1. Subject Verb Agreement
Person and Number

2. What is a Sentence?
We have discussed that a sentence is a group of words used to express a grammatically complete thought or idea.
The subject of a sentences tells who or what the sentence is about, and . . .
A predicate (verb) tells what the subject is doing.
A verb must agree with its subject in person and number.
Yes, that’s on the next slide. 
If the subject of the sentence is singular, the predicate must be singular.
If the subject of the sentence is plural, the predicate must be plural.
What? Person and number?

3. What Does a Sentence Need?
A subject
the person, place, thing, or idea of a sentence that is doing or being something
A verb
word that carries the idea of being or action in the sentence
Punctuation
A capital letter at the beginning of the sentence

4. Example Sentence
predicate (verb)
The prospective student requested a tour of the campus.
punctuation
capital letter
subject

5. What is subject-verb agreement?

6. Subjects and Verbs Must Agree
A singular subject needs a singular verb.
A plural subject needs a plural verb.

7. Singular v. Plural
Singular
Plural
The person waits.
The people wait.

8. Example Sentence
predicate (verb)
A good student knows the value of communication skills.
subject

9. Subject-Verb Agreement
No “s” ending on a noun often indicates that it is singular.
An “s” ending on a verb usually indicates that it is singular.
student knows
subject
verb =

10. Example Sentence
predicate (verb)
Good students knows the value of communication skills.
subject

11. Subject-Verb Disagreement
An “s” ending on a noun often indicates that it is plural.
An “s” ending on a verb usually indicates that it is singular.
students knows
subject
verb =

12. Agreement with compound subjects

13. Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of two or more nouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
She and her friends are . . .
plural verb
implies two

14. Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of two or more singular nouns connected by or, use a singular verb.
The book or the pen is . . .
implies one or the other
singular verb
singular
singular

15. Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of singular and plural nouns connected by or, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is closer to it.
The president or his assistants run . . .
plural verb
singular
plural
Verb agrees with the closest part of the subject.

16. Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of singular and plural nouns connected by or, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is closer to it.
His assistants or the president runs . . .
singular verb
plural
singular
Verb agrees with the closest part of the subject.

17. Phrases that confuse things

18. Misleading Phrases
Don’t be misled by phrases that come between the subject and the verb.
one of the boxes is
the people who read that report are
the team lead, as well as his developers, is
the manual, including all the chapters in the first section, is
the woman with all the answers sits

19. Singular or Plural?

20. Always Singular
The following words are always singular and require a singular verb:
each
each one
either
neither
everyone
anyone
someone
no one
everybody
anybody
nobody
Think about this: Would you say, “I want ‘each two’ of you to come with me.”?

21. Always Singular
Even though the following nouns end with an “s,” they are singular and require a singular verb:
civics
mathematics
dollars
news

22. Almost Always Singular
Collective nouns that refer to more than one person are usually treated as a single unit:
group
team
committee
class
family

23. Always Plural
Nouns like the following are always plural (because they are made of two parts):
scissors
tweezers
trousers
pants
shears

24. Neither “here” nor “there”

25. “There” is never the subject.
In sentences starting with the word “there,” the subject usually follows the verb.
There are many questions.
predicate/verb
subject

26. “There” is never the subject.
In sentences starting with the word “there,” the subject usually follows the verb.
There is a question.
predicate/verb
subject

27. “Here” is never the subject.
In sentences starting with the word “here,” the subject usually follows the verb.
Here are your keys.
predicate/verb
subject

28. “Here” is never the subject.
In sentences starting with the word “here,” the subject usually follows the verb.
Here is your key.
predicate/verb
subject

29. Practice A
Read the sentence. What is the subject? What is the predicate/verb?
The boys (is, are) members of the hockey team.
They (practice, practices) daily during the hockey season.
The quarterback (pass, passes) the ball to the wide receiver.
The girls’ team (play, plays) hard every Saturday morning.
You (was, were) lucky to be able to see that terrific game.

30. Practice B
Read the sentence. What is the subject? What is the predicate/verb?
The cat’s bowl next to the stairs (is, are) empty.
Cats, like many animals, (is, are) helpful to man.
Most cats, especially an adult cat, (eat, eats) only two meals daily.
A cat, like most dogs, (has, have) five toes on each of its forefeet.
Cats, when they have their claws removed, (is, are) defenseless against larger animals.

31. Let’s try some!
Subject/Verb Agreement