Agreement

Subject and Verb

Subject and Verb Agreement

Nouns can be either singular or plural…When a noun is referring to only one

person, place or thing, it is singular.When noun refers to more than one

person, place or thing, it is plural.

Example: boy, gym, car (singular)boys, gyms, cars (plural)

Agreement…

A subject must AGREE in number with its verb

Mrs. E’s tip to remember:Usually (not always) if the subjects has

an “s” on it, the verb won’t, and if the subject doesn’t have an “s” on it, the verb will.

Ex: The boy hits the ball.The boys hit the ball.

Examples:

Singular examples:The ocean roars in the distance.Mark plays soccer well.

Plural examples:Squirrels eat seeds and nuts.The dancers practice after school.

Practice: Choose the correct verb

1. Firefighters (risk, risks) their lives to save others.

2. Some dancers (like, likes) hip hop music best.

3. Some students (choose, chooses) to study regularly.

4. The winner (receive, receives) a gift certificate.

5. He (miss, misses) his brother now.

Easy right?

Many times you can tell if the subject agrees with the verb because it “just sounds right”. But like I always say, as soon as you think it’s easy, here comes the curveball……….

Here’s what you MUST remember:Find the verb, find the subject, disregard

everything else and see if the subject and verb agree

Problems: Interrupting phrases

Sometimes a phrase follows a subject and makes it confusing. Make sure you find the subject and verb.

These shades of blue are my favorite colors.

The smallest puppy of the three is sleeping in the basket.

Practice: Choose the correct verb

1. The second-largest island in the United States (is,are) in the Gulf of Alaska.

2. The thirteen thousand people in Kodiak Island (is,are) mostly of Native Arctic, Russian, or Scandinavian descent.

3. The citizens of Kodiak (call,calls) Alaska the mainland.4. Industries in the community (has,have) suffered in recent

years.5. One cannery on the islands (cans,can) salmon eggs, or roe.6. Many residents on the mainland (considers,consider) roe a

delicacy.7. Bears, such as a Grizzly, (catch,catches) fresh salmon.8. However, their search for leftovers (create,creates) a problem

for Kodiak.

Problems: Indefinite pronouns

Remember those indefinite pronouns?

Well, some indefinite pronouns are singular, some are plural, and some can be either.

I’ll show you a way to remember which is which…

Problems: Indefinite Pronouns

Singular:Each, either, neither, one, everyone,

everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone and somebody.

Notice that most of these end in –one or body – that reminds you that they are “one” or singular (one means one, duh; and you only have one body)

Even though each, either, and neither don’t have -one or -body at the end, we usually say “each one” “either one” “neither one”

Practice: Indefinite Pronouns1. Nearly everybody in Lee’s family (enjoy,

enjoys) homemade chili.2. Neither of them (was, were) wearing a helmet.3. Somebody in the class (speak, speaks) French.4. Each of these tapes (is, are) by Natalie Cole.5. Everyone in the class (has, have) done well.6. One of the band members (play, plays) lead

guitar.7. Either of these cakes (tastes, taste) delicious.8. No one (was, were) listening to the speaker.

Problems: Indefinite Pronouns

These indefinite pronouns are plural:Both, few, many, several

Think about it: all of these are obviously more than one!

Example:Few of the guests are wearing formal dresses.Many of the new houses have built-in smoke

detectors.

Practice: Ind Pronouns, plural

1. Both of the girls (like, likes) to dance.2. Many of the deer (cross, crosses)

here.3. A few of them (create, creates) their

own web page.4. Several of the students (want, wants)

to go, too.

Problem: Indefinite pronouns

These indefinite pronouns can be plural or singular:

All, any, most, none, some

To know if they are singular or plural, you must look at the noun in the phrase following the pronoun…look…

Problem: Singular or Plural???

All of the snow has melted.All of the snowflakes have melted.Some of the team has left the field.Some of the players have left their cars.Any of the cake is good.Any of the cupcakes are good.None of the milk was fresh.None of the milkshakes were fresh.

Practice: Singular or Plural???1. Most of the balloons (has, have) long strings.2. Everyone in the purple uniforms (play, plays) on the

softball team.3. Both of the speakers (give, gives) a good speech.4. Each of these recipes (use, uses) fresh peaches.5. Some of the artists (paint, paints) landscapes.6. Neither of these songs (was, were) composed by

Duke Ellington.7. None of the apartments (has, have) been painted.8. All of the jewels (is, are) in the safe.9. Many of these designs (is, are) found on Navajo rugs.10. All of the writing (is, are) upside down.

Problem: Compound Subjects

A compound subject is made up of two nouns or pronouns joined by “and”, “or” or “nor”.

If two subjects are joined by “and”, they take a plural verb.

Example:Red and blue are my favorite colors.New uniforms and instruments were

ordered for the band.

Problem: Compound subjects

When compound subjects are joined by “or” or “nor”, the subject agrees with the nouns closest to the verb.

Example: New statues or a fountain has been planned

for the park.A soft blanket or warm booties make a baby

feel safe and secure.Neither Coach nor the players were happy

with the decision.

Problem: Compound Subjects

1. Mary and the twins (want, wants) to go shopping.

2. Either Tink or Roo new (jump, jumps) higher.

3. Neither my father nor the boys (has, have) a new suit for the wedding.

4. Shelly and Donna (drive, drives) a silver car.

5. The cats or the dog (need, needs) some food.

Agreement: Collective nouns

A collective noun can be either singular or plural

A collective noun names a GROUP of persons, places or things

Common collective nouns: army, club, assembly, audience, class, committee, crowd, family, fleet, flock, group, herd, public, swarm, team, troop

Collective nouns

A collective noun takes a singular verb when the noun refers to the group as a unit

The science class is taking a field trip to the caverns. (the class as a unit is taking the field trip)

Collective nouns

A collective noun takes a plural verb when the noun refers to the individual parts or members of the group

Today, the science class are working on their astronomy projects. (the different members of the class are working on various projects)

Collective nouns - practice

1. The audience (love, loves) the performance.

2. The club (sponsor, sponsors) a car wash to raise money.

3. The public (differ, differs) in their opinions.

4. The herd of cattle (expect, expects) to eat soon.

Other problems:

When the subject follows a verb, find the subject and make sure the verb agrees with it. The subject usually follows the verb in sentences beginning with “here” or “there” and in questions

Subject following verb

Here is my seat. OrHere are our seats.There is an exciting ride at the fair. OrThere are exciting rides at the fair.Where is the bread? OrWhere are the loaves of bread?Does he know them? OrDo they know him?

More problems practice

1. (Here’s, Here are) the CD I borrowed from you.

2. Andy’s gift to Amy (was, were) two roses.3. Here (is, are) the letters I have saved.4. Where (is, are) the poems you wrote?5. (There’s, There are) my friends.6. The map shows that (there’s, there are)

seven countries in South America.7. (Does, Do) they know the answers?8. Where (is, are) the new books for class?

Review:

1. When (is, are) Bill’s parents coming to get us?

2. Mr. Smith says that it (don’t, doesn’t) look like rain today.

3. Neither of the parties (has, have) been scheduled for next month.

4. Everyone who wears glasses (is, are) having vision tests today.

5. My baseball bat and my catcher’s mitt (was, were) back in my room.

Continued review6. Neither Steve or Sami (has, have) tried out

yet for the play.7. All of our guests (has, have) been to Ft.

Worth’s Cowtown.8. (Don’t, Doesn’t) the team captain plan to

put her into the game?9. One of the men (has, have) decided to

leave early.10. The Bill of Rights (give, gives) American

citizens the right to worship where they please.

Continued review

11. The flock of geese (fly, flies) north this time of year.

12. Here (is, are) my favorite boots.13. The majority of our members (is,

are) new.14. The distance between the two lines

(is, are) ten yards.15. The lights on the tree (light, lights)

the entire room.

Review: all rules1. Many vegetables (grow, grows) quite large during long

summer days.2. His mother and her sisters (teach, teaches) math.3. All of the sailboats in the harbor (belong, belongs) to the

village.4. You and your cousins (is, are) invited to the party.5. Either the wall clock or our watches (is, are) not accurate.6. The magazines on the kitchen table (are, is) for the

hospital.7. My list of favorite singers (include, includes) Tracy

Chapman and Bonnie Raitt.8. Both my brother and my sister (deliver, delivers) the

morning newspaper.9. Neither pencils nor an eraser (are, is) permitted.10. The clowns and jugglers (has, have) always been my

favorite circus performers.