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The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular

verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb.


The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or
plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular or
plural verb.

Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as


nouns do. In order to determine which verb is singular and
which one is plural, think of which verb you would use
with he or she and which verb you would use with they.
Example talks, talk

Which one is the singular form?

Which word would you use with he?


We say, "He talks." Therefore, talks is
singular.
We say, "They talk."

Therefore, talk is plural.


Making Subjects and Verbs Agree

Rule 1

Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a


singular verb.
Subject/Verb Agreement
1. If a subject is plural, the verb must have a
plural form, and if the subject is singular,
the verb must have a singular form. Ignore
prepositional phrases.
a. The rose in the vase is wilted.
b. The roses in the vase are wilted.
c. The man in the woods lives alone.
(ignore in the woods)
d. The length of these boats is twenty
feet (ignore of these boats)
2. If subjects are joined by and you will use a
plural form unless the two items describe
the same person or thing.
a. The coach and the umpire were at
home plate.
b. The creator and director of Schindler’s
List is Stephen Spielberg.
c. Both the cha-cha and the rumba are
Cuban dances.
d. Macaroni and cheese is my favoruite
snack.

3. If the subjects are joined by or look at the


word closest to the verb to choose the
correct form.
a. The teacher or the students are
bringing snacks.
b. The students or the teacher is bringing
snacks.
c. Neither the coach nor the players know
the umpire.
d.Neither the players nor the coach
knows the umpire.

4. Each, either, one, everybody, and anyone


are considered singular and require
singular verbs.
a. Either of them is willing to shovel the
driveway.
b. Each has brought a ticket to the
counter.
c. Everybody has a parking spot.

5. All, any, some, none, and most can be


singular or plural; it depends on the
sentence.
a. Some of the books are very valuable.
b. Some of the tea is left in the pitcher.
c. All of the players were angry.
d.All of the ice is gone.

6. If the subject follows the verb, simply


reverse the order in your mind to figure out
the correct usage.
a. Where are Sara and Julia?
b. Here are the girls.
c. Where is that yellow chalk?
d.Here is the reason.
http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/RSpriggs/gram
mar.cfm?subpage=606715

Subject-verb agreement

A reader sent me the following sentences and


asked if the underlined words are the subjects.
They are, and here's why:

1. Neither of my two suitcases is adequate for


this trip.
"Neither" means "not this one and not that
one." "of my two suitcases" is just a
prepositional phrase, explaining what "neither"
means, but a prepositional phrase can't be the
subject. (However, as we'll see, it can So when
"neither" refers to two, the subject has to be
singular.

2. Neither the teacher nor the students seem


to understand this assignment.
Here, "neither" introduces two possible
subjects, "teacher" and "students." In this
case, the subject is either singular (teacher) or
plural (students). In this case, the verb has to
agree with the closer of the two possible
subjects...in this case, "students." So "seem" is
the correct verb form.

3. Some of the grain has gone bad.


"Some" can be singular or plural depending on
the number of the noun in the prepositional
phrase that follows it. "Grain" is singular, so
the verb is "has gone." But if we wrote "Some
of the students ___ gone home," the verb
would be "have," to agree with "students."

4. John or his brother is going to be


responsible for this.
The subject is "John" or "brother," but not
both. Each is singular. So a singular subject
takes a singular verb.

5. Has either my father or my brothers made a


down payment on the house?
Like #2, the verb agrees with the closer noun,
which in this case is the singular, "father."
Turn it around, and the verb is plural: "Have
either my brothers or my father made a down
payment on this house?"
6. A few of the students are doing so well they
can skip the next course.
"Few" is plural, so the verb is "are." But here
are some variations:
"One of the students is doing so well that he or
she can skip the next course." (If we know that
the student is male or female, however, we
can use just the right pronoun.)
"A number of students are doing so well that
they..."

But if we need to use "The number," we switch


to singular:
"The number of students who can skip the next
course is very small."

http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/english/2008/12/subjectverb-
agreement.html

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