SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT RULES *prescriptive grammar

1. COLLECTIVE NOUNS singular verb plural verb or

Our school team has won all its games. (the team as a whole) CLUE

Our school team have won all their games. (the individual team members) CLUE

2. SOME COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS ending in –s, including–ics nouns including –ics nouns and certain diseases singular verb

No news is good news. Measles is a contagious disease. Physics is a difficult subject.

3. TITLES OF BOOKS, PLAYS, OPERAS, FILMS, AND SUCH WORKS – EVEN WHEN PLURAL IN FORM singular verb

Transformers is my favorite movie. The Perfect Christmas is a good read.

4. when NOUN pair is present singular verb when NOUN pair is absent plural verb

A pair of trousers is on the sofa. Todd’s trousers are on the sofa.

5. The number singular verb A number plural verb

The number of students in this school is 2,000. A number of students have dropped that course.

6. fractions percentages singular verb plural verb modifying a mass noun fractions percentages modifying a plural noun

6. fractions percentages singular verb plural verb modifying a collective noun or

Fifty percent of the toxic waste has escaped. One half of the toxic waste has escaped.

Sixty-six percent of the students are satisfied with the class. Two thirds of the students are satisfied with the class.

One tenth of the population of Egypt is Christian. One tenth of the population of Egypt are Christians.

One tenth of the population of Egypt is Christian. One tenth of the population of Egypt are Christians.

7. arithmetical operations singular verb

One plus one is two. One plus one equals two. Ten divided by two is five. Ten divided by two equals five.

8. 8. Quantifiers all (of), a lot of, lots of, and plenty of singular verb If the subject head noun is a mass noun If the subject head noun is plural plural verb

A lot of was published about that incident. A lot of nonsense was published about that incident. A lot of were present when it happened. A lot of people were present when it happened.

9. and 9. Subjects joined by and and Compound subject consisting of 2 or more nouns, pronouns, or nouns and pronouns joined by and plural verb

Roger and Elaine agree that you and I are capable of doing the work.

and Subjects joined by and and When the parts of a compound subject refer to 1 person or thing, the subject requires a singular verb – even though the parts of the subject are joined by and.

Bacon and eggs seems to be the most popular item on the breakfast menu.

and Subjects joined by and and eacheverymany a When the parts of a compound subject are joined by and and the subject is preceded by each, every, or many a, the subject is singular and requires a singular verb.

Many a man, woman, and child uses public transportation every day.

10. ornor 10. When the parts of a compound subject are joined by or or nor and each parts is singular, use a singular verb that agrees in person with the subject immediately preceding the verb.

pricelist Neither the catalog nor the price list contains an order form.

or nor plural verb However, when a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the plural subject should immediately precede the verb and a plural verb should be used.

tenantsare We do not know whether the owner or the tenants are responsible.

you must consider what the pronoun refers to 11. When a pronoun that may be either singular or plural is used as a subject, you must consider what the pronoun refers to in order to decide whether to use a singular or a plural verb with it.

Some of the information has no value to anyone. Some of the papers have historical importance.

The verb must agree with the subject itself. 12. As well as, in addition to, including, together with, accompanied by, or a similar expression following a subject has no bearing on whether the subject is singular or plural. The verb must agree with the subject itself.

original copy The original copy, as well as the photocopies, requires your signature. Several secretaries Several secretaries, in addition to the office manager, plan to attend the workshop.

Ignore a predicate nominative when determining the number of the verb to use with the subject of a linking verb.

Computers are a marvel of electronic technology. technology. subject predicate nominative

14. When one or more names are used in direct address, the subject you is often understood and a plural verb is required.

Leo, please give this envelope to your teacher.

When there appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause, the true subject appears after the verb following there.

There is an overdue balance of There were several issues to be resolved.