Rule 1. Number Agreement: Billy and Jake Are Going To The Movies

Rule 1.
Number Agreement
Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the
concept. And, only the subject affects the verb! Nothing else matters.
• The dog growls when he is angry.

• The dogs growl when they are angry.
Rule 2. Words Between Subject and Verb
Subordinate clauses and prepositional phrases that come between the subject and verb don't affect their
agreement.
• The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

• The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
Rule 3. There or Here
When sentences start with "there" or "here," the subject will always be placed after the verb. Some care
needs to be taken to identify each part correctly.
• There is a problem with the balance sheet.

• Here are the papers you requested.
Rule 4. Subject After Verb in Questions
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.
• Where are the pieces of this puzzle?

• Where is the key I left on the desk?
Rule 5. Joined by And
If two subjects are joined by "and," they typically require a plural verb form.
• The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
• Billy and Jake are going to the movies.
Rule 6. Two Subjects Separated by And
The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by "and" refer to the same person or thing as a whole.
• Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

• Spaghetti and meatballs is a great meal.
Rule 7. Each, Every and No
If the word "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.
Rule 8. Multiple Subjects Connected With Conjunction
If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words "or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," or
"not only/but also," the verb is singular. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words "or,"
"nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is plural.
• Either Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident

• Not only dogs but also cats are available at the animal shelter.
Rule 9. Singular and Plural Subjects Connected by Conjunction
If one subject is singular and the other is plural and the words are connected by the words "or," "nor,"
"neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," 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.
Rule 10. Units of Measure
The singular verb form is usually reserved for units of measurement or time.
• Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

• Ten minutes is enough time to get there.
Rule 11. Object of the Preposition
The only time the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun
subjects like "some," "half," "none," "more," or "all" are followed by a prepositional phrase. Then the object
of the preposition determines the form of the verb.
• All of the chicken is gone.

• All of the chickens are gone.
Rule 12. Infinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs. The exceptions to the rule include the pronouns "few,"
"many," "several," and "both." These always take the plural form.
• Everybody wants to be loved.

• Few were left alive after the flood.
Rule 13. Gerunds
When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular form of the verb. However, 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.
Rule 14. Collective Nouns
A collective noun, such as "team" or "staff," can be either singular or plural depending upon the rest of the
sentence. Typically, they take the singular form, as the collective noun is treated as a cohesive single unit.
• The herd is stampeding.

• The flock is flying south.
Rule 15. Titles of Books
Titles of books, movies, novels, and other similar works are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
• The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

• Gone With the Wind is my favorite movie of all time.
Exceptions to the Rules

What would a grammar lesson be without a few exceptions to the rules? Let's review some of the most
notable exceptions.
• "Anyone," "everyone," "someone," "no one," and "nobody" always require singular verbs.
• "Neither" and "either" require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring to two separate
things.
• When a sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and only one is plural, the verb should
agree with the positive subject.
• Words that indicate portions of a whole, such as "percent," "fraction," "some," "none," and
"remainder," require a singular verb only if the object of the preposition is singular.
• "Who," "that," and "which" can be singular or plural, according to the noun directly in front of them.
• The phrase introduced by "as well as" or "along with" modifies the earlier word but doesn't
compound the subjects.
• Modifiers between the subject and verb do not affect whether the verb is singular or plural.
• Just because a word ends in -s doesn't automatically make it plural.

Rule 1. Number Agreement: Billy and Jake Are Going To The Movies

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Rule 1.

• The dog growls when he is angry.

Rule 2. Words Between Subject and Verb

• The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

Rule 3. There or Here

• There is a problem with the balance sheet.

Rule 4. Subject After Verb in Questions

• Where are the pieces of this puzzle?

Rule 5. Joined by And

Rule 6. Two Subjects Separated by And

• Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

Rule 7. Each, Every and No

• No smoking or drinking is allowed.

• Either Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident

Rule 9. Singular and Plural Subjects Connected by Conjunction

Rule 10. Units of Measure

• Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

Rule 11. Object of the Preposition

• All of the chicken is gone.

Rule 12. Infinite Pronouns

• Everybody wants to be loved.

Rule 13. Gerunds

• Standing in the water was a bad idea.

• The herd is stampeding.

Rule 15. Titles of Books

• The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

Exceptions to the Rules

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