 The subject and verb must agree in NUMBER.  1=1  1 does not equal more than one  More than one = More than one  More than one does not equal 1

 A verb usually ends in –s or –es  Example: A frog leaps. Frog = one; leaps = one An ecologist studies. The boy learns about ecology Judy plants seedlings.

 Ecologists study nature.  The boys learn about ecology.  Judy and Kim plant seedlings.

 SingularPlural  I hike.We hike.  You hike.You hike.  He, she, or it hikes.They hike.

 Exercise 1: ODD ONLY: turn the singular subjects into plural subjects and make the verbs agree.  Exercise 2: EVEN ONLY: write the correct verb

 Making the subject and verb agree is easy if the verb follows the subject. Subject + Verb  HOWEVER, it is difficult if another noun comes between the subject and verb.  Example:  The desert, except in the polar regions, becomes very hot.

 What about these?:  In the desert roam herds of camels.  There is a high mountain near the desert.  Here at the top are many damp rocks.

 Inverted Sentences: *In the desert roam herds of camels. Usually begins with a prepositional phrase. Subject follows the verb. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Inverted Sentence beginning with THERE or HERE Subject is after the verb, “there” or “here” are not the subject. There is a high mountain near the desert. Here at the top are many damp rocks.

 In the desert roam herds of camels. Herds of camels roam in the desert.  There is a high mountain near the desert. A high mountain there is near the desert.  Here at the top are many damp rocks. Many damp rocks are here at the top.

 In some interrogative sentences, an auxiliary verb comes before the subject. Look for the subject between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.  Do any deserts contain large animals? ________________________________________  Deserts do contain any large animals.

 Exercise 3: ALL  Write the subject, verb, then correct if they are in agreement or write the correct form of the verb.  Exercise 4: EVEN  Write the correct form of the verb.

 Collective nouns name a group.  They are singular if it is used as a single group.  They are plural if each member of the group is used.  Ex.  The team agrees to save papers. (one unit, sing.)  The team agree to store them in their homes. (individual, plural)

 Like mathematics, news, etc. end in –s but take a singular verb.  Other nouns that end in –s and name one thing, such as trousers and pliers, take a plural verb.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ______  Mumps is a disease that is spread through the air (singular).  Scissors are not practical or shredding paper. (plural)

 A title of a book or work of art is considered singular even if a noun within the title is plural  Ex.  Recycling Successes is now a best-selling book. (one book)

 Exercise 5 ALL  Write the subject, verb, then correct if they are in agreement or write the correct form of the verb.  Exercise 6 EVEN  Look for clues in the sentence (their, we, etc)

 Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific person, place, or thing.  Some are singular. Some are plural

Indefinite Pronouns SingularPlural AnotherEverybodyNo oneBoth AnybodyEveryoneNothingFew AnyoneEverythingOneMany AnythingMuchSomebodyOthers EachNeitherSomeoneSeveral EitherNobodySomething

 All  Any  Most  None  Some

 Remember how prepositional phrases don’t help with most things we do in grammar?  They help with indefinite pronouns!!  If the object of the preposition is plural, the verb is plural.  If the object of the preposition is singular, the verb is singular

 Most of the forest lies to the east.  Most of those scientists study the process or respiration.  Some of her lawn is brown.  Some of the ferns are large.

 Exercise 7: ALL ◦ With your partner ◦ Exercise 8: Even: independently!

 Compound subjects contain two or more subjects for the same verb.  Plural and singular depend on how many parts of the subject are joined.  If simple subjects are joined by and or both, the verb is plural.

 New York, Denver, and London have smog.  Both automobiles and factories create smog.  Air inversion and the absence of wind aid the conditions.

 The captain and leader of the air-testing team is Joan.  When two or more subjects are joined by the conjunctions or or nor, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.  The city or the state responds to complaints.  Either smoke or gases cause the smog.

 Exercise 9: ODD  Exercise 10: ALL