1. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too.

Examples:
a. Ana cleans the house every day.
b. Mary goes to church every Sunday.

If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

Examples:
a. Ana and Tina clean the house every day.
b. Mary and Martha go to church every Sunday.

2. Non-count nouns in English include mass nouns and abstract nouns. These nouns take
singular verb.
Examples:
i. Water is essential to our daily lives.
ii. The new office equipment has just been delivered.
iii. That information is very useful.

3. Doesn’t is a contraction of does not and should only be used with singular subject. Don’t is
a contraction of do not and should be used only with plural subject.
Examples:
a. Peter doesn’t like to go home.
b. Mark and Andrew don’t like to go home.
4. The word “and” when referring to the same subject, requires a singular verb; requires a
plural verb when referring to different subjects.
Examples:
a. An old friend and classmate of ours is visiting me this weekend.
b. My friends and classmates are visiting this weekend.

5. 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.
Examples:
a. There are many students.
b. There is a teacher.

6. When a compound subject is joined by “or”, “nor”, “either…or”, “neither…nor”, “not only…but
also”, the verb should agree with the subject that is closest to the verb. This is called rule of
proximity.
Examples:
a. The girl or the boys play computer games.
b. The boys or the girl plays computer games.
c. Either the program head or the teachers are here today.
d. Either the teachers or the program head is here today.
e. Neither the teacher nor the students attend the class.
f. Neither the students nor the teacher attends the class.
7. “Neither” means not one; therefore, requires a singular verb. “None” can either be singular
or plural depending on the subject.
Examples:
a. Neither of the team leaders is here.
b. Either Jean or the ladies are ready for the presentation.
c. None of them are here.
d. None of the pie was eaten.
e. None of the cookies were missing.

8. Indefinite pronouns such as each, one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody,
anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, no one, nobody, someone, somebody are always
singular and require a singular verb.
Examples:
a. Each of the participants was willing to wait for the manager.
b. Everybody loves hear him speak.
c. Either is correct.
d. Neither of the men is working.
e. No one was available to go to Baguio.

9. The following indefinite pronouns are always plural: both, many, few, several, others.
Examples:
a. Few students miss their classes last Friday.
b. Several students understand the lesson.
c. Many are asking questions.
d. Others have not read the article.
10. The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural: all, most, any, some, none,
most any.
If the pronoun refers to one person or thing, it is singular and takes a singular verb. If it
refers to more than one person or thing, it is plural and takes a plural verb.
Examples:
a. Some of the fruit is rotten. Some fruit is rotten.
b. Some of the apples are rotten. Some apples are rotten.
c. All of this apple is rotten. The entire apple is rotten.
d. All of these apples are rotten. All apples are rotten.
e. Most of the people in the village complain about their water problem.
f. All are affected by the water rationing.
g. Most of the flowers were yellow.
h. All of the children were late.
i. All they want is sufficient water.
j. All of the pizza was gone.
k. Most of the news is good.

11. Some nouns, while plural in form, are actually singular in meaning.
Examples:
a. Mathematics is (not are) an easy subject for some people.
b. Physics is (not are) taught by Prof. Baldwin.
c. Five dollars is a lot of money

Mumps Social Studies

Measles Statistics
Physics Phonics
Acrobatics Thesis
Home economics Economics
Calisthenics Civics
Gymnastics news
Aesthetics Mathematics

12. Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs (There are 2
parts of these things.)
Examples:
a. These scissors are dull.
b. Those trousers are made of wool.
13. Some countable nouns in English such as earnings, goods, odds, surroundings, proceeds,
contents, and valuables only have a plural form and take a plural verb.
Examples:
a. The earnings for this quarter exceed expectations.
b. The proceeds from the sale go to support the homeless population in the city.
c. Locally produced goods have the advantage of shorter supply chains.

14. Collective nouns may be singular or plural, depending on their use in the sentence. A
collective noun is a noun used to name a whole group. Following are some common
examples:
army crowd orchestra committee
audience flock public jury
class group swarm troop
club herd team

If the group is considered as a whole, use a singular verb.

a. The family has a long history.
b. The class is going on a field trip.
c. The orchestra is playing a hit song.
d. The jury (a collective unit) is returning to the courtroom.

Collective noun as plural. If the group is considered as individual members, use a plural
verb.
a. The class have disagreed among themselves about where they should go on a field
trip.
b. The orchestra were asked to give their musical backgrounds.
c. The jury (refers to twelve people as individuals) are arguing among themselves.

15. Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as
well as do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is also
singular.
Examples:
a. The student, as well as the committee members is excited.
b. The student with all the master’s degree is very motivated.
c. The President , accompanied by his wife, is traveling to Europe.
d. All of the books, including yours, are in that box.
16. ctions take after the noun after them.
Examples:
a. One-fourth of the apple is eaten.
b. One-half of his answers are correct.

17. Titles of books, movies, etc. always require a singular verb.

Examples:
a. “The Little Prince” is on sale at the bookstore.
b. “Doctors Stranger” is good and exciting K-drama.

18. Amount, distances, and measurements always require a singular verb.

Examples:
a. Twenty miles is what Vincent drives every day.
b. Four kilometers is a long way to walk.
19. “A number of” requires a plural verb. “The number of” requires a singular verb.
Examples:
a. A number of celebrities were at the Academy’s Awards night.
b. A number of employees were present.
c. The number of people to join the game is limited.
d. The number of employees that were present was small.

20. Identifying head nouns in long subjects

a. The main reason (that) we divided to take a trip to the Sierra Mountain is to learn
geographical history.
b. That novel about alien invasions in several South American countries has been
made into a TV film.
c. Another poll of Americans’ reading habits and attitudes was taken in 1990.
d. A child who likes to read books and whose parents encourage reading does better in
school.