Subject-Verb Agreement

Introduction Verb must agree with their subjects. In the simple present tense, the verb for the 3 rd person singular subjects takes an –s ending. (enjoys, has, does, is) The verb for the 1 st and 2 nd person singular subject (I, you) does NOT take an –s ending. Likewise, the verb for plural subjects have NO –s ending.

Uncountable Nouns Use a singular verb with uncountable nouns. E.g., today friendship does not seem to last as in the good old days. E.g., the payment of the taxes has to be accelerated. E.g., since the installation of computers, the efficiency in the various departments has increased.

Collective Nouns Nouns which refer to groups of people or animals. Can be used both in singular and plural. SingularPlural The family is the smallest unit in the society. My family have always given me their full support. The jury was made up of twelve men and women. The jury were unable to agree. They couldn’t reach a verdict. An entire flock of sheep was lost in the bad weather. The whole flock of sheep were sheared in less than a day and their fleece sold at the fair.

Infinitive/Gerunds An infinitive or a gerund takes a singular verb. E.g., To write a good composition needs a well-thought out plan. Painting these large rooms is certainly a strenuous task.

A singular subject with certain attached phrases is still a singular subject. E.g., The head prefect, with several others, was late for school today. Ah Meng, as well as her elder brother, is a promising student. My neighbour, together with his grandson, often jogs in Taman Jaya. My Form 3 Biology teacher, like other Science teachers in my school, tries to make her lessons interesting.

Either…or/Neither…or 2 singular subjects separated by either…or and neither…nor take a singular verb. If one subject is singular and the other is plural, then the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.

Determiners Singular determiners (each, every, either) take a singular verb. Plural determiners (both, few, many) take a plural verb. A number of determiners (some, any, all) can take either a singular or plural verb according to the noun that follows them.

Noun-Pronoun Agreement Nouns refer to people, places, or things. Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. Pronouns are shortcuts that keep you from unnecessarily repeating words in writing. Elina left her handbag on the bus. (Her is a Pronoun that takes place of Elina, which is a Proper Noun. You do not write a sentence that goes like this: Elina left Elina’s handbag on the bus.)

Noun-Pronoun Agreement A pronoun must agree in number with the word/words it replaces. If the word a pronoun refers to is singular, then the pronoun must also be singular. Students enrolled in the art class must provide their own supplies.

Noun-Pronoun Agreement If a pronoun in a sentence refers to is an indefinite pronouns, the pronoun should be singular. One of the bellboys just called and said he would be an hour late. To avoid using his or her, a sentence can be rewritten in the plural: Everybody has their own opinion about the election.

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