subject-Verb Agreement

                                                                                                               
More Grammar Rules:

NOTE

We will use the standard of underlining subjects once and verbs twice.

Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb
agreement.

Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines),
whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example: The list of items is/are on the desk.

If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

Rule 1. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for
understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb
mistakes.

Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake
in the following sentence:

Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.

Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a

singular verb.

Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is  arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is  helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or
pronoun closest to it.

Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.

This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more)
subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:

Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.

If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward sentences.

Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.

Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are
connected by and.

Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

But note these exceptions:

Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.

In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

Rule 5a. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along
with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject.
Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.

Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 5b. Parentheses are not part of the subject.

Example: Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.

If this seems awkward, try rewriting the sentence.

Rule 6. In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.

Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.

NOTE:

The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal sentences
like There's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say "there's" than "there
are." Take care never to use there's with a plural subject.

Rule 7. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when
considered as a unit.

Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
 BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.

Rule 8. With words that indicate portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1
given earlier in this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of. If the
noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.

Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.

NOTE

In recent years, the SAT testing service has considered none to be strictly singular.
However, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage:
"Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion
that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the
19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems
like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism."
When none is clearly intended to mean "not one," it is followed by a singular verb.

Rule 9. With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the

verb might be singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.

Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was opposed OR were opposed to the bill.
 NOTE

Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun must take care to be accurate—
and also consistent. It must not be done carelessly. The following is the sort of flawed
sentence one sees and hears a lot these days:

The staff is deciding how they want to vote.

Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the
plural they to staff in the same sentence.

Consistent: The staff are deciding how they want to vote.

Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence

would read even better as:

The staff members are deciding how they want to vote.

Rule 10. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary

to fact:

Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.

Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't
actually here, so we say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive
mood, which is used to express things that are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or
factually contradictory. The subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what we
usually think of as plural verbs.

Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.

In the first example, a wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were,
which we usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular it. (Technically, it is
the singular subject of the object clause in the subjunctive mood: it were Friday.)

Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a
request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.

Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used
in formal speech and writing.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUIZ?

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT QUIZ 1

20 Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects and verbs must agree with each other in number for a sentence to make sense. Even
though grammar can be a bit quirky from time to time, there are 20 rules of subject-verb
agreement that sum up the topic quite concisely. Most of the concepts of subject-verb agreement
are straightforward, but exceptions to the rules can make it more complicated.

For example, would you say, "They are fun" or "They is fun"? Since "they" is plural, you'd opt
for the plural form of the verb, "are". Ready to dive into a world where subjects and verbs live in
harmony?

What Are the Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?

Twenty may seem like a lot of rules for one subject, but you'll quickly notice one ties into
the next. In the end, it'll all make sense. (In the following examples, the agreeing subject
is in bold and the verb is in italics.)
1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the
background of the concept.
The dog growls when he is angry.
The dogs growl when they are angry.
2. Subordinate clauses that come between the subject and verb don't affect their
agreement.
The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

4. When sentences start with "there" or "here," the subject will always be placed after
the verb. Some care needs to be taken to identify each part correctly.

There is a problem with the balance sheet.

Here are the papers you requested.
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately
identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Where are the pieces of this puzzle?

6. If two subjects are joined by "and," they typically require a plural verb form.

The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

7. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by "and" refer to the same person
or thing as a whole.

Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

8. If one of the words "each," "every," or "no" comes before the subject, the verb is
singular.

No smoking or drinking is allowed.
Every man and woman is required to check in.
9. If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words "or," "nor,"
"neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is singular.

Either Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

10. The only time the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is
when noun and pronoun subjects like "some," "half," "none," "more," or "all" are followed
by a prepositional phrase. Then the object of the preposition determines the form of the
verb.
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens are gone.

11. The singular verb form is usually reserved for units of measurement or time.

Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words "or," "nor,"
"neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," the verb is plural.

Not only dogs but also cats are available at the animal shelter.

13. If one subject is singular and the other is plural, and the words are connected by the
words "or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," or "not only/but also," use the verb form of
the subject that is nearest the verb.

Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.

Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.
14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs (with some exceptions).
Everybody wants to be loved.
15. The exceptions to the above rule include the pronouns "few," "many," "several,"
"both," "all," and "some." These always take the plural form.
Few were left alive after the flood.
16. If two infinitives are separated by "and," they take the plural form of the verb.
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular form of
the verb. However, when they are linked by "and," they take the plural form.
Standing in the water was a bad idea.
Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.
18. A collective noun, such as "team" or "staff," can be either singular or plural
depending upon the rest of the sentence. Typically, they take the singular form, as the
collective noun is treated as a cohesive single unit.
The herd is stampeding.

19. Titles of books, movies, novels, and other similar works are treated as singular and
take a singular verb.

The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

20. Final rule: Remember, only the subject affects the verb! Nothing else matters.

Jacob, who owns sixteen houses, is on his way to becoming a billionaire.

To see more sentences showing the correct agreement of subject and verb, check
out Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement. You can also download our shorter top 10
rules infographic and keep it handy.