Making Subject and Verbs Agree

Front

What is subject-verb agreement?

Back

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number (singular or plural). For example, 'The dog barks' (singular) vs. 'The dogs bark' (plural).

Front

When do you use a singular verb?

Back

A singular verb is used when the subject is singular. For example, 'He runs fast.'

Front

When do you use a plural verb?

Back

A plural verb is used when the subject is plural. For example, 'They run fast.'

Front

What is the rule for subjects joined by 'and'?

Back

When subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

Front

What is the rule for subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

Back

When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'Either the cat or the dogs are outside.'

Front

What is a collective noun?

Back

A collective noun refers to a group of individuals or things as a single unit. For example, 'The team wins.' (singular verb) vs. 'The teams win.' (plural verb).

Front

How do you treat indefinite pronouns in terms of verb agreement?

Back

Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', and 'anybody' are considered singular and take a singular verb. For example, 'Everyone is here.'

Front

What is the difference between 'was' and 'were'?

Back

'Was' is used with singular subjects, while 'were' is used with plural subjects. For example, 'He was happy.' vs. 'They were happy.'

Front

What is the correct verb form for 'news'?

Back

'News' is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb. For example, 'The news is on.'

Front

What is the correct verb form for 'mathematics'?

Back

'Mathematics' is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb. For example, 'Mathematics is my favorite subject.'