WEEK 2

ASYNCHRONOUS SESSION -1-

SUBJECT -VERB
AGREEMENT
◦ Subject-verb agreement means that the sentence is grammatically
correct.
◦ The subject and the verb has to get along.

◦ If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular.

◦ If the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.
◦ Subject-verb agreement is usually more of a problem in
present-tense sentences.
◦ Verbs in the past tense don't change when the number of the
subjects change
("He walked" is the same verb form as "They walked," for
example).
Here are some examples of subject-verb agreement in
singular subjects and verbs:

◦ My dog waits for the postal carrier.

◦ I understand the assignment.
◦ Peter likes vegetables.
Subject-verb agreement examples with plural
subjects and verbs include:

◦ Basketballs roll across the floor.

◦ These clothes are too small for me.
◦ The cats meow at the door.
Compound Subjects
◦ Compound subjects are two subjects in the same sentence. They
usually take a plural verb, unless the combination is treated as
singular in popular usage or the two subjects refer to the same
thing or person.
 When using “or” or “nor” in a compound subject
containing a singular and plural subject, the verb
agrees with the closest subject.

Examples of compound subjects using or, neither-nor, or either-or include:

◦ My mom or dad is coming to the play. (both nouns are singular)

◦ Neither gray nor white is my favorite color. (both nouns are singular)
◦ Either Grandpa or my sisters are going to the park. (the closest subject is plural)
◦ Either my sisters or Grandpa is going to the park. (the closest subject is singular)
◦ Neither she nor I am going to college. (the closest subject is singular)
Singular and Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns stand in for nouns that are unknown, unclear or
uncountable. They can be singular or plural, depending on what nouns they
are replacing.
 Singular Indefinite Pronouns
When indefinite pronouns replace singular nouns, they require singular
verbs.

Here are some examples of subject-verb agreement with singular

indefinite pronouns:

◦ Each gets a trophy for playing.

◦ Anybody is more fun than you.
◦ Something feels very wrong here.
◦ Everybody enjoys a good book.
◦ Nothing has been determined as of yet.
Plural Indefinite Pronouns
◦ When indefinite pronouns replace plural nouns, they require plural verbs.
 Noun Phrase as Subject
◦ Subject-verb agreement isn't so hard when the subject and verb
are next to each other. But what about when the subject is actually
a noun phrase? You still need to determine whether the subject is
singular or plural.

Subject-verb agreement examples with noun phrases include:

◦ A theory of physics ascertains that a body in motion stays in motion.

◦ A virus in all the company’s computers is a real threat to security.
◦ The causes of this prevalent disease are bad diet and lack of exercise.
◦ The couch and chair I got at the store look really nice in here.
◦ The members of the choir are very happy with the performance.
Collective Nouns
◦ Collective nouns, which are words that represent groups of nouns, are
typically singular in American English.

Here are some examples of subject-verb agreement examples with

collective nouns:

◦ The committee meets here every Thursday.

◦ The crowd is getting angry.
◦ The staff has gone their separate ways for the holidays.
Inverted Subjects
◦ When subjects appear after verbs in the sentence, they're known as
inverted subjects.

Some subject-verb agreement examples with inverted subjects where the subject
follows the verb:

◦ There are seven clean plates in the dining room.

◦ There is a hair in my lasagna.
◦ Over the rainbow flies a bird.
◦ How are the employees enjoying the new building?
◦ A good gift is a gift card.
Application
Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.

◦ 1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.

◦ 2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
◦ 3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.
◦ 4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.
◦ 5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.
◦ 6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.
◦ 7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.
◦ 8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.
◦ 9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.
◦ 10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.
◦ 11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.
◦ 12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.
◦ 13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.
◦ 14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?
◦ 15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite
subject.
◦ 16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.
◦ 17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?
◦ 18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.
◦ 19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!
◦ 20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.