Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb
Agreement

Singular/Plural

• a singular noun names ONE person, place, thing, or idea.

• a plural noun names MORE THAN ONE person, place, thing, or idea.

​a singular Swiftie

​plural - too many Swifties

Open Ended

Give an example of a singular noun:

Open Ended

Give an example of a plural noun:

Subject-Verb Agreement

• Match singular subjects with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs.

  • VERB(S)

    I

    N

  • G

  • U

  • L

  • A

  • R

• A singular noun needs a verb with an s to agree - The beetle chewS leaves.

​A verb can never agree with an object of a preposition. Mark through any prepositional phrases first.

​Eliminate prepositional phrases and choose verb.

​Eliminate prepositional phrases and choose verb.

​The vase of flowers (___) broken on the floor.
The vase OF FLOWERS (__) broken ON THE FLOOR.
The vase OF FLOWERS IS broken ON THE FLOOR.

​The group of scientists (__) studying climate change.
The group OF SCIENTISTS (__) studying climate change.
The group OF SCIENTISTS IS studying climate change.

Compound Subjects

• RULE: When combining 2 or more subjects with AND use a plural verb because AND indicates there are at least TWO subjects doing something. .

• Ex: Dave and his best friend are entering the trumpet contest.

• EXCEPTION TO THE RULE - When the subjects with AND between them actually make ONE PERSON, PLACE, OR THING, use a singular verb.

• Ex: Macaroni and Cheese is Charlie's favorite meal. (In this case, AND separates the two subjects, but these two subjects are ONE

  FOOD (singular).

• Practice: The actor and director of the movie ____ Steven Spielberg.

• Hint: the actor IS the director - they are the same person so your verb should be singular with an -s.

​Compound Subjects - Con't

• Rule: When two or more subjects are joined by OR or NOR - you MUST USE THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE VERB TO DETERMINE THE VERB.

• Ex: The cat OR her kittens HAVE made a mess on the floor.

• Ex: The kittens OR the cat has made a mess on the floor.

Practice: Either John or Susie (is, are) going to the office.

Hint: Only one OR the other (one person) is going so look at the one closest
to the verb choice. Is that word singular or plural? Susie is one person - singular,
so choose the singular verb.

**Now watch this cat video just for fun (because I love cats).

Multiple Choice

Identify the correct verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject of the sentence: Thousands of vactioners (orders, order) ferry tickets six months in advance.

• orders

• order

Fill in the Blank

Read the sentence. If the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number, write correct. If the subject and verb do not agree, correct the sentence by writing the correct verb: The best kind of dessert, I think, is coconut cream pie.

Multiple Choice

Either my mother or my father _ coming to the meeting.

• is

• are

• am

Multiple Choice

The man with all the birds _ on my street.

• leaves

• live

• lives

Dropdown

George and Tamara ​​

Select answer

want to see that movie.

Dropdown

Annie and her brothers ​

Select answer

at school.​

Dropdown

One of my sisters ​

Select answer

going on a trip to France.

Fill in the Blank

The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.

Drag and Drop

The movie, including all the previews, ​

Placeholder

about two hours to watch.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

takes

take

Fill in the Blank

The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.

Fill in the Blank

My first cousin and best friend ___ Phillip. (is/are)

Fill in the Blank

Read the sentence. If the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number, write correct. If the subject and verb do not agree, correct the sentence by writing the correct verb: Skylar and Molly isn't very good friends anymore.

'

Multiple Choice

Identify the correct verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject of the sentence: Statistics (is, are) a fascinating element in today's sports broadcasting.

• is

• are

Subject-Verb Agreement with Contractions

• RULE: "Doesn't" means "does not." Since "does" is a singular verb, it goes with a singular subject.

• "Don't" means "do not," and since "do" is a plural verb, it goes with a plural subject.

• Ex: Jon's steak knife doesn't have a wooden handle. (knife - singular / does - singular)

• Ex: Our new steak knives don't have wooden handle. (knives - plural / do - plural)

Subject-Verb Agreement with Contractions (continued)

• Same rules apply with "is" and "are." "Is" is singular, "are" is plural.

• Ex: He's a hot head with a quick temper. (He - singular / is - singular)

• Ex: In our family, we're all hot heads. (we - plural / are - plural)

Indefinite Pronouns

• An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing.

• Some of these are always singular and take singular verbs: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something.

• Ex: Each of the nurses wants soup for dinner. (Each-singular / wants-singular)

• Each of the nurses wants soup for dinner.

  HOW CAN I POSSIBLY REMEMBER ALL OF THESE?????????????????????????????????????????
  Here you go! Say it with me!
  -one, -body, -thing words ALWAYS SINGULAR......Each, either, neither, ALWAYS SINGULAR!

Indefinite Pronouns (continued)

• Some indefinite pronouns are always PLURAL and take plural verbs: both, few, many, others, several. 

• Ex: Many of my friends are serious readers. (Many-plural)

• Think about it - Both is ALWAYS TWO.

• Few may not be many, but it is still always more than one. This applies to many, others, and several as well.

  
  

Indefinite Pronouns (continued)

• Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural: all, any, most, none, some - singular when they refer to a portion or to a single noun / plural when they refer to a number of individual nouns.

• Sometimes, the object of the preposition will signal whether the pronoun is singular or plural. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WHEN THE OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION IS EVEN CONSIDERED.

• Ex: None of their music makes sense to me. (None-singular)

• Ex: None of the lyrics make any sense. (None-plural)

PRACTICE: Here (is, are) the rules of the game.
Here (is, are) the rules of the game. The only noun left that can be the subject is RULES which is PLURAL.

Fill in the Blank

There ​(is, are ) cookies on Primrose Everdeen's kitchen counter.

Fill in the Blank

Read the sentence. Write the verb form that agrees in number with the indefinite pronoun. If the sentence contains no errors in pronoun-verb agreement, write correct: Everyone celebrates life events in some way.

Fill in the Blank

Read the sentence. Write the verb form that agrees in number with the indefinite pronoun. If the sentence contains no errors in pronoun-verb agreement, write correct: Something have to change or the company will surely fail.

Fill in the Blank

Peaches and cream is/are my favorite dessert

Fill in the Blank

Neither Allison nor her roommates is/are home right now.

Multiple Choice

Everybody in our family (are is) planning a trip this year.

• is

• are

• were

Multiple Choice

One of my brothers (___) going fishing in the Far North.

• is

• are

• were

Fill in the Blank

My sister decided she (doesn't don't) want to go.

'

Fill in the Blank

Some of our luggage (was/were) lost

Multiple Choice

Some of the puppies ___ crying.

• is

• are

• was

Multiple Choice

All the students in the school ____ green today.

• is wearing

• are wearing

Fill in the Blank

There ​(is, are) a problem with Ginny Weasley's neighbor's plumbing system.

Nouns ending in -s

• Nouns ending in -s are sometimes plural in form but singular in meaning: news, economics, mathematics, physics.

• Ex: News plays an important role in education. (News - singular / plays - singular)

• Other nouns ending in -s alway take a plural verb, even though they are understood to refer to one thing: scissors, pliers, pants, clothes, thanks.

• Ex: Thanks are due to all the volunteers. (Thanks - plural / are - plural)

Practice: Scategories, a game of strategy, (is, are) my favorite to play with a group.

Hint: Even though Scategories appears to be plural - it is only ONE singular game so it needs a SINGULAR verb.

​TITLES....

​Rule - titles of books, songs, etc. may be plural in form but they are still A title of ONE singular work. They should have a singular verb to agree in number.

Example: The Outsiders IS the best book ever.

​$$$$$ and #s

​ Rule: Sums of money or units of time usually take singular verbs.
Example: Ten dollars IS not a lot of money. (Ten dollars is ONE SINGULAR AMOUNT of money)
Exception: Ten dollars WERE lying on the ground and we picked each on of them up. (In this case, there are ten different dollar bills on the ground).
Rule: With words that indicate portion (percent, fraction, part, etc) you must look at the object to determine the verb.
Example: Fifty percent of the pie HAS disappeared. (50% refers to pie which is one thing).
Example: Fifty percent of the children ARE present. (50% refers to children which is more than one- plural)

​EVERY, EACH, MANY A

​Rule: If the words "every," "each," or "many a" is directly in front of the subject, your verb will ALWAYS BE SINGULAR.

eXAMPLE: mANY A DAY has passed since I was a child.
Every man, woman, and child IS attending the service.

Multiple Choice

Two-thirds of the lemonade has/have been finished off.

• Has

• Have

• Haven't

Fill in the Blank

Fifteen dollars ____ the cost of the cake. (is/are)

Fill in the Blank

Five hundred square feet ____a very small space to live in. (is/are)

Fill in the Blank

The song Jingle Bells was/were written in 1850.

Fill in the Blank

Neither my parents nor my sister is/are in the kitchen.

Fill in the Blank

My family is/are going to Germany for Christmas.

Fill in the Blank

Josh's pants is/are getting too short.

Multiple Choice

Two-thirds of the students is/are on the field trip today.

• IS

• ARE

• ISN"T

• WAS

Multiple Choice

Neither of the girls chooses/choose pink for their dress color.

• chooses

• choose