Subject-Verb

Agreement
Subject + Verb

Subject

- tells who or what the sentence is about

- it can also tell who or what does the action of
the sentence
Subject + Verb

Verbs
- are words that show an action, an
occurrence, or a state of being
Basic Rules:
The subject and verb must agree.

- A singular subject is followed by a singular form

of a verb

- A plural subject is followed by a plural form of a

verb
Examples:

The meeting is at five o’clock.

My colleagues are upstairs

Subject that are NOT
next to the Verb
• Sometimes the subject is not next
to the verb in the sentence.
• Check the subject when a
collective noun is used.
Examples:

• A pile of papers is on the desk.

• Three pieces of information are in
this chart.
Everybody and Nobody

• Everybody and Nobody are

singular subjects
Examples:

• Everybody knows Mr. Park.

• Nobody has paid for the tickets.
Anyone, Everyone,
Someone, and No one
• These four pronouns are singular
subjects.
Examples:

• No one likes the new scanner.

• Everyone thinks that is a bad idea.
• Someone joins the Breakfast Club.
• If anyone calls, take a message.
Either … Or
Neither … Nor
• The verb agrees with the noun or
pronoun nearest to it.
Examples:

• Either John or Marco has the

spreadsheets.

• Neither Jim nor the accountants are

here.
And

• Generally, in sentences with two or

more subjects joined by and, the
verb is plural
Examples:

• The projector and the keyboard are

broken.
 Complete the sentence using the correct verb form.

1. Neither the manager nor his secretary (is / are) free now.
2. A box of paper clips (is / are) on the table.
3. Everyone (has / have) gone to the conference room.
4. The chart and spreadsheet (is / are) easy to understand.
5. The clients (has / have) arrived.
6. Someone (has / have) taken my memory stick.
7. I think either Mike or Kelly (is / are) picking up the snacks for the
meeting.
8. Kenji and Minsoo (supervise / supervises) two stores.
9. A set of ink cartridges (is / are) in the file cabinet.
10. (Do / Does) no one (know / knows) how to solve this issue?
 Complete the sentence using the correct verb form.

1. Neither the manager nor his secretary (is / are) free now.
2. A box of paper clips (is / are) on the table.
3. Everyone (has / have) gone to the conference room.
4. The chart and spreadsheet (is / are) easy to understand.
5. The clients (has / have) arrived.
6. Someone (has / have) taken my memory stick.
7. I think either Mike or Kelly (is / are) picking up the snacks for the
meeting.
8. Kenji and Minsoo (supervise / supervises) two stores.
9. A set of ink cartridges (is / are) in the file cabinet.
10. (Do / Does) no one (know / knows) how to solve this issue?