Basic

Subject-Verb Agree
ment

John Paul L. Hablado

Discussant
Subject-Verb Agreement
Being able to find the right
subject and verb will help
you correct errors of
agreement.
Basic Rule
A singular subject takes a singular
form of the verb, while a plural
subject takes a plural form of the
verb.
Examples:
Singular subject Singular verb

He solves.
Plural subject Plural verb

They solve.
1. The subject and verb must
agree in number.
 John drives carefully along the
highway.
 Many men today drive their own cars.
2. Compound subject takes plural
verb.
 Rhoda and Lynn are best friends.

 The doctors and nurses are conducting

free medical check-up.
3. A compound subject referring
to a single person takes a
singular verb.
 My confidant and adviser is my mother.

 The secretary and treasurer of our

class is a trustworthy classmate.
4. Compound subjects modified b
y
each and every are singular.
 Every mother and father carries out the
assigned role.

 Each male and female student wears

I.D. inside the school.

5. The verb agrees with its
subject, not with the predicate.
 Books and magazines are the
materials for his report.
 Plain shirt and pants are his attire for
the party.
6. When compound subjects are
joined by or ,nor , either-or ,
neither -nor ,the verb agrees
with the subject near to it.
 Neither the singers nor the composer is
benefited by the concert.
 Either James or his friends are
volunteering to clean the mess.
7. When regarded as a unit, as
collective noun is singular.
 The committee stands firm to impose
its decision.
 The jury holds its verdict in abeyance.
8. When regarded as individuals, a

collective noun is plural .

 The audience are clapping their hands
after each number.
 The crowd are agitating over a dispute
among themselves.
9. When preceded by the article
a, the subject number is plural.
 A number of poor children are afflicted
by the epidemic.
 A number of people have passed
through the acid tests of life.
10. When preceded by the article
the, the subject number is
singular.
 The number of absentees from the
Mathematics class is reduced.
 The number of enrollees generally
decreases during the second
semester.
11. The verb agrees with the
affirmative, not with the
negative subject.
 The father ,nor the mother, decides on
the welfare of the family.
 You, not I, are accountable for the loss
of the book.
12. Singular indefinite pronouns
like someone, anyone, each,
either , take singular verbs.
 Someone is by your side to support
you at the confrontation.
 Anyone is welcome to give his
suggestions.
13. BEWARE! A few indefinite
pronouns—none, some, more,
most, any, and all—can be either

singular or plural, depending on

the context.
Some of our streams are polluted;
some pollution is reversible, but all
pollution is a threat to nature.
 None of the students have done their
agreement.
14. The plural indefinite
pronouns such as both ,
several, few, many, take
plural verbs.
 Many have been invited to my party.
 Few have come and attended
however.
15. Many a followed by a
singular noun takes singular
verb.
 Many a novel has been written on
love.
 Many a youngster today has already
been aware of crises.
16. Nouns that are plural in forms,

but singular in meaning take

singular verbs .
 Statistics provides the numerical data
in question.
 Politics is always associated with the
‘pulling of the string.’
17. Scissors, refreshments,
clothes, pliers, etc. are always

plural.
 Refreshments are now served at the
canteen.
18. Impersonal pronoun it at the
beginning of a sentence is
followed by a singular verb.
 It is his suggestions that finally take
precedence.
19. An amount of money, space
of time, or unit of measurement

even in plural form takes

singular verb.
 Three meters of cloth makes a dress
for your size.
20. Fractions or percents are
singular or plural depending
upon the phrase.
 One –half of the class misses out the
first period.
 One – half dozen of eggs are bought
by the consumers.
 Ten percent of the population is given
the privilege to join the competition.
21. Adjectives used as subjects
are considered plural.
 The old need some recognition to feel
that they belong.
22. Singular verbs are used with
mathematical abstractions.
 Four times six is twenty-four.

 One plus three equals four.

is
is equal to
23. A relative pronoun used as

a subject of the verb takes

a verb that agrees with the
antecedent of the pronoun.
 He, who is your brother and friend,
understands your situation.
Thank you for listening!
God bless!

johnpaul_hablado@yahoo.com