Subject/Verb Agreement

What is a subject? The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about. example: DeSean Jackson ran 30 yards for a touchdown. What is the subject? Subjects can be plural or singular. example: dog (singular); dogs (plural)

What is a verb? A verb expresses action or a state of being. Examples: We went to Boston last April. What is the verb? Staci is friendly. What is the verb? Verbs can be singular or plural Examples: chases (singular) chase (plural)

Subject/Verb Agreement Subjects and verbs must agree with one another in number (singular or plural). Therefore, if a subject is singular, then the verb has to be singular. Likewise, if the subject is plural, then the verb has to be plural. Nouns add “s” to the singular form of verbs, but remove the “s” to the plural form of verbs. Examples: The dog chases the cat. The dogs chase the cat.

Practice State whether each is singular or plural Animal Igloos Blueberries Felicia runs Happiness is People listen

What are indefinite pronouns? Indefinite pronouns refer to a person, place, thing, or idea that may or may not be specifically named. Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs (each, either, neither, one, no one, everyone, something, etc.) Example: Each secretary does a good deal of work around the office. Plural indefinite pronouns take plural verbs (several, few, both, many). Example: Both do a good deal of work around the office.

What is a compound subject? A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by a conjunction and that have the same verb. Compound subjects joined by “and” are always plural Example: A pencil and an eraser make writing easier. Compound subjects joined by “or/nor” agrees with the subject closest to it. Examples: Neither the director nor the actors are following the lines closely. Neither the actors nor the director is following the lines closely.