Circle the correct verb choice in the following sentences.

1. Someone from the Humane Society (is, are) here to see you.
2. The issue of war, peace, and nuclear holocaust (was, were) of paramount importance at the conference.
3. Everyone visiting Tanzania and Kenya (want, wants) to see a game preserve.
4. All of the teachers at my school (is, are) in favor of the new schedule.
5. Mr. Draper, as well as his oldest son, (is, are) in the plumbing business.
6. The natives believe that noise, smoke, and dancing (drive, drives) away evil spirits.
7. An apple or a few cookies usually (ease, eases) my hunger after work.
8. Neither the dealers nor the manufacturer (guarantee, guarantees) this new product.
9. Where (is, are) the father and his two sons going?
10. The janitor as well as the engineer and his assistant (was, were) expecting a wage increase.
11. (Has, Have) anyone in class studied the lesson today?
12. None of the men (has, have) signed their contracts yet.
13. Part of the apples in the crate (was, were) rotten.
14. It's I who (am, is) asking permission to address the group.
15. After the game the team (was, were) taking off their uniforms.
16. He is one of those active boys who (is, are) always in mischief.
17. My favorite dessert (is, are) strawberries and cream.
18. The robbers discovered that some of their loot (was, were) missing.
19. Neither my friend nor I (am, is) ready for the oral examination.
20. Neither freckles nor his friends (is, are) planning to go on the hike.

1. To know Mr. Winters ____________ a lot about diets.

2. To like Both Todd & Bridget ___________ chocolate cake.
3. To be The wings of the plane ____________ twenty feet long.
4. To be Among Susan’s favorite movies ____________ “Gone with the Wind.”
5. To play Chuck, as well as Laura ____________ Charades quire well.
6. To have Mickey and Ruth ¬____________ a nice family.
7. To wear Everyone ____________ blue jeans.
8. To love Suzanne ____________ cats.
9. To be There ____________ a large crowd at the class reunion. (past tense)
10. To live Both the Wongs and the Grahams ____________ in Florida.

1. Some (thinks, think) more logically than others.

2. Students graduating with a major in business (earns, earn) good salaries.
3. People have many characteristics in common, but many (does, do) things differently.
4. To be happy, a person first (accepts, accept) himself.
5. After accepting himself as he is, he (tries, try) to improve.
6. Preparation for college (requires, require) much planning.
7. Most students, however, (knows, know) that they must study some of the time.
8. My brother, not my sisters, (is, are) in college.
9. Their most difficult task (is, are) English.
10. There (is, are) many ways to study.
11. Every one of these men (plays, play) golf.
12. Neither Martin nor Harry (is, are) going to be in camp next summer.
13. There (was, were) several reasons for his failure to be elected.
14. The wearing quality of different kinds of furs (varies, vary) greatly from item to item.
15. Neither wealth nor fame always (brings, bring) the happiness that you might expect.
16. There (is, are) comparatively few poisonous plants in Alaska.
17. A dictionary and an atlas (belongs, belong) in every library.
18. Neither of these envelopes (is, are) the correct size for my letter.
19. Judith and Pete (has, have) trouble with essay exams.
20. Either of you (is, are) welcome to the ticket for the concert.

If words or phrases come between the subject and the verb, first isolate the subject and then decide on the
correct verb form.
Ex. The designs on Indian pottery (fascinates, fascinate) me.
(The subject, designs, is plural; therefore, the verb must be plural. The plural verb is fascinate.)
PRACTICE EXERCISE B: In each of the following sentences, underline the subject and the verb.
1. The buildings on each campus (was, were) recently completed.
2. All applications for the job (has, have) been received.
3. Every student in all classes (has, have) been notified of the CLAST test date.
4. The chalkboards in the school (is, are) scratched.
5. Each year the winner from all the schools throughout the state (seems, seem) to be very much surprised.

Some words that are often used as subjects are always singular.
(each, one, either, neither, no one, everyone, anyone, someone, anybody, somebody, everybody, nobody,
everything.)
Ex. Everybody wants to make good grades.
Some words that are often used as subjects are always plural. (Several, few, both, many)
Ex. Several of the staff understand the idea of an attendance policy.
Some words may be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used. (some, any, all, most)
Ex. Some of the fruit is rotten. (Some fruit is rotten.)
Some of the apples are rotten. (Some apples are rotten.)
All of this apple is rotten. (The entire apple is rotten.)
All of these apples are rotten. (All apples are rotten.)

Underline the correct form of the verb.

1. Some of the students (has, have) left the building.
2. Each of her students ( is, are) special.
3. Several on the team (hits, hit) the ball really hard.
4. Everything in the buildings (was, were) destroyed.
5. Neither of the men (meets, meet) his class every day.

If the sentence has compound subjects (more than one subject) joined by and, the verb is usually plural.
Ex. Ellis and John are twins.
The beginning of the story (and) the end of the story were exciting.
6. When compound subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb must agree with the nearer subject.
Ex. Either the old men or the young man was responsible for the lovely music.
Neither the teacher nor the students are in class this morning.
Underline the correct form of the verb.
1. Neither science nor math (gives, give) me a problem.
2. Either the cat or the dogs (greets, greet) me at the door.
3. Neither the men who are listen as administrators nor the woman who is also listed (has, have) been
appointed to the board.
4. Either my cousin or my uncle (was, were) on the critical list.
5. Neither Ms. Jones nor a member of her staff (is, are) going to attend the meeting.

When a sentence begins with either there or here, the subject comes behind the verb.
Ex. There is going to be just one student representative on the board.

Directions: Some of the verbs in the following sentences agree with their subject(s); some do not. If the verb
does not agree with the subject, underline it and write the correct form above it.

Ex. Each of the students take the bus. takes

1. Dr. Jones and her mother teaches music.
2. Neither Dr. Jones nor her mother know how to boil water.
3. There is the list of courses that you were looking for.
4. Either you or your sister have to take notes on the lecture.
5. Both the instructors and the students has left for the day.
6. Spring classes was announced last week.
7. Here are the list of supplies which you ordered.
8. Everybody in this school have taken the shot that prevents measles.
9. Some of the students in her class enters the essay contest every year.
10. The women who registered early are going got get extra credit.
11. Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been attending that conference for many years.
12. The students and Dr. Lee prepares the bulletin each month.
13. There goes one of the men who will conduct the research.
14. Some of that paper are going to be presented at the workshop.
15. Each of the children was promised a part in the play.
16. Neither of the women has been late to class this semester.
17. The section of paper which I read most often were missing.
18. Several of the faculty takes roll everyday.
19. Everything in this room fit with the decor of the home.
20. All of the signs along the highway was removed.

Write the correct form of the verb on the line to the right.
1. The lights on the Christmas tree (create, creates) a festive atmosphere. ____________
2. The distance between the two posts (are, is) eight feet. ____________
3. Karen’s brother, who has always enjoyed bicycle repair and maintenance, (work, works) at the bike shop on
the weekends. ____________
4. Every vote (has, have) been counted. ____________
5. Stories about Hank Aaron always (makes, make) me want to play baseball. ____________
6. Some of the equipment (has, have) been stored in the garage. ____________
7. Nobody in these beginning painting classes (has, have) displayed workin the annual art show. ___________
8. Both children (love, loves) playing in the park. ____________
9. Many of Mrs. Taniguchi’s students (speak, speaks) fluent Japanese. ____________
10. Most of the food here (tastes, taste) delicious. ____________
11. Few of my classmates (know, knows) about the surprise. ____________
12. Either of the answers (is, are) correct. ____________
13. Someone in the stands (has, have) been waving at us. ____________
14. The conductor, as well as the musicians, (wear, wears) formal wear at every performance. ____________
15. Everyone (was, were) invited to the celebration. ____________
16. Most of the garden (is, are) visible on clear days. ____________
17. None of those rosebushes in my mother’s garden ever (bloom, blooms) in February. ____________
18. Each of the marchers (was, were) carrying a sign protesting apartheid. ____________
19. That collection of poems (is, are) Where the Sidewalk Ends. ____________
20. The cucumbers in my garden (grows, grow) very quickly. ____________
21. Chicken and dumplings (is, are) a favorite Southern dish. ___________________
22. The mechanic and shop owner (is, are) preparing his estimate. ___________________
23. Neither the manager nor the employees (wants, want) to close the store early. ___________________
24. (Is, Are) one of the dogs sick? ___________________
25. Neither the horses nor the dog (wants, want) to go into the barn. ___________________
26. According to this map, (there’s, there are) seven countries in Central America. ___________________
27. He (doesn’t, don’t) know the shortest route from Dallas to Peoria. ___________________
28. The science class (is, are) working on their astronomy projects. ___________________
29. Here (is, are) the vegetables for the stir-fry. ___________________
30. The family (has, have) moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. ___________________
31. Two years in particular (was, were) difficult for the family. ___________________
32. Ten feet of yarn (is, are) needed for this art project. ___________________
33. The evening news (begins, begin) at 6:00. ___________________
34. The pliers (belongs, belong) in the toolbox. ___________________
35. The Souls of Black Folk (has, have) often been cited as a classic of African American literature.
___________________
36. The best time to visit (is, are) weekday mornings. ___________________
37. Cedar Rapids (is, are) a manufacturing center in the Midwest. ___________________
38. Eight dollars (is, are) too much for that card. ___________________
39. The softball team usually (practices, practice) every Saturday morning. ___________________
40. The Bill of Rights (gives, give) the American citizens the right to worship where they please.
___________________