Subject-Verb & Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Front

What is subject-verb agreement?

Back

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number. For example, 'He runs' (singular) vs. 'They run' (plural).

Front

What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?

Back

Pronoun-antecedent agreement means that a pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender. For example, 'The girl lost her book' (singular) vs. 'The boys lost their books' (plural).

Front

What is an antecedent?

Back

An antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers to. For example, in 'Maria loves her dog,' 'Maria' is the antecedent of 'her.'

Front

When do we use 'her' as a pronoun?

Back

We use 'her' when referring to a singular female antecedent. For example, 'Each girl has her own book.'

Front

When do we use 'their' as a pronoun?

Back

We use 'their' when referring to a plural antecedent or when the gender is unknown. For example, 'The students brought their lunch.'

Front

What is the correct verb form for a singular subject?

Back

The correct verb form for a singular subject usually ends in 's' in the present tense. For example, 'The dog barks.'

Front

What is the correct verb form for a plural subject?

Back

The correct verb form for a plural subject does not end in 's' in the present tense. For example, 'The dogs bark.'

Front

What is the rule for using 'neither' and 'either'?

Back

When using 'neither' or 'either,' the verb should be singular. For example, 'Neither of the girls is going.'

Front

What is the correct form of the verb with 'everybody'?

Back

The correct form of the verb with 'everybody' is singular. For example, 'Everybody loves ice cream.'

Front

What is the correct form of the verb with 'one of'?

Back

When using 'one of,' the verb should agree with the singular subject. For example, 'One of the dogs is barking.'