassic Park, a film about a unique theme park, (combines/combine) real science with imaginative theories.
In the movie, DNA fragments from a dinosaur (is/are) found in a mosquito.
Amber, fossilized resin from trees, (has/have) preserved the mosquito and the DNA.
Mickey Mouse and Roger Rabbit (is/are) both products of film animation.
Neither light pens nor the electronic drawing pad (has/have) been around longer than computers.
Either traditional methods or computer techniques (is/are) used for coloring frames.
Nobody ever (agree/agrees) with all the awards at the Academy Awards.
Some of the ceremony (consists/consist) of performances.
Many (talk/talks) too long when accepting their awards.
Everyone (is/are) excited to win an award.