Subject-Verb Agreement

Special notes before we begin: This only matters in PRESENT-TENSE verbs Or with helping verbs (do/does, has/have, is/are) But still, think of it as PRESENT-TENSE subject- verb agreement

What is subject-verb agreement? We’re talking about does your subject match your verb Not are they wearing clothes that look nice together But do they match in number—singular and plural Singular subjects go with singular verbs (present- tense, remember) Plural subjects go with plural verbs

Plural subject: they More than one thing Singular subject: anything that is a HE, SHE, or an IT One thing Plural subject: they More than one thing Singular verb: ADD an S or ES Seems weird to add an s to a singular verb, but that’s what it is Plural verb: no s Just keep the verb as it is with no special ending

Practice sings does is like keeps The opera singer ______ (sing) beautifully. The teacher ______ (do) not know how to teach. My mosquito bite ______ (be) itchy. The students ______ (like) to sleep. One person ______ (keep) his backpack on the floor. Click for each answer to appear does is like keeps

S-V agreement: more guidelines 1 Each & every are singular Each students needs his own notebook. Every teacher does her best. Someone, everyone, anyone, no one, nothing, everything, anybody, etc. Someone is sleeping. No one knows how. Everybody does his homework.

S-V agreement: more guidelines 2 Ignore the extra info Find the real subject One of my friends is happy. The dog with the fleas is sick. The book that is next to the windows looks good.

S-V agreement: more guidelines 3 Expressions of quantity/an amount are TRICKY Some, two-thirds, most, a lot, none With these words, it does depend what is in the phrase afterward Some students are nice. Some of the students are nice Some of the class is nice. None of the building is safe None of the buildings are safe.

SV-agreement: more guidelines 4 Subjects joined by “and” or “or” And=plural Sarah and Shelly seem happy. The students and the teacher play music. Or=match the verb to the subject closest to the verb Either Sarah or Shelly seems happy. The students or the teacher plays music. The teacher or the students play music.

SV-agreement: more guidelines 5 The subjects in sentences that start with “There is” or “There are” come afterward There are two ways (subject) to do it. There is one way (subject) to do it. If the subject is plural, use ARE If the subject is singular, us IS There isn’t anyone here who knows him There aren’t people here who know him

SV-agreement: more guidelines 5 Weird ones Some nouns end in –s, but are singular United States, Philippines, news, physics, diabetes, measles (they are diseases) Expressions of time, money, and distance usually are singular Eight hours is enough sleep. Ten miles is too far. (not ten miles are too far)

Try some practice On the next slides To make sure you understand

The President and his wife is/are travelling to India

The President or his wife is/are travelling to India

The President with his wife is/are travelling to India

The President of the United States is/are travelling to India

The box filled with oranges smell/smells fresh.

The box of apples and oranges smell/smells fresh.

The boxes filled with oranges smell/smells fresh.

Either the boxes or the bowl smell/smells fresh.

Either the bowl or the boxes smell/smells fresh.