SUBJECT AND VERB

AGREEMENT
Erna Susilawati, S.S.,M.M
Basic Rule: Example:
A singular subject (she, Jhon reads a book.
(read ditambahkan “s” dikarenakan
Jhon, book) takes a subjeknya singular (Jhon))

singular verb (is, goes,

The Children run quickly.
reads), whereas a plural (Run tanpa “s” karena subjectnya
plural (children))
subject takes a plural
verb.
Jens
Martensson
Rule 1
Subject yang menggunakan frasa yang
dimulai dgn “of” maka yang di lihat
adalah sebelum kata “of” sebagai acuan
verb-nya
► Example :
A bouquet of yellow roses lends color and
fragrance to the room.
(A bouquet lends, not roses lend)-→ yang
menjadi acuan adalah a bouguet (singular)
maka verb nya harus ditambahkan”s”

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 2
Two singular subjects connected by or,
either/or, or neither/nor require a
singular verb

► Example :

My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.

Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with

stage decorations.

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 3
The verb in an or, either/or, or
neither/nor sentence agrees with the
noun or pronoun closest to it

► Example :

Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes

on that shelf. (yang jadi acuan verb adalah
posisi subject yg terdekat dgn verb nya, maka
dlm kalimat ini yg terdekat adalah
“Bowl”(singular) maka verb nya mengikuti
menjadi “goes”(ditambah ‘es”)

Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on

that shelf.
Jens
Martensson
Rule 4 Rule 5a

Jens
Martensson
Rule 5b Rule 6

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 7
Use a singular verb with distances,
periods of time, sums of money, etc.,
when considered as a unit.

► Example :

Three miles is too far to walk.

Five years is the maximum

Jarak,waktu dan uang sentence for that offense.

Ten dollars is a high price to pay.

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 8
With words that indicate portions—
e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1
given earlier in this section is reversed,
and we are guided by the noun
after of. If the noun after of is singular,
use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a
plural verb
► Examples :
► A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
people
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing. Jens
Martensson
Rule 8
Some subjects always take a singular verb even though
the meaning may seem plural

► each, either, neither, one, no one, every one,

someone, anyone, nobody, somebody,
anybody, everybody

Examples:
• Someone in the game was (not were) hurt.
• Neither of the men is (not are) working.

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 9
Collective nouns may be singular or plural, depending
on their use in the sentence
► army, crowd, orchestra, audience, flock, public,
class, group, swarm, club, herd, team,
committee, jury, troop, United States

► Examples:
• The orchestra is playing a hit song. (Orchestra
is considered as one unit—singular.)
• The orchestra were asked to give their musical
backgrounds. (Orchestra is considered as
audience separate individuals—plural)

Jens
Martensson
 Rule 10
Some nouns, while plural in form, are
actually singular in meaning
► mumps, home economics, social studies
economics, measles, calisthenics, statistics,
civics, physics, gymnastics, phonics, news,
acrobatics, aesthetics, thesis, mathematics

► Examples:
• Mathematics is (not are) an easy subject for
some people.
• Physics is (not are) taught by Prof, Baldwin.
Economics

Jens
Martensson
Thank
You