1. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form A John Langan Subject-Verb Agreement

2. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement When subjects and verbs agree, they match in number and person. third person subjects require the third person form of the verb. In other words, singular subjects require singular verbs and plural subjects match plural verbs; third person subjects require the third person form of the verb. My brother buys old bicycles. to repair. My brothers buy old bicycles. to repair.

3. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement except In English, regular verbs take the same form for singular and plural except for the third- person singular form of the verb. The -s, or -es ending on a verb designates a singular verb. In fact, nouns and verbs are the opposite where plural endings are concerned. Subject/Verb Agreement The boy walks. The boys walk.

4. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Do not A subject agrees with its verb no matter how far apart the two are. Do not be distracted by nouns or pronouns placed between the subject and verb. The ducks on the lake behind the school swim in large groups. The ducks on the lake behind the school swim in large groups. A list of required readings is mailed to entering freshmen. A list of required readings is mailed to entering freshmen. Subject-Verb Agreement

5. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement and A compound subject that is linked by the conjunction “and ” requires a plural verb. Both the college newspaper and the literary magazine fail to attract experienced staff. Both the college newspaper and the literary magazine fail to attract experienced staff. Subject-Verb Agreement

6. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement or nor A compound subject linked by the conjunction or or nor requires a singular verb. Either the dean or his assistant addresses the freshmen class. Either the dean or his assistant addresses the freshmen class. Neither geology nor astronomy is required for my major. Neither geology nor astronomy is required for my major. Subject-Verb Agreement

7. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement When who, which and that are used as subjects, they take singular verbs if the word they stand for is singular and plural verbs if the word they stand for is plural. Frederick is a doctor who is very friendly and intelligent. Frederick is a doctor who is very friendly and intelligent. I knocked over the dishes that were stacked in the sink. I knocked over the dishes that were stacked in the sink. Subject-Verb Agreement

8. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Indefinite pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to indefinite persons or things and usually require a singular verb. Each of the volunteers tutors for at least three hours every week. Each of the volunteers tutors for at least three hours every week. Subject-Verb Agreement

9. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement If a collective noun acts as a single unit, it takes a singular verb. My entire family is coming for homecoming weekend. My entire family is coming for homecoming weekend. Subject-Verb Agreement

10. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement When normal word order is inverted and the subject follows the verb, the subject and verb must agree. Standing at the door with grins on their faces were the cheerleaders. Standing at the door with grins on their faces were the cheerleaders. Subject-Verb Agreement

11. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Note:there here Note: Sentences that begin with there or here have the subject follow the verb. There are three branches of government:: judicial, executive, and legislative. There are three branches of government:: judicial, executive, and legislative. Subject-Verb Agreement

12. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Movies in today’s market makes a great deal of money. IncorrectIncorrect Click to see answer….

13. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Movies in today’s market make a great deal of money. RevisedRevised

14. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The American audiences pays for tickets at the theater and for cable at home. IncorrectIncorrect

15. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The American audiences pay for tickets at the theater and for cable at home. RevisedRevised

16. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The international market, which includes dozens of countries, produces even more profit. Correct

17. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Films are very expensive to manufacture, so American studios creates far more films than other countries. IncorrectIncorrect

18. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Films are very expensive to manufacture, so American studios create far more films than other countries. RevisedRevised

19. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement There is many advantages to seeing a movie seeing a movie in the theater rather than watching a video at home. IncorrectIncorrect

20. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement There are many advantages to seeing a movie seeing a movie in the theater rather than watching a video watching a video at home. RevisedRevised

21. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The dark theater and the enormous screen take the movie viewer to another world. Correct

22. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The background music in movies play an important role. IncorrectIncorrect

23. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The background music in movies plays an important role. RevisedRevised

24. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement The music creates a mood and gives a signal of something to come. Correct

25. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Not everyone in the entertainment fields agree about the quality of the quality of movies. movies. IncorrectIncorrect

26. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Not everyone in the entertainment field agrees about the quality of movies. RevisedRevised

27. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Neither the use of subtitles nor black and white photography demonstrate the preferences of most Americans. IncorrectIncorrect

28. © 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Subject-Verb Agreement Neither the use of subtitles nor black and white photography demonstrates the preferences of most Americans. RevisedRevised