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Subject/Verb Agreement
Subjects and Verbs Must Agree!
What is the Subject of a Sentence?
• The subject tells who or what the sentence is about.
• The subject is always a noun or pronoun.
• The subject can be singular or plural.
• The subject does the action in a sentence.
Subjects
The car needs gas.
The workers eat lunch at noon.
What Is the Verb of a Sentence?
 A verb is a word that indicates an action.
 A verb is a word that indicates an event.
 A verb is a word that indicates a state of being.
 A verb can be singular or plural.
Verbs
The car needs gas.
The workers eat lunch at noon.
Singular and Plural
The subject of a sentence must agree in number with its verb.
If the subject is singular, a singular verb is needed.
If the subject is plural then the plural verb must be used.
The child is outside.
The children are outside.
The athlete runs fast.
The athletes run fast.
The Verb To Be
 Present
 am
 is (singular)
 are (plural)
 Past
 was (singular)
 were (plural)
 Future
 will be
 Past Participle
 been (used with has, have or had)
Sometimes a group of words gets in the way.
It comes between the subject and the verb.
These groups of words are called
Prepositional Phrases.
The subject of a sentence never comes after a
preposition.
Common Prepositions
Have position in their name.
Common Prepositions
 of
 for
 at
 to
 in
 through
 on
 around
 with
 between
 from
 below
Take the Prepositional Phrase Out!
The decision of the judges
(was, were) final.
The decision (was, were)
final.
Cars with convertible tops
(need, needs) extra care.
Cars (need, needs) extra
care.
A flock of pigeons (are, is ) on the
roof.
A flock (are, is) on the roof.
Collective Nouns
Some nouns are tricky. They seem to be plural, but they are
really singular. These nouns are thought as one thing even
though they are made up of many things.
Here are some collective nouns.
band
group
team
jury
family
flock
swarm
money
Can you think of more?
army
bunch
Collective Noun Examples
The team loses every game.
All the money is gone.
A group of workers forms a union.
The band plays rap music.
1. The band with two drummers (sound, sounds) great!
2. The chair with broken legs (need, needs) repairs.
3. A dog with fleas (need, needs) a bath.
4. A swarm of bees (is, are) attacking me.
5. The staff (works, work) hard.
6. The jury on those cases (have, has) a hard choice.
7. The bunch of grapes (is, are) sour.
8. A group of us (are, is) planning the trip.
9. The stack of books (need, needs) to be returned.
10. The army of ants (were, was) hard to exterminate.
Words Like “One Of”
There is a group of words that often come before plural nouns
in a sentence. They tell how many. These words often end with
“of:” one of, each one of, any of, neither one of.
All these words mean a single thing. They are singular even
though they may appear to be plural.
Examples:
Neither one of the stores is open.
One of the cats has a sore paw.
Neither of the plants has blooms.
Each one of the officers looks for clues.
1. One of the students (are, is) absent today.
2. Neither one of the bottles (are, is) open.
3. Each one of the children (plays, play) with the toys.
4. One of the jars (is, are) cracked.
5. Neither one of the women (shop, shops) at that
store.
6. Any one of the recipes (tastes, taste) delicious.
7. Every one of the bottles (leak, leaks).
8. Neither of the players (was, were) injured.
9. One of us (have, has) to make the decision.
10. Any one of the books (looks, look) good.
More Singular Verbs
Always use a singular verb with subjects that end in:
-body
-thing
-one
Examples:
Everybody brings his own lunch.
Everything makes Marcia mad.
“And” Use a Plural Verb!
Always use a plural verb if the subject has two parts and is
connected by the word “and.” These are called compound
subjects.
Examples:
Andrea and Pete like to drink coffee.
Dogs and cats fight most of the time.
1. Anyone who (plays, play) can win.
2. Everybody (bring, brings) her or his own lunch.
3. Lynne and Crystal (likes, like) to travel.
4. Everything (happens, happen) for the best.
5. Love and happiness (make, makes) the world go
around.
6. Everything (be, is, are) your fault!
7. The pencil and pen (be, is, are) on the table.
8. Jack and Jill (works, work) together.
9. Nouns and verbs (be, is, are) tricky.
10. The work students and teachers (does, do) together is
important.
Nor, Or, But Also….
Neither…nor…
Either…or…
Not only…but also…
…or…
Whenever a compound subject is split by these words, the verb
must agree with the part of the subject that comes closer to
the verb.
Examples
Neither the teacher nor the students (know, knows) the answer.
Neither the students nor the teacher (know, knows) the answer.
Not only the plumber, but also the electricians (cost, costs) a lot of
money.
Not only the electricians, but also the plumber (cost, costs) a lot of
money.
1. Not only the men, but also the woman (like, likes) the
movie.
2. Neither the teacher nor the students (know, knows)
the answer.
3. Either he or she (lose, loses).
4. Tom, Jim or Bill (make, makes) the decision.
5. Neither the neighbors nor the sheriff (see, sees) the
suspect.
6. Either Tom or Jerry (win, wins) the race.
7. Neither Skyler nor Patrick (do, does) anything around
the house.
8. Not only the fox, but also the raccoon (are, is) chased
by the dogs.
9. Either you or he (wins, win).
10. Neither the cat nor the dog (likes, like) a bath.
1. Everything (make, makes) him mad.
2. Dogs and cats (fight, fights) most of the time.
3. The decision of the umpires (were, was) final.
4. A flock of seagulls (are, is) on the beach.
5. Cars with a convertible top (need, needs) extra care.
6. The Giants (lose, loses) most games.
7. A group of workers (form, forms) a union.
8. A herd of bulls (are, is) chasing me.
9. Neither one of the banks (are, is) open.
10. One of the skiers (have, has) a broken leg.
11. Each one of the flight attendants (hand, hands) out
nuts.
12. Neither the sun nor the stars (shine, shines).
13. Either the players or the coach (win, wins) the bet.
14. Not only the robber but also the guards (are, is) in the
museum.
15. Tom, Dick or Harry (need, needs) ten points to win.