1. Subject-Verb Agreement
Grammar Notes, Week 6
Subject-Verb Agreement

2. Definition
A verb must agree (“match”) with the subject’s number (singular or plural). The student was proud. The girls were exhausted. Singular = s on verb Plural= no s English doesn’t like double s

3. Junk Don’t be confused by sentence “junk”
The manager as well as the players (is/are) required to display good sportsmanship.
“as well as the players” is junk (Not the subject, verb, or D.O.)

4. Compound Subjects Two or more subjects joined by “or/nor”:
Neither Bev nor Kendra (is/are) going to the dance.
Either Yoshi or his friends (is/are) responsible for this mess.
(“Or/nor? Cross out the stuff before”)
Two or more subjects joined by “and”:
Strength and balance (is/are) necessary for gymnastics.
Automatic plural

5. Delayed Subjects
Delayed subject = a verb comes before the subject (“There”)
Look for what “there” refers to.
There (is/are) many hardworking students in our school. (Subject?)
There (is/are) present a will to succeed. (Subject?)

6. “Be” Verbs
When a noun comes before AND after a “be” verb, make sure the verb agrees with the FIRST noun (subject) not the PN
The cause of his problem (was/were) the bad brakes.
The bad brakes (was/were) the cause of his problem.

7. Special Cases Some nouns look plural (s), but they’re singular.
Measles, mumps, news, mathematics, economics, gallows, shambles
Measles (is/are) still considered a serious disease.
Some nouns look plural but are singular, yet take a plural verb.
Scissors, trousers, tidings
The scissors (is/are) missing.

8. More Special Cases Collective Nouns
Def: Words that refer to groups (faculty, class, team, crowd, committee, etc.) are mostly singular.
The favored team (is/are) losing; the crowd (is/are) getting ugly.
Rarely they can refer to the individuals within the group (plural)
The pair (was/were) reunited after 20 years.

9. More Special Cases Indefinite pronouns
Pronouns like each, either, neither, one, everybody, another, anybody, everyone, nobody, everything, somebody, and someone are all considered SINGULAR.
Each of the members (is/are) invited.
One of the participants (is/are) rude.
Pronouns like both, many, several are PLURAL.
Both of them (like/likes) cake.

10. Practice P. 148-152 Circle the correct verb
Make sure to watch out for special cases/tricks:
Sentence junk
Delayed subjects
Compound subjects
“Be” verbs
Indefinite pronouns