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Subject-Verb Agreement

The document outlines 15 rules for subject-verb agreement in the English language. It provides examples for when singular and plural subjects take singular and plural verbs, respectively. It also covers exceptions and special cases like collective nouns, phrases preceding the subject, and inverted sentences.

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Jerson Dale
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238 views

Subject-Verb Agreement

The document outlines 15 rules for subject-verb agreement in the English language. It provides examples for when singular and plural subjects take singular and plural verbs, respectively. It also covers exceptions and special cases like collective nouns, phrases preceding the subject, and inverted sentences.

Uploaded by

Jerson Dale
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Subject-Verb Agreement

Rule #1: Singular nouns (without s) take singular verbs (with s)

 Ex. The bee buzzes every night.

Rule #2: Plural nouns (with s) take plural verbs (without s)

 Ex. The bees buzz every night.

Rule #3: The nouns “I” and “you” always take a plural verb

 Ex. I eat a lot.


You are beautiful.

Rule #4: Compound subjects or subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb

 Ex. My father and my brother visit me every year.


The percentage of employees who called in sick and the number of employees who left their jobs within
2 years are reflective of the level of job satisfaction.

Rule #5: The conjunction “or” does not conjoin like “and.” When you use “or”, the verb takes the number of the closest
subject.

 Ex. Your father or his sisters are going to take care of Anna.
Your sisters or your father is going to take care of Anna.

Rule #6: When the subject words are joined by (“either – or”; “neither – nor”; “or not only – but”) the verb agrees with
the subject closest to it.

 Ex. Either her friend or her mother has the money.


Neither her uncle nor her aunts have the money.

Rule #7: The indefinite pronouns (“no one”; “anyone”; “everyone”; “someone”; “anybody”; “everybody”; “somebody”
and “nobody” are always singular. They take singular verbs.

 Ex. No one is above the law.


Everyone was happy.

Rule #8: When word groups or modifiers separate the subject and the verb. Locate the subject word to determine
whether to use a singular or plural verb.

 Ex. The flowers in the pot on the balcony need watering.


An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Rule #9: Phrases starting with following words are normally not part of the subject: “along with”; “together with”;
accompanied by”; “in addition to”; “as well as”; “except”; “with”; “no less than.”

 Ex. Hannah, together with her friends, goes to a party every weekend.
Nicole and Germalyn, together with their father, go to church every weekend.

Rule #10: Modifiers between the subject and the verb does not affect the number of the subject.

 Ex. Cherry, who is a mother of twelve, is currently suffering constipation.


Rule #11: Some nouns (collective nouns) can be used as singular or plural depending on the context and usage.

 Ex. Nicole’s family plans to go on a vacation this summer.


The staff have gone their separate ways after the meeting.

Rule #12: Nouns that cannot be counted takes singular verbs.

 Ex. Too much love was addictive.


Power is the root of all evils.

Rule #13: Words with “s” at the end are sometimes considered singular.

 Ex. Mathematics is a very difficult subject.


The news about Lloyd Cadena’s death is mournful.

Rule #14: Fractional expressions “half of”; “part of”; “portion of” may take singular or plural verbs depending on the
context.

 Ex. Half of the audience are asleep because of Sir Mingo.


A portion of his wealth was donated to cancer patients.

Rule #15: In inverted sentences especially those that use here and there, the subject follows the verb.

 Ex. Here are the towels.


A good snack is a salad.

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