Subject-Verb Agreement

Please fill out the appropriate notes On your worksheet

• What do I make sure that my subjects and verbs agree with each other?– Identify the subject– Is the subject singular or plural?– If the subject is singular, you need a singular verb.

If plural, you need a plural verb.

• How do I know if a verb is singular or plural?– 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.

– He or She = Singular, They =Plural– Example• Talk (You would never say “He talk,” so talk is a plural

verb)

Basic Rule #1

• When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by “and,” use a plural verb.

– Becky and her friends is/are going to work on their awesome dance moves after school.

Basic Rule #2

• When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by “or” or “nor,” use a singular verb.

• Either Megan Fox or Lindsay Lohan is/are going to win the award for worst actress of all time.

Basic Rule #3

• When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.

– The student or his friends read/reads selected scenes from Macbeth every day.

– His friends or the student read/reads selected scenes from Macbeth every day.

Basic Rule 4

• The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.

• Everybody know/knows Mason.

Basic Rule 5

• Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.

– One of the students in Mr. Bannecker’s class is/are going to grow up to become a world renowned actor.

– Each of the students bring/brings Mr. Bannecker a cup of coffee in the morning.

• The price of these jeans is/are unreasonable. • None of my friends was/were there. • Some of the students seem/seems bored by

this activity.• A group of students was/were studying for the

test.• Every one of those books is/are fiction.• The song that they are playing in all the clubs

are/is my favorite.• Nakia and Alicia has/have expressed their love

for Sophocles.