Grade 8 Grammar –

SV Agreement
 Objectives:
• I can write sentences in which the
subject and verb agree.
• I can identify the rules for SV agreement,
and I can apply these rules in my writing.
 Warm-up Question:
• Choose the correct answers.
• The bikers in this race (is, are) very
competitive.
• High levels of pollution (cause, causes)
damage to the respiratory tract.
• A driver’s license or credit card (are,is)
required.
• Neither the lab assistant nor the students
(were, was) able to download the information.
• Everybody who signed up for the
snowboarding trips (were, was) taking
lessons.
• Everyone on the team (support,
supports) the coach.
• None of his advice (makes, make)
sense.
• There (is, are) surprisingly few children
in our neighborhood.
• Mathematics (is, are) among the most
difficult courses in our program.
1. Subjects and verbs must agree
in number.
• Singular subject = singular verb
• Plural subject = plural verb
• Cow= singular, eats= singular
• Ducks= plural, quack= plural
• Example:
• 1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at
school.
• 2. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
2. Don’t get confused by the
words that come between the
subject and verb.

The detective who was called to the case

is usually very good.
3. Prepositional phrases between
the subject and verb usually do
not affect the agreement.

The biker in this race is very competitive.

The bikers in this race are very competitive.

4. If a sentence starts with “there”
or “ here”, the subject will always
be placed after the verb.

There is a meeting today.

Here are the results from this past month.

 5. Subjects can come after the
verb in questions.
• Does Betty always play with dolls?

• How are the Bosco sticks today?

 6. If two subjects are joined by
“and”, they typically require a
plural verb.
• The puppy and the lady are friends.
 7. If two subjects are separated
by “and” refer to the same thing,
the verb is singular.

• Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite

pasta dish.
 8. If both subjects are singular and
connected by or, nor, neither/nor,
either/or and not only/but also, the
verb is singular.
• Sally or Bubba has stolen the
scarecrow.

• Not only the guitar player but also the

drummer was soaked with sweat.
 9. If both subjects are plural and
connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also, the verb is plural.

• Cookies or brownies are nice treats for

your teacher.
 10. If one subject is singular and one
plural and are connected by the words or,
nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also, use the subject that is nearest the
verb.
• Either my sisters or my mom has sent
me a present.

• Not only Bob but also the Smiths want

some hamburgers for supper.
11. Units of measurement usually
use a singular verb.
• Six gallons of paint was used on the
house.

• Five dollars is too much for a cup of

coffee.
 12. Collective nouns usually
take a singular verb.
• The herd is stampeding.

The class was ready for the test.

 13. Titles of books, movies,
novels, etc. are treated as
singular.
• Holes was one of my favorite books.I
want to see the movie.
 14. Two infinitives separated
by and take a plural verb.
• To run and to read are my two favorite
“Free-time” activities.
 15. Gerunds alone take a
singular verb. Gerunds linked
by and take a plural verb.
• Dancing is not something everyone can
do as well as I can!
16. If the words each, every or no
come before the subject, the verb
is singular.

• Each boy and girl has to take the test.

• Every frog and toad turns into a prince.

• No paper and pen is required.

(But an apple would be nice!:)

• Dancing and singing come naturally to me!

17. Most indefinite pronouns take
singular verbs.
one body thing
someone somebody something
anyone anybody anything
No one nobody nothing
everyone everybody everything

Little One * Everybody is happy.

Another Neither * No one has a dime.
Much Either * Nothing was going to help.
Each
 18. Both, few, many, others,
and several take a plural verb.
• Several need to finish the race.

• A few have the right answer.

 19. When the subject is all, any, more,
most, none, or some, this is the ONLY
time you must look at the object of the
prepositional phrase to determine whether
it is singular or plural.
• All of the chickens have laid eggs.

• Some of the milk has spilled.

20. Final rule- Remember, only the
SUBJECT affects the verb!
 Summay of Some General rules
• Singular subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural
verbs. This is easy to do in simple sentences, but it's harder in
complex sentences.
When the subject and verb are separated, you have to ignore what's
in between and just look at the subject and the verb. Usually, the
subject comes first in a sentence.
When the sentence order is reversed, you have to look carefully for
the subject and verb to be sure they agree.
Indefinite pronouns (everybody, everyone, anyone, anything) take a
singular verb. Just remember "-body", "-one", and "-thing.
The pronouns who, which, and that can be either singular or plural.
It depends on the noun they are taking the place of. When those
pronouns take the place of a singular noun, they need a singular
verb. When they take the place of a plural noun, they need a plural
verb.
• Proofreading Exercise #1: A Fluke of Luck
• The following paragraph contains five errors in subject-verb
agreement. Identify and correct the faulty verb forms.

• The sheep-liver fluke is a parasitic flatworm with a very

complex life cycle. The fluke start life by hatching inside a
snail. The fluke is then ejected from the snail in a ball of
slime. These balls of slime is eaten by ants. The fluke digs
its way through the ant's body until it reach the ant's brain.
There, the fluke takes control of the ant by manipulating its
nerves, thus turning the ant into its personal robot. Under
the command of the fluke, the ant climb to the top of a
blade of grass. If the fluke is in luck, the ant is eaten by a
passing sheep. From the sheep's stomach, the fluke work
its way home--to the liver.
• Circle the subjects and underline the verbs. Make an arrow from the verb to its
subject. If the sentence has a subject-verb agreement error, cross out the
incorrect verb and write the correct verb form above it.
• The Beaver
• The beaver, Canada’s national animal, have some unusual characteristics.
One unusual fact about beavers is their large size. The beaver is the largest
rodent in North America, weighing from 13 to 35 kg. It spend a lot of time in the
water, so its feet is large and webbed for swimming. The beaver’s tail which is
wide and flat like a paddle also helps it to swim. Thick underfur keep the beaver
warm and dry, even in very cold water. In fact, beavers have been known to stay
under water in icy ponds for as long as fifteen minutes. Beavers also has long
teeth which grows all their lives. They use these powerful teeth to cut down trees
which they use for food and and shelter. Another unusual fact about the beaver
is that it is one of the few animals that change its own environment.
Beavers create ponds by building dams with roots, sticks, mud and stones.
Each family of beavers build a lodge, or nest, in a riverbank or in the
middle of a pond. They build an underwater entrance to the lodge. Having
the entrance underwater protects them from their enemies. Beavers is
also very social animals. They not only communicate with each other
by making sounds with their mouths but also by slapping their big flat tails
on the water. The beaver’s social life is complex and focus around the female.
These very special animals are found in every province in Canada.
 Writing Application
• 1. Write a sentence with a singular subject using one of the following 2 verbs: HOPE,
HOPES.
• 2. Write a sentence with a plural subject using one of the following 2 verbs: SEEM,
SEEMS.
• 3. Write a sentence with an “either-or” subject, placing a singular subject after or. Use
one of the following two verbs: WRITE, WRITES.
• 4. Write a sentence with a “neither-nor” subject, placing a plural subject after nor. Use
one of the
• following 2 verbs: ALLOW, ALLOWS.
• 5. Write a sentence using a collective noun as the subject. Use one of the following 2
verbs: TRAVEL,TRAVELS.
• 6. Write a sentence with an interrupting phrase (prepositional or one set off by
commas) between the subject and the verb. Use one of the following 2 verbs: CLOSE,
CLOSES.
• 7. Write a sentence with a compound subject. Use one of the following 2 verbs: SEND,
SENDS.
• 8. Write a sentence with a singular indefinite pronoun as the subject. Use one of the
following 2 verbs: PLACE, PLACES.
• 9. Write a sentence with a plural indefinite pronoun as the subject. Use one of the
following 2 verbs: COLLECT, COLLECTS.
• 10. Write a sentence with the pronoun you as the subject. Use one of the following 2
verbs: RECEIVE,RECEIVES.
 Extra Practice:
• Level #1:
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Matching*_Subject_Pronouns_
%E2%80%98%C2%B7_Verbs_hp30124pg
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Matching*_Subject_Pronouns_
%E2%80%98%C2%B7_Verbs_hp30124pg

• Level#2:
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Subject_and_Verb_Agreement_rn6095oz
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Subject-verb_agreement_sg1641475zf
• Level#3:
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Subject_-_verb_agreement_id2397466zh
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Subject-verb_agreement_sq1600664py
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/
Subject_Verb_Agreement/Subject_and_verb_agreement_cq1960966ep
 Additional Online Resources:
• https://eflnet.com/grammar/subverb.php
• https://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/
subject_verb_agreement/quiz2181.html
• https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/
subject_verb_agreement_1.asp
• https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/
5851cf26de41efab499e0c37/subject-and-verb-
agreement