SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT!

Hi good day dear reader we are here today to entertain and quench your undying thirst for
knowledge but only for one certain topic! Subject and verb agreement! sure it may seem complicated
but we are here to guide you through certain rules about this topic!

the very first entry to this is the basic rule! Singular subjects must have singular verbs. plural subjects
must take plural verbs. why? Cause subjects and verbs must agree with one another in number
according to https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/sub-verb.htm

Well then lets get started!

Rule. 1: The pronoun “you” always takes a plural verb.

EXAMPLES:
FROM: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/556748/should-the-pronoun-you-always-take-
a-plural-verb

https://slideplayer.com/slide/13516143/

Its you who never lies.

Its you who purifies.

You sit in that seat every day.

EXPLANATION
The reason for this is cause because the verb form is not based simply on the number of subjects, but
also on the person. According to https://www.quora.com/Why-does-you-and-I-take-the-plural-form-
of-a-verb

Rule. 2: if a sentence begins with “Here” or “There”, the verb agrees with the subject which follows
it.

EXAMPLES:
FROM: https://www.grammarflip.com/curriculum/hard-to-find-subjects-here-there

Here are the fuzzy socks that I wear when it’s cold.

Here is that water bottle that you left at my house.

There is Hazel’s brand new bicycle.

There are lots of great superhero movies coming out this summer.

EXPLANATION
A present-tense verb (as well as a simple past form of the verb be) must agree in number with its
subject. According to https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2guides/guides/wrtps/index-eng.html?
lang=eng&lettr=indx_catlog_v&page=9SC4lWsaAlSw.html
Rule. 3: if two subjects, one single and one plural, are connected by “either/or” or “Neither/Nor,
the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

EXAMPLES
FROM: https://slideplayer.com/slide/11773204/, https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/20-
rules-of-subject-verb-agreement.html

Either my friends or my mom drives me to school.

Either my mom or my friends drive me to school.

Either my sisters or my mom has sent me a present.

EXPLANATION
When compound subjects joined by or, neither/nor, or either/or, have both a singular and a plural
noun, use the verb form of the second subject — the one that is closest to the verb. According to
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/20-rules-of-subject-verb-agreement.html

Rule. 4: A singular subject followed by intervening words or phrases such as “with, as well as, in
addition to, accompanied by, together with, and no less than,” takes a singular verb.

EXAMPLES
FROM: https://slideplayer.com/slide/5723835/

Nebraska, as well as Montana and Idaho, gets severe winter

Dan, plus Andrea and John, plays the piano

Jean, accompanied by her friends, goes skiing every winter.

EXPLANATION
Certain expressions seem to create compound subjects, but DO NOT, Accompanied by, as well as, in
addition to, and together with are expressions that introduce phrases that tell about the subject.
According to https://slideplayer.com/slide/5723835/

Rule. 5: Two singular subjects joined by “Either/or, or Neither/Nor,” take a singular verb.

EXAMPLES
FROM: https://slideplayer.com/slide/14872185/

My aunt or uncle is arriving by train today.

Neither Juan nor Carmen is available

Either Kevin or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.

EXPLANATION
Rule. 6: If a singular subject is followed by a phrase containing a plural noun, the verb is singular.

EXAMPLES
FROM: https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/modulesvagr.htm, https://www.slideserve.com/aristotle-
alexander/subject-verb-agreement-portions

The dog chases the cat

Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared

One-third of the city is unemployed

EXPLANATION
Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural).  Thus, if a subject is
singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural. According to
https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/modulesvagr.htm

PROGRESSIVE VERB TENSE

Progressive verb tense, also known as the continuous tense, includes a “to be” verb such as “is,”
“was,” or “will be,”. progressive verbs describe continuous actions instead of a single instantaneous
action.

There are three types of progressive verbs

 Past progressive
 Present progressive
 Future progressive

PAST PROGRESSIVE

Also known as past continuous tense, the past progressive is a form of the past tense where an action
goes on for a period of time in the past. The past progressive is formed by using the past for of the
verb ‘to be’ as an auxiliary verb and by adding the suffix ‘-ing’ to the main verb.

EXAMPLES

FROM: https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/past-progressive-tense

My teacher was drinking a cup of tea.

We were making friendship bracelets all afternoon.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

The present progressive (auxiliary verb be + verb ending in -ing) is used to express a current action, an
action in progress or an unfinished action:

EXAMPLES

FROM: https://www.gymglish.com/en/gymglish/english-grammar/the-present-progressive-tense

The children are sleeping right now.

Polly is wearing nice shoes today.
The jaguar is lying on a tree branch.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE

The Future Progressive Tense indicates continuing action, something that will be happening, going on,
at some point in the future. This tense is formed with the modal "will" plus "be," plus the present
participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):

EXAMPLES
FROM: https://www.ultius.com/glossary/grammar/verbs-tenses/future-progressive.html
I will be running in next year's Boston Marathon.
The man is excited because he will be seeing his long-distance girlfriend over the holiday weekend.

THANK YOU!!