Subject-Verb Agreement

We eat (1st Person Plural) The Golden Rule A verb must agree with its subject in both number and person I eat (1st Person Sing.) I am hungry. We eat (1st Person Plural) We are hungry. You eat (2nd Person Sing.) You are hungry. You eat (2nd Person Plural) He eats (3rd Person Sing.) She is hungry. They eat (3rd Person Plural) They are hungry.

Problem 1: Prepositional Phrases REMEMBER THAT THE OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION IS NEVER THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE! Do not confuse intervening Prep. Phrases with the subject of the sentence. The cluster of islands is remote and unknown. The verb “is” agrees with the subject “cluster” not the OP “islands” The children around the lake are fishing. The clothes in the middle of the room were ugly.

Problem 2: Predicate Nominatives A QUICK REMINDER: Predicate Nominatives are nouns that follow Linking Verbs and describe the subject. Those men are cops. The PN “cops” modifies the subject “men.” The verb agrees with “men” not “cops.” THE ISSUE: Make sure that the verb agrees with the subject, not the PN The breakfast are eggs and bacon. ←WRONG The breakfast is eggs and bacon. ←RIGHT The verb “is” agrees with the subject “breakfast,” not the PNs “eggs” and “bacon.” My favorite pie is chocolate and peanut butter.

Problem 3: Inverted Sentences REMINDER: An inverted sentence is one in which the subject follows the verb (inversion) Find the noun or pronoun form that is performing the action to determine the proper form of the verb. Prep. Phrases Around the bend lies our destination. “Lies” agrees with “destination” not “bend,” which is an OP Down the street lives my friend, John.

Continued Here and There Here and There may begin sentences but are rarely the subject There are two rabbits in the yard. The subject “rabbits” “are” in the yard Here comes Michael from the lunch room. Interrogatives Does Megan have the paper? The subject “Megan” agrees with “does have” When does the school dismiss for break?

Problem 4: Special Subjects Be award of Collective Nouns that can either be singular or plural depending on their use. Singular – working together Plural – working separately The band is playing well. The band played together as one The band are cleaning their instruments Each member is cleaning a different instrument

Continued Special nouns are those that end in “s,” such as mathematics, measles, and pus that are treated as singular The measles is dangerous. Others, such as scissors, jeans, pants, and binoculars are plural. Those jeans are cool. Still others may be singular or plural depending on their meaning Ethics is a good class Her ethics are basically non-existent.

Continued Amounts may be singular or plural depending on use. Three dollars is needed to enter. [one amount] Three dollars are on the counter. [three actual bills] Ninety days is the approval period. [one lump amount of time] Ninety days have passed quickly. [Each day has passed on its own]