Subject Verb Agreement

SUBJECT -VERB Prepared by: C.
Haughton
AGREEMENT
WHAT IS SUBJECT -VERB AGREEMENT?
It is called subject-verb agreement because the subject/subjects
and verb/verbs must agree in the same number.
If a subject is singular, then its verb must also be singular.
Likewise, if a subject is plural, then its verb must be plural too.
Examples: English is not an easy language to master.
Singular subject: English
Singular verb: is
The verb with the ‘s’ is singular while the verb without the ‘s’ is
plural
1. The teacher[singular subject] knows [singular verb] that the
students are eager for the term to end.
2. The students [plural subject] want[ plural verb] to be free from
assignments.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
RULES
Rule One:
The following indefinite pronouns always require the singular form of the verb.
Everybody anyone anything
Anybody someone something
Somebody no one nothing
Nobody each/one either/neither
Rule Two
The following indefinite pronouns always require a plural verb:
Both several many few
Rule Three
The following indefinite pronouns will be either singular or plural depending on the
noun:
All any most more some none
a. All of the topics (has, have) been completed.
b. All of the information (has, have) been covered.
c. None of this lesson (makes, make) sense to me.
d. None of these rules (make, makes) sense to me.
e. Some of the apples ( was, were) eaten.
f. Some of this pie ( was, were) eaten.
g. Most of the books (is, are) new.
h. Most of this book (is, are) damaged.
The noun in the prepositional phrase is NOT the subject. The indefinite
pronoun is the subject.
Rule Four
The expression ‘the number of’, though followed by a plural noun,
will always require the singular form of the verb because it is
referring to a specific number.
The expression ‘the number’ is the subject.
1. The number of talkative students in the class (is, are) increasing.
2. The number of persons contracting the Corona Virus (is, are )
increasing.
3. The number of Covid-19 related deaths (was, were) less a few
weeks ago.
Rule Five
The expression ‘a number of’ will always require the plural form
of the verb because it is pointing to something that is general
rather than specific.
The expression ‘a number’ is the subject.
1. A number of topics ( has, have) been covered in class so far.
2. A number of students ( find, finds) this topic difficult.
The determiner ‘the’ refers to something or someone
that is specific.
The determiner ’a’ refers to something or someone that
is general.
Rule Six
Whenever the expression ‘one of the’, ‘one of these’ or ‘one of those’ is
followed by a plural noun and a relative pronoun (who, whom, that, which),
the verb should always be plural.
1. Mary is one of those girls who (enjoy, enjoys) watching cricket.
2. The Young Warriors is one of those books which (has, have) been written
by V.S. Reid.
3. He is one of those students who (is, are) left-handed.
expression+ plural noun+ relative pronoun= plural verb
( ‘one of the’, ‘one of those’, ‘one of these’)+ girls/ boys/ books… +
who/whom/that/which= plural verb
Rule Seven
Whenever ‘either…or’ and ‘neither…nor’ join two nouns in a
sentence, the verb agrees with the noun that is closer to it.
1. Neither the teacher nor the students( remember, remembers) at
what point the class had ended.
2. Neither the students nor the teacher( remember, remembers) at
what point the class had ended.
3. Neither the patty nor the pizza ( is, are )warm.
4. Neither the desks nor the chairs ( is, are) available.
5. Either the girls or the boy( want, wants) to participate.
6. Either Jack or Jill ( is willing, are willing) to climb the hill.
RULE EIGHT
Attached phrases for example ‘in addition to’, ‘along with’, ‘together with’,
‘as well as’, ‘in association with’ do not affect the verb in the sentence.
They are usually enclosed in commas and simply provide additional
information about the subject of the sentence.
Examples:
The Young Warriors, as well as Greek Myths, (is, are) to be tested this
term.
The HSA, in association with Campion College, ( hosts, host) ‘Jingle Jam’
every December.
Rule Nine
Some words appear to be plural because they end
with an ‘s’, but are actually singular in nature and
require the singular form of the verb. For example:
mathematics, language arts, economics, physics,
news, politics, statistics, measles, mumps
News from across the world(comes, come) to us via
the internet.
Mathematics ( was, were) never my favourite subject
in high school.
Rule Ten
Some things appear to be one item but are actually made from two
component parts that have been joined, and so they require the plural
form of the word. For example:
Glasses, scissors, pants, tights, shorts, pliers, tongs, tweezers, pajamas,
gloves, shoes
NB. These words generally require the expression‘ a pair of’ to
make them singular.
Her scissors (is are) on the table.

A pair of scissors (is are)on the table.
Extremely close-fitting pants (make, makes) males look ridiculous.
A pair of pants (is, are) on the bed.
RULE 11
Prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb usually do
not affect agreement. The prepositional phrase is simply providing
additional information about the subject. The subject is not in the
prepositional phrase.
Example:
Each of the girls (is, are) planning to visit.
The colours of the painting(is, are) beautiful.
Rule 12
The singular form of the verb is used for units and measurements.
Example: Four quarts of oil( was, were) required to get the car
running.
Two pounds of sugar ( is, are) enough to bake the cake
Rule 13
If two subjects are joined by ‘and’ they require the plural form of the verb.
Examples:
The cow and the pig (is, are) jumping over the moon.
The car and the truck (is, are) parked in the yard.
Rule 14
The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by ‘and’ refer to the
same person ,thing or is a singular entity.
Examples:
1. Chicken and chips (is, are) a favourite among many.
2. The cowboy and rodeo star (is collecting, are collecting) his award.
Rule 15
If one of the words ‘each’, ’every’, or ‘no’ comes before the subject, the verb is singular.
Examples:
1. No eating or drinking (is, are) allowed.
2. Every man and woman (has, have) the right to vote.
3. Every girl and every boy (has, have) the right to an education.
4. Each day (is, are) a gift.
Rule 16
The titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
Examples:
The Silver Sword (is, are) an amazing novel.
The Fault in Our Stars (is, are) a movie starring Shailene Woodley.
Rule 17
In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject
follows the verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees
with what follows.
There are many questions.

There is a question.
Rule 18
A collective noun such as ‘herd’, ‘team’, ‘class’ and ‘crowd’ generally
takes a singular verb.
The team ( is, are) practicing for the match.
The herd (is, are) running to the lake.
NB. If the sentence is referring to each member in the group, the

verb will be plural because the group has more than one member.
Example:
The herd ( is, are) running off in different directions.
N D
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Subject Verb Agreement

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SUBJECT -VERB Prepared by: C.

Her scissors (is are) on the table.

There are many questions.

NB. If the sentence is referring to each member in the group, the

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