The 13 Rules



SUBJECT&
VERB AGREEMENT
Rule 1: a
singular noun calls for a singular
form of verb; plural noun calls for a plural
form of verb.

Example:
Jon is here.
They are here, too.
Rule 2: the
verb must also agree
with a subject pronoun.
Example:
Singular: I love; you love; he loves;
she loves; it loves
Plural: we love, you love, they
love
Rule 3: prepositionalphrases like
“along with, together with, as
well as:, do not affect the
subject.
Example:
The CD, along with the DVDs, is
on sale.
The guests, together with the host,
have arrived.
Rule 4: the
indefinite pronouns
everyone, no one, each, anyone,
someone, nobody, somebody,
everything, anybody, something,
are always singular and therefore,
requires singular verbs.
Example:
Someone has to do it.
Everyone is happy.
Rule 5: some indefinite pronouns – such
as all, none and some – are singular or
plural depending on what they are referring
to.

Example:
• All of the guests are punctual.
• None of them are right.
Rule 6: the pronouns neither and either
are singular and require singular verbs
even though they seem to be referring, in
a sense, to two things.
Example:
• Neither of the two jackets is
blue.
• Either plan is fine with me.
Rule 7: the
expressions
either…or; neither…nor
take the clue from the nearer
subject.
Example:
• Either Bobby or they are taking
the training.
• Neither the supervisors nor the
agent thinks it’s a good idea.
Rule 8: plural
forms of nouns take
on plural verbs, unless they are
introduced by the expression
“a pair of”.
Example:
• The slacks are on sale until the end of
the month.
• Her glasses need to be fixed.
• A pair of scissors is what she needs.
Rule 9: some words end in –s
and appear to be plural but
are really singular and
require singular verbs.
Example:
• The news about her wedding is
all over the place.
• Statistics is a difficult subject.
Rule 10: some words ending in –s
refer to a single thing but are
none-the-less plural and require a
plural verb.
Example:
• Our thanks go to the media for
covering the event.
• My thoughts are always about you.
Rule 11: Fractional expressions such as
half of, a part of, a percentage of, a
majority of; are sometimes singular
and sometimes plural, depending on
the subject.
Example:
• One-Half of the students are watching
“The Passion”.
• Half of the building is damaged.
Rule 11:

Of all the returns that we have

counted so far, fifty percent are
in favor of the referendum.

Two-fifths of the grains are

ruined.
Rule 12: if your sentence contains both
positive and a negative subject, the
verb should agree with the positive
subject
Example:
• It was not the agent, but the supervisor that
has provoked the customer to complain.
• Dell, not the others, is his favorite
computer maker.
Rule 13: Money, distance, measurement
and time always require a singular verb.

Example:
• Three dollars is all I need
to buy that CD.
• Five miles is a long walk.
 PRACTICE
Everyone associated with the project
(is, are) proud to be part of the effort.

is
Each of the partners (is, are)
responsible for writing a
chapter summary.
is
Some of the grain (was, were)
ruined by the flood.
was

A majority of the student body

(is, are) in favor of asking the
Dean so stay another year.
is
 PRACTICE
Neither of these choices (appear,
appears) to be satisfactory.
appears

Neither the principal nor the teachers

(is, are) at fault.
is
Either the teachers or the principal
(has, have) to be responsible for
the year-end festival.
has

The ball pen, together with the rest of

the crayons, (was, were) given as
prices to the grade school students.

was
Any Questions
Good Job
The End