20 Rules of Subject Verb Agreement

While grammar is not as static a science as is typically assumed, there are 20 rules ofsubject verb
agreement that attempt to objectify part of the English language form. Most of the concepts of subject
verb agreement are straightforward, yet some aspects of singular and plural usage in English grammar
are more complicated.
Consider the second person plural pronoun y'all as it's used in the southern American dialect, for
example. Addressing a group of people in the second person using standard English is inefficient and
requires more words.
A sentence like I want to talk to all of you sitting at the table in standard English can be accomplished
quite simply in southern American dialect with the sentence I want to talk to y'all.
Consequently, the 20 rules of subject verb agreement will vary somewhat by dialect.

What Are the Rules?

1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of
the concept.
The dog growls when he is angry. The dogs growl when they are angry.

2. Dont get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect
agreement.
The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

4. When sentences start with there or here, the subject will always be placed after the verb, so care
needs to be taken to identify it correctly.
There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.

5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately identify the subject
before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Does Lefty usually eat grass? Where are the pieces of this puzzle.

6. If two subjects are joined by and, they typically require a plural verb form.
The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

7. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same person or thing.
Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

8. If one of the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is singular.
No smoking or drinking is allowed. Every man and woman is required to check in.
9. If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not
only/but also the verb is singular.
Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

10. The only time when the object of the preposition factors into the decision of plural or singular verb
forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a
prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb.
All of the chicken is gone. All of the chickens are gone.

11. The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.
Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not
only/but also, the verb is plural.
Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.

13. If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, andnot only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the verb.
Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo. Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.

14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs. *

Everybody wants to be loved.

15. * Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.
Few were left alive after the flood.

16. If two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb form of the verb;
but, when they are linked by and, they take the plural form.
Standing in the water was a bad idea. Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

18. Collective nouns like herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.
The herd is stampeding.

19. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

20. Final Rule Remember, only the subject affects the verb!
For more examples, check out Examples of Subject Verb Agreement.

Challenges of Grammar Rules

The problem with some grammar rules from the perspective of modern linguistics is that there is not one
absolute grammar in the English language. Most American native English speakers equate standard
English with being correct and any non-standard variation of English with being incorrect.
In reality, however, the concept of standard American English is really the privileging of a particular
dialect of English that originates from the Ohio River Valley. This is the dialect of English that the
anchors of the nightly news speak and that we base our notions of correct and incorrect grammar on. It
is important to recognize that no grammar is any more correct or incorrect than any other on a functional
level, and our notions of correct and incorrect are culturally constructed.

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NOTE

We will use the standard of underlining subjects once and verbs twice.

Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb agreement.

Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject
takes a plural verb.

Example: The list of items is/are on the desk.

If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

Rule 1. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding subjects.
The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes.

Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following
sentence:

Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.

Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.

Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.

Rule 3. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.

Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.

This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to
this odd sentence:

Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.

If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward sentences.

Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.

Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

But note these exceptions:

Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.

In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

Rule 5. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides,
not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the
subject is singular.

Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 6. With words that indicate portionsa lot, a majority, some, all, etc.Rule 1 given earlier is reversed,
and we are guided by the noun after of. If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a
plural verb.

Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.

NOTE

In recent years, the SAT testing service has considered none to be strictly singular. However, according
to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage: "Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old
English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have
arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a
plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism." When none is clearly intended to
mean "not one," it is followed by a singular verb.
Rule 7. In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.

Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.

NOTE:

The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal sentences likeThere's a lot of
people here today, because it's easier to say "there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with a
plural subject.

Rule 8. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.

Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.

Rule 9. Some collective nouns, such as family, couple, staff, audience, etc., may take either a singular or a
plural verb, depending on their use in the sentence.

Examples:
The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit.
The couple disagree about disciplining their child.
The couple refers to two people who are acting as individuals.

NOTE

Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun must take care to be accurateand also consistent. It
must not be done carelessly. The following is the sort of flawed sentence one sees and hears a lot these days:

The staff is deciding how they want to vote.

Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the plural they to staffin the same
sentence.

Consistent: The staff are deciding how they want to vote.

Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence would read even
better as:

The staff members are deciding how they want to vote.

Rule 10. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact:

Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.

Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually here, so we
say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is used to express things that
are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory. The subjunctive mood pairs singular
subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.

Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.

In the first example, a wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were, which we usually
think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular subject I.

Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being
expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.

Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and
writing

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Basic Principle: Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs. My brother is a
nutritionist. My sisters are mathematicians.

See the section on Plurals for additional help with subject-verb agreement.

The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and,
therefore, require singular verbs.

Everyone has done his or her homework.

Somebody has left her purse.

Some indefinite pronouns such as all, some are singular or plural depending on what they're referring
to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.

Some of the beads are missing.

Some of the water is gone.

On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural; it often
doesn't matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb unless something else in the sentence
determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural verb, as
in "None of the engines are working," but when something else makes us regard none as meaning not one,
we want a singular verb, as in "None of the food is fresh.")
 None of you claims responsibility for this incident?

None of you claim responsibility for this incident?

None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the word their precludes the
use of the singular verb.

Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody (listed above,
also) certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to
use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional
phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each,too, is always
singular and requires a singular verb.

Everyone has finished his or her homework.

You would always say, "Everybody is here." This means that the word is singular and nothing will change
that.

Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.

Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular Each
is responsible.

Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase
introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does
not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).

The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.

The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.

The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to
be referring, in a sense, to two things.

Neither of the two traffic lights is working.

Which shirt do you want for Christmas?

Either is fine with me.

In informal writing, neither and either sometimes take a plural verb when these pronouns are followed by a
prepositional phrase beginning with of. This is particularly true of interrogative constructions: "Have either
of you two clowns read the assignment?" "Are either of you taking this seriously?" Burchfield calls this "a
clash between notional and actual agreement."*

The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject closer to the
verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or after the verb
doesn't matter; the proximity determines the number.

Either my father or my brothers are going to sell the house.

Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house.

Are either my brothers or my father responsible?

Is either my father or my brothers responsible?

Because a sentence like "Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house" sounds peculiar, it is
probably a good idea to put the plural subject closer to the verb whenever that is possible.

The words there and here are never subjects.

There are two reasons [plural subject] for this.

There is no reason for this.

Here are two apples.

With these constructions (called expletive constructions), the subject follows the verb but still determines
the number of the verb.

Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words
can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.

He loves and she loves and they love_ and . . . .

Sometimes modifiers will get betwen a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not confuse
the agreement between the subject and its verb.

The mayor, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes
but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, is finally going to jail.

Sometimes nouns take weird forms and can fool us into thinking they're plural when they're
really singular and vice-versa. Consult the section on the Plural Forms of Nouns and the section
onCollective Nouns for additional help. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are
regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which
case the word pair becomes the subject).

My glasses were on the bed.

My pants were torn.

A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.

Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.

The news from the front is bad.

 Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women.

On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a
plural verb.

My assets were wiped out in the depression.

The average worker's earnings have gone up dramatically.

Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.

The names of sports teams that do not end in "s" will take a plural verb: the Miami Heat have been looking
, The Connecticut Sun are hoping that new talent . See the section on plurals for help with this problem.

Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are sometimes
singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. (The same is true, of course, when all,
any, more, most and some act as subjects.) Sums and products of mathematical processes are
expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The expression "more than one" (oddly enough)
takes a singular verb: "More than one student has tried this."

Some of the voters are still angry.

A large percentage of the older population is voting against her.

Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.

Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire.

Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy.

Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy.

Two and two is four.

Four times four divided by two is eight.

If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular,
the verb should agree with the positive subject.

The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.

It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.

It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.

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