1. Subject/Verb Agreement
NINTH GRADE ENGLISH
Subject/Verb Agreement

2. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #1
Plural nouns usually end in –s.
Singular verbs usually end in –s.

3. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #2
Singular subjects need singular verbs.
Examples:
He washes the dishes.
A girl in my neighborhood plays in the band.

4. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #3
Plural subjects need plural verbs.
Examples:
They wash the dishes.
Several girls in my neighborhood play in the band.

5. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #4
Don’t determine the number of a subject by a word in a phrase or clause following the subject.
Examples:
The apartments across the street (does, do) have balconies.
Eli, one of my friends, (was, were) late.
The planes pulling up to the gate (was, were) purchased by a movie company.

6. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #5
Singular Indefinite Pronouns Take Singular Verbs…

7. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Each
Either
Neither
One
Anybody
Somebody
Nobody
Everybody
Anyone
Someone
No one
Everyone
Anything
Something
Nothing
Everything

8. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular Indefinite Pronouns
How to remember these????
Each, Either, Neither…The ONES, The BODYS, The THINGS, + ONE

9. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Examples
Each of the athletes (run, runs) effortlessly.
Neither of the women (is, are) ready to start.
Someone (was, were) waving a large flag.
(Does, do) everyone who signed up enjoy playing tennis.

10. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #5
Plural Indefinite Pronouns Take Plural Verbs

11. Subject/Verb Agreement Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Both
Several
Few
Many

12. Subject/Verb Agreement Plural Indefinite Pronouns
How to remember these????
Both sisters found mom.
BOTH SEVERAL FEW MANY

13. Subject/Verb Agreement Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Examples
(Were, was) both of the games postponed?
Few that I know of (has, have) qualified.
Several of the runners (is, are) exercising.

14. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #5
Singular OR Plural Indefinite Pronouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on how they are used in each sentence

15. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular-Plural Pronouns
All
Any
More
Most
None
Some

16. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular-Plural Pronouns
How to remember these????
All Active Men Need More Sports.
ALL ANY MOST
NONE MORE SOME

17. Subject/Verb Agreement Singular-Plural Pronouns
Examples
Some of the test (is, are) hard.
Some of the questions (is, are) hard.
Most of his routine (sound, sounds) familiar.
Most of his jokes (sound, sounds) familiar.
(Was, were) any of the feedback positive?
(Was, were) any of the reviews positive?

18. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #6
Two subjects joined by AND take a plural subject
Examples:
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (make, makes) movies.
Rhythm and imagery (helps, help) poets express their feelings.

19. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #6
Exception…Compound subjects that name only one person, thing, or place take a singular verb.
Examples:
My pen pal and best friend (is, are) my cousin.
Macaroni and cheese (is, are) my favorite dish.

20. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #7
Subjects joined by OR or NOR…the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.
Neither the children nor the their mother (were, was) ready for the trip.
Neither the mother nor her children (were, was) ready for the trip.

21. Subject/Verb Agreement Compound Subjects Examples
Either Anne or Tony (load, loads) the dishwasher.
Neither the coach nor the principal (is, are) happy with the team’s performance.
Either the boys or their sisters (take, takes) the garbage out.
Neither the dogs nor the cats (comes, come) when we call them.

22. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #8
Collective nouns may be either singular or plural, depending on their meaning in the sentence
Examples:
The class (has, have) completed their projects.
The class (has, have) elected its officers.

23. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #9
An expression of an amount may be singular or plural depending on how it’s used in a sentence.
Three fourths of the pizza (is, are) gone.
Of these songs, three fourths (is, are) new.

24. Subject/Verb Agreement Amount Examples
Two hours (was, were) a long time to wait.
Thirty dollars (was, were) too much for a concert ticket.
Six dollars (was, were) found in the couch cushions.
Two hours—one before school and one after—(is, are) all I have for practice.

25. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #10
Some nouns that are plural in form that singular verbs
“Memories” (is, are) my favorite poem.
Rickets (are, is) a serious health concern in some countries.
The news of the nominee (was, were) a surprise.

26. Subject/Verb Agreement Rule #11
Subjects preceded by EVERY or MANY A take singular verbs.
Every homeowner and storekeeper (has, have) joined the cleanup.
Many a litterbug (was, were) surprised by the stiff fines.