VERB AGREEMENT

Check verb agreement, tense and form

Rules for subject verb agreement: singular subject
a. If the following words are used as subject, they are always singular. Some of the
words are plural in meaning. But they always require singular in meaning.
Everyone
someone
anyone
no one
each
Everybody
somebody
anybody
no body
either
Everything
something
anything
nothing
neither
Examples:
- Everyone receives a book.
- Everyone is busy
- Neither of these books is expensive.
b.

If each or every comes before singular subjects joined by and, a singular verb is
required.
Example:
- Every man and woman is member of the society.
- Each student and teacher has a book.
C. Introductory it is singular and always followed by a singular verb.
Examples:
- It was the robbers who robbed the jewelry store.
- It is his parents who he worries about.
c. Words that come between a subject and its verb dont change the number of the
subject. Prepositional phrases often have this position: together with, in addition to,
along with, as well as, except and of the most.
Examples:
- The woman as well as her daughter is leaving the room.
- The woman together with her daughter is leaving the room.
- Everyone except her brings a book
d. there, here and where are never subject ( except in the sentence like this one). When
a sentence begins with one of these words. The subject comes after the verb.
Examples:
- There is no post office around here.
- Here are the books you gave yesterday
2. Rules for subject verb agreement: Plural subjects
a. Subject joined by and , or both and take a plural verb.
Examples:
- A black BMW and a silver Toyota are on display.
- Both sharks and whales are becoming extinct.
b. Several, both, many, few are plural words and always take plural verbs
Example:
- Both are the best students in the class.
- Only a few come to the party.
- Many do not bring their books.

c. Some nouns are always plural in form and always take plural verbs.
- clothes
: trousers, pants, jeans, sunglasses,
- tools
: scissors, pliers, tweezers.
- abstracts
: riches, thanks, means.
However, some of them are followed by a singular verb when used in expressions such as a
pair of a word of
Examples:
1. His pants are still at the tailors. But that pair of pants is clean.
2. Your thanks are enough for him, But a word of thanks is enough.
3. Rules for Subject verb agreements: alternative
a. If subjects are joined
Either . Or ,
Neither . Nor .
Not only but also
The verb must agree with the closer subject.
Example:
1. Neither my brother nor my sisters are at home.
2. Neither my sisters nor my brother is at home
3. Not only my students but also my teacher is coming the graduation.
b. Many verbs may be singular or plural depending on what they refer to : none, all, some,
any, majority, most, half, etc. When these words are followed by prepositional phrase,
the number of the object of the preposition will determine weather the words are
singular or plural.
Example:
1. All of the bags have been sold.
2. All the money is in the bank
c. The expression a number of is plural, the number of is singular
1. A number of students are missing from campus.
2. The number of the population is small.
2.4. Rules for the subject verb agreement, Unusual singular subject:
a. Expression stating one amount of time, money, weight, volume, etc, are plural but
take a singular verb.
Example:
1. Two days is enough for to do this report.
2. Ten thousand rupiahs is enough to buy this food.
3. Five kilograms is a lot of lose in a week.
4. Twenty-five litters of gasoline costs a lot of money.
b.
Some words are always plural in form but always singular in meaning. These words
requires singular verbs.
Academic words: mathematics, physics, economics, statistics, politics, etc.
Diseases words: mumps, measles, herpes, etc.
Abstract nouns: news, ethics, politics, etc.
Examples:
1. Mathematics is my favourite subject

2. The news was about the economic problem

c.
Title of book, movie, even if plural in form , take singular verbs.
Examples:
1. Jakarta Post is a good newspaper.
2. Titanic was a good movie.
2.5. The rule for Subject verb agreement: Singular and plural Subject with the same forms.
a. Collective nouns are usually singular, but may be plural if the members are functioning
independently. Watch for clues to the singular or plural nature of the subject. Some of
these are: class. team. Police, committee, audience, family, faculty,
etc.
Examples:
-That team has a good strategy
S

-The class are working on their individual tasks today.

S

b. Some nouns use the same form both singular and plural meanings. The pronouns
and modifiers with these words will indicate whether are singular or plural in
meaning Always with S: species. Series, etc
Example :
That species is rare.
Those species are rare
Never with S sheep. deer. etc.
Example :
-That deer is big.
S
V
-Those dear are small.
S
V
2.6. Rules for Subiect - Verb Agreement Nationality and Foreign Words.
a. Nouns for nationality that end with -ese, -ch or -sh may be singular or plural
depending on the:: meaning. Some of these words are Chinese. French,. English. etc. When
the word refers to the people of the country, it takes a plural verb and is preceded by the article
The. When the word refers to a language, it takes a singular verb.
Example :
- English is spoken in Australia
S
V
-The English love tea.
S
V
b .English has borrowed words from other languages Some of these words have unusual
singular and plural forms
Origin
Singular
Plural
examples
Greek
-is
-es
basis ( bases ). crisis ( crises).
Greek
-on
-a
criterion ( criteria )
Latin
-a
-ae
alga (algae ). vita (vitae)
Latin
-um
-a
datum ( data). medium ( media )

Latin
( appendices )
Etc

-ix/-ex

-ices

index ( indices ).appendix