Review Subject/Verb Agreement

What is subject-verb agreement?

In a sentence, the form of the verb changes, or is conjugated, to reflect the relationship
between the subject and the action being performed. To bring the subject and verb into
agreement, they must correspond in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or
third).

How can the subject and verb be made to agree?

 Locate the subject of your sentence: Who or what is the sentence about? Who is the “doer” in
the sentence?
o The author of this article clearly makes her point to the target audience.

 Next, locate the verb (or verb phrase): What action is taking place, or what state of being
verb is used?
o The author of this article clearly makes her point to the target audience.

 Determine whether the subject is singular or plural—a singular subject takes a singular
verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.
o The author suggests that recycling can be beneficial to the environment.
o The authors suggest that recycling can be beneficial to the environment.

 Collective nouns (which refer to a collection or group serving as a unit), clauses, or phrases
are considered singular subjects that take a singular verb.
o My family likes to visit museums.

 A compound subject (subjects joined by and) takes a plural verb.

o Authors and researchers often work in more than one discipline.

 When the subject is joined by or, nor, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb should agree with
the subject word closest to the verb.
o Neither the instructor nor the studentslook at the clock during class.
o Neither the students nor the instructorlooksat the clock during class.
NAME: _________________________ DATE: ___________ SCORE: ________

Exercise #1. Combine the following sentences using an appropriate form of the verb given in
the brackets.

1. Man and woman __________ complementary to each other.

is are

2. Plenty of mangoes and bananas __________ available in this season.

is are

3. A dictionary and an atlas __________ missing from the library.

Is are

4. The leader as well as his brothers __________ to the same tribe.

belong belongs

5. Cats and dogs __________ not get along.

do does

6. The brothers as well as their sister __________ good at their studies.

Is are

7. The students accompanied by their teacher __________ gone on a picnic.

has have

8. A lot of houses __________ collapsed in the storm.

has have

9. The children as well as their mother __________ missing.

is are

10. A large sum of money __________ stolen.

was were
NAME: _________________________ DATE: ___________ SCORE: ________

Exercise #2. Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject. Encircle your answer.

1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.

2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite
subject.
16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!
20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.
21. The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.
22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.
23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.
24. The girl or her sisters (watch, watches) television every day.
25. Mumps (is, are) very serious.
NAME: _________________________ DATE: ___________ SCORE: ________

Exercise #3. On the space before the sentence, put a C if the sentence is correct, an X if it is
not correct. Explain your answer.

1. ___ Cats and dogs love to run.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2. ___ He don't like chocolate.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

3. ___ Her friends or Sarah excel at volleyball.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

4. ___ Each of these have been ruined.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

5. ___ Trousers are baggy now.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

6. ___ The students, as well as the teacher, are nervous about the test.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

7. ___ The news are on at 10.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

8. ___ My family are a lot of fun.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

9. ___ Mathematics is hard for many.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

10. ___ The director, with all the cast members, works very hard.
__________________________________________________________________________
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