Subject Verb Agreement

REVIEWER
ALVIN D. DE LA CRUZ, LPT

OPENING PRAYER
SPEECH ACTIVITY
a. I cannot breathe.
b. Shasha has a bad breath.
Bath - bathe
GRAMMAR
This vs. These

This is my pen.
These are my pens.
Great lawyers is coming. Will
you be one of them?
Great lawyers are coming.
Will you be one of them?
Our memories makes me
stronger.
Our memories make me stronger.
Our memory makes me stronger.
ICE CREAM SUNDAES
Ice cream sundaes is delicious. There is so many
different ingredients that can be use to made the perfect
ice cream sundae. It are always best to start with three
different ice cream flavour. Some favourite flavours is
chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Chopped nuts and
colourful sprinkles is good combination as toppings.
Teacher – singular noun Teachers – plural noun
Plays – singular verb Play – plural verb
Teacher vs. teachers

Plays vs. play
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
1. A singular subject takes a singular verb; whereas, a plural
subject takes a plural verb.
Examples:
a. The dog growls when it is angry.
Dogs (growl, growls) when
they are angry.
b. Dogs growl when they are angry.
2. A compound subject joined by and is generally plural and
requires a plural verb.
Examples:
a. San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey are our
favourite basketball teams.
b. Richmond and Russel often argue with each
other.
3. If two parts of a compound subject refer to a single person
or thing, or form a single unit, the compound subject is
considered singular.
Examples:
a. Ham and egg is a popular combination.
b. Bread and butter is our daily food.
4. When a singular subject and plural subject are joined by either
or/neither nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
Examples:
a. Neither my father nor my brothers (is, are) going to meet the
buyer.
Neither my father nor my brothers are going to
meet the buyer.
b. Neither my brothers nor my father (is, are) going to meet the
buyer.
5. Collective nouns take a singular or a plural verb depending on whether the
group is thought of as a whole or as individuals.
Examples:
a. The team is going to Mindanao to administer a sport seminar.
b. The battalion has been marching for peace and unity.
c. The family are arguing about the upcoming elections.
6. Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and
the verb; they do not affect agreement.
Examples:
a. The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
b. My sister, together with my cousins, is going to Manila.
7. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb
usually do not affect agreement.
Example:
The colours of the rainbow are beautiful.
8. When sentences start with there or here, the subject will
always be placed after the verb.
Examples:
a. There is a problem with the balance sheet.
b. There are problems with the balance sheet.
c. Here are the papers you requested.
d. Here is the paper you requested.
9. If one of the words: each, every, or no one comes before
the subject, the verb is singular.
Examples:
a. No smoking or drinking is allowed.
b. Every man is allowed to enter the room.
10. The singular verb form is used for units of measurement or
time.
Examples:
a. Four quarts of oil is required to get the car running.
b. Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
11. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs.
Examples:
a. Everybody wants to be loved.
b. Nobody shares the correct answer.
12. Pronouns like few, many, several, both, and some
always take the plural form.
Example:
Few were left alive after the flood.
13. If two infinitive phrases are separated by and, they take
the plural form of verb.
Example:
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
14. When a gerund phrase is used as the subject of a sentence, they take
the singular form of the verb: but, when they are linked by and, they take
the plural form (two gerund phrases).
Examples:
a. Standing in the water is a bad idea.
b. Swimming in the ocean and playing the drum are my
hobbies.
c. Bringing of food and water (is, are) not allowed.
15. Titles of books, movies, and novels are treated as singular
and take a singular verb.
Example:
The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.
16. The phrase the number requires a singular verb, whereas, a
number requires plural verb.
Examples:
a. The number of enrolees increases each year.
b. A number of enrolees increase each year.
17. In a compound subject, one negative, one positive, the verb agrees with
the positive member.
Examples:
a. You, not I, are to be blamed.
b. I, not you, am to be blamed.
c. Lorenz, not Jion and Jan, is not to be blamed.
18. Two nouns referring to the same person take a singular verb.
Example:
a. The manager and owner of the company is my friend.
b. The manager and the owner of the company are my friends.
19. Sums of money, mathematical equation, and units of
measurement take singular verbs.
Examples:
a. Three hundred pesos is enough.
b. Two kilometers is not too far.
c. Six plus three equals nine.
20. Fractions take singular verbs. But if the fraction is
followed by an OF-phrase, the number of the verb depends
on whether the noun in the OF-phrase is singular or plural.
Examples:
a. Three-fourths of the jackfruit is enough.
b. Three-fourths of the mangoes are rotten.
21. ALL takes a plural verb when it refers to concrete nouns;
ALL takes singular verb when it refers to abstract nouns.
Examples:
1. All my siblings are loyal to me. (concrete)
2. All my hope is lost. (abstract)
DRILL
There (is, are) four hurdles to

jump.
There are four hurdles to jump.

DRILL
Here (is, are) the

key.
Here is the
DRILL
The politician, along with the newsmen, (is, are) expected shortly.
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected

shortly.
DRILL
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl (go, goes) on that shelf.
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that

shelf.
DRILL
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates (go, goes) on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that

shelf.
DRILL
My aunt or my uncle (is, are) arriving

today.
My aunt or my uncle is arriving

today.
The kid (love, loves) to play.
The kid loves to play.

My teacher and neighbour (is, are) coming for the
party.
My teacher and neighbour is coming for the

party.
A bouquet of flowers (is, are) needed in the
reception.
A bouquet of flowers is needed in the

reception.
Everybody (is, are) allowed to attend the
ceremony.
Everybody is allowed to attend the ceremony.

Subject Verb Agreement

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REVIEWER

ALVIN D. DE LA CRUZ, LPT

This vs. These

Teacher vs. teachers

There (is, are) four hurdles to

There are four hurdles to jump.

Here (is, are) the

The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected

Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that

Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that

My aunt or my uncle (is, are) arriving

My aunt or my uncle is arriving

The kid loves to play.

My teacher and neighbour is coming for the

A bouquet of flowers is needed in the

Everybody is allowed to attend the ceremony.

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