Subject-Verb Agreement

1
Subject-Verb Agreement

• Unit 16

2
Rules

• A verb must agree with its subject in person and
  number
• Subjects with s are plural
• Verbs with s are singular
• One s good Two s bad No s bad
• Ignore prepositional phrases
• Ignore predicate nouns

3
Examples

• The shoe is dirty.
• The shoes are dirty.
• The shoe in the corner is dirty.
• The shoes in the corner are dirty.

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Inverted Sentences

• The subject follows the verb
• Rearrange sentence
• Check S/V agreement
• Ex. Down the street are several more houses.
• There are several more houses down the street.
• Several more houses are down the street.

5
Collective Nouns

• Name a group
• If group acts as a whole singular
• If group members act individually plural
• Ex. The orchestra plays.
• The orchestra tune their instruments.

6
Special Nouns

• Certain nouns that end in s are considered
  singular
• News
• Measles
• Certain nouns that end in s are considered
  plural
• Binoculars
• Scissors

7
Nouns of Amount

• When the amount is considered one unit, it is
  singular.
• When the amount is considered individual units,
  it is plural
• Ex. Two dollars is the fee.
• Two dollars are in his pocket.
• Five days is an average work week.
• Five days have passed since the game.

8
Titles

• Titles are always singular
• Ex. Numbers is my favorite TV show.
• The Hills Have Eyes was not a very good
  movie.

9
Compound Subjects

• Compound subjects joined by and are always
  plural.
• Tom and Jerry are going to the game.
• Lisa and Boomquesha are very ugly.

10
Compound Subjects

• Compound subjects joined by or or nor
• The verb will match the subject closest to it
• Ex. The babysitter or the kids have broken the
  vase.
• The kids or the babysitter has broken the
  vase.

11
Compound Subjects

• When many a, every, or each precedes a compound
  subject, the subject is considered singular.
• Ex. Many a cook and waiter works late.
• Every man, woman, and child was saved.
• Each coach and athlete was given a
  football.
• Many a dog and cat is roaming the streets.

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Intervening Expressions

• Ignore intervening expressions
• Accompanied by
• As well as
• In addition to
• Plus
• Together with
• Shaniquel, accompanied by Poony, is attending
  the prom.
• Monica, together with her cousin, has eaten all
  of the cake.

13
Indefinite Pronouns

• The verb must agree in number with an indefinite
  pronoun.
• Ex. Each of them is going to the game.
• No one eats chitterlings.
• Both of them are too small for that ride.

14
Adjective Clauses

• When the subject of and adjective clause is a
  relative pronoun, the verb in the clause must
  agree with the antecedent of the relative
  pronoun.
• Ex. The Mexican grizzly is one of the bears
  that were thought to be extinct.