Subject-Verb Agreement

A verb must agree with its subject in person and number. Examples: –Dora runs. (Dora is the singular subject; runs is the singular verb.) –The children are singing. (Children is the plural subject; are is the plural verb.)

Rule # 1: **Subjects combined with AND or BOTH use plural verbs unless the parts are of a whole unit. (See exception below.) Also beware of subjects that are preceded by each, every, and many a; these take singular verbs. Example: Chocolate and vanilla are common ice cream flavors. Exceptions: In my opinion peanut butter and jelly is a disgusting combination. Each boy and girl has an assigned seat.

Rule # 2: ** To decide which verb to use when a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by the words OR or NOR, use the subject nearer the verb. Examples Neither the dog nor the cats were able to get any water. (cats-plural noun, were-plural verb) Neither the cats nor the dog was able to get any water. (dog-sing. noun, was-sing. verb)

Rule # 3: **Beware of prepositional phrases. Do NOT mistake a word in a prepositional phrase for the subject. Examples: The boss of the employees works very hard. (boss-singular subject, works-singular verb) The teachers at the school meet today. (teachers-plural subject, meet-plural verb)

Rule # 4: **A subject remains singular or plural regardless of any intervening expressions. Examples: Gloria, as well as the rest of her family, was late. The players, accompanied by the coach, enter the field from that side.

S-V Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns The following pronouns are ALWAYS singular and will therefore take a singular verb. everythingeveryoneeverybodyanyone anythinganybodyno onenothing nobodysomeonesomethingsomebody eacheitherneithernone

S-V Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns The following pronouns are ALWAYS plural and will therefore take a plural verb. Several Few Both Many