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Buffalo buffalo.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

When a subject agrees with its verb, both subject and verb are alike in having the same

person (first, second, third person) and number (singular, plural)

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

1. A third person singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject and the pronouns I and you take a plural verb.

She dances.I dance.

You dance.They dance.

PracticeThe girls (talk, talks) about gossip every day.

The teacher (discuss, discusses) the lesson effectively.

I (like, likes) to go to the mall whenever I am bored.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

2. Indefinite pronouns such as each, either, neither, one, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody are singular and they require singular verbs.

Each child needs love.Someone is at the door.

Neither of the boys likes to go.

PracticeEveryone (has, have) done his or her homework.

Each of the students (is, are) responsible for doing his or her work in the library.

Neither of the traffic lights (is, are) working properly.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

3. There is/was is followed by singular noun. There are/were is followed by plural noun.

There are eight apples in the box.There is a letter for you in the mailbox.

PracticeThere (is, are) two reasons for this.

There (is, are) no reason at all.

Here (is, are) your coat.

Here (is, are) the letters you’ve been waiting for.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

4. The words a few, many, both and several take plural verbs.

Several girls love to dance.Both Jerry and Jake are my classmates.

Practice

Few of the wealthy (is, are) coming tonight.

Many (is, are) called but few (is, are) chosen.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

5. Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning such as Physics, ethics, news, series, Mathematics, politics, measles, statistics take singular verbs.

Measles is a contagious disease.The news I heard is bad.

Mathematics is my favorite subject.

Practice

Economics (is, are) constantly faced by practical challenges.

The news about Afghanistan (is, are) shocking, isn’t it?

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

6. The expression a number takes plural verb; the number takes singular verb.

A number of participants come from the province.

The number of delegates present is increasing.

PracticeThe number of people lined up for tickets (was, were)

four hundred.

A number of suggestions (was, were) made.

There (is, are) a number of important announcements in the bulletin.

Here (is, are) the number of milk shakes you requested.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

7. Intervening words like together with, in addition to, along with, as well as, including and similar constructions following the subject don’t affect the number of the subject.

I, the class president, am to lead the way.Rosemary, along with her classmates, joins the

contest.The children, as well as their mother, are dining out.

PracticeThe hunter as well as the hounds (is, are)

following the bear.

The hammer as well as the saw (make, makes) work easier.

My son, along with two friends, (is, are) coming for the weekend.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

8. Agreement with Compound Subjects8a. A compound subject connected by and

generally takes plural verb.

Ruben and Erwin are friends.The students and the teachers are enjoying the

event.

PracticeBob and Randy (go, goes) to high school

together.

Milo, Phoebe, and I (is, am, are) offering our help.

The twins and their parents (travel, travels) together.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

8b. Compound subjects that are closely related or that refer to the same person or thing take a plural verb.

My cousin and classmate eats lunch with me.Bread and butter was served to the visitors.

My cousin and my classmate eat lunch with me.

Practice

The camper and ranger (see, sees) the bear.

My father and president of the company always (come, comes) on time.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

8c. A compound subject introduced by each and every takes singular verb.

Each actor and actress was given good roles in movies.

Every good boy and girl does fine.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

8d. Compound subject joined by correlative conjunctions either-or and neither-nor may take singular or plural verb. The verb agrees to the nearest subject.

Either the students or the teacher participates in the fund-raising program.

Neither the teacher nor the students participate in the fund-raising program.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

9. Words or phrases expressing periods of time, unit of measurement, weight, unit of volume and amount of money are usually regarded as singular.

Twenty million pesos was what I won in the lottery.

Three yards is enough to make a new dress.Five years of engagement is long.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

10. Collective nouns take singular verbs when they are used to denote a unit; they take plural verbs when used to refer to individual members of the group.

The family plans to go on a vacation at Baguio.The family are discussing their plans.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

11. Fractions may take singular or plural verbs depending on the of-phrase.

One-fourth of the apple is rotten.One-fourth of the apples are for you.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

12. The verb agrees with the subject not with the predicate noun.

The bus carries twenty people.(not The bus carry twenty people)

Twenty people are in the bus.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

13. The title of a book, story or article and a name of an establishment even when plural in form takes a singular verb.

Starwars is a very entertaining film.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

14. Adjectives used as subjects take plural verbs.

The old are respected.The poor deserve understanding and love.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

15. Arithmetical operations take singular verbs.

Eight times nine equals seventy four.One plus one is equal to two.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

16. If one subject is used affirmatively and the other negatively, the verb agrees with the subject that is used affirmatively.

She, not you, is to blame for her failure.The president, not the senators, visits the

calamity area.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

17. A verb in a relative clause agrees in number and person with the relative pronoun serving as subject of the clause.

He who has nothing must be given a share of the blessings.

Mr. Cruz is one of the men who were with us in the province.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

18. Singular nouns that denote pairs and have no singular form take plural verbs. Such nouns are pliers, scissors, glasses or spectacles, tongs, pants, trousers and tweezers.

Where are my trousers?The scissors are not sharp.

The spectacles belong to my grandmother.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

19. The indefinite pronoun none may either be singular or plural depending on the content and meaning that the sentence suggests.

None of the guests was disappointed.None but the relatives are invited to their

wedding.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

20. The indefinite pronoun many is plural. When used as subject of the sentence, it requires plural verb. However, when it is followed by a, coming as many a, it is singular.

Many are called but few are chosen.Many a father acts as Santa Claus on Christmas.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

21. Some, all, and most are plural when they refer to number but when they refer to quantity, they are singular.

Some of the cake was not eaten.Some of the tickets were returned.

All of the medicine was spilled.All of the officers were here.

All she needs is love and understanding.

Practice

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

PRACTICE

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

The younger boys (stay, stays) in the boarding house.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

A bag of sugar and a bottle of jam (is, are) on the table.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Joyce and Kim (do, does) not want to go.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

My brother and his friend (want, wants) to go with us to the beach.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

This pen (do, does) not write well.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

That statement (seem, seems) weird to me.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Neither the guests nor the host (agree, agrees) with us.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Although the directions that they sent out with the invitations show an easy way to get to their house,

there is actually several different ways to get there faster by taking

the back roads.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

A high concentration of radioactive chemicals and contaminants have

been found in the drinking water of the headquarters, which may have caused brain damage in some of its

writers.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

An understanding of irony and sarcasm are usually the last steps in learning

a language.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Sensationalism in television shows masquerading as news programs are

making it difficult for serious journalism to compete for ratings.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

The piano, as well as the pipe organ, has to be tuned for the big concert.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Neither of my two suitcases are adequate for this trip.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

There is a list of committee members on the head table.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Everybody in the class have done the homework well in advance.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

The jury takes their seats in the courtroom.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Neither the teacher nor the students seems to understand this

assignment.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Pasig is one of those cities that is working hard to reclaim a river.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Some of the grain have gone bad.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

A few of the students are doing so well they can skip the next course.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

One of my instructors have written a letter or recommendation for me.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Howard and Vincent, who runs a copy center in town, have decided to

expand their business.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Both of the statues on the shelf are broken.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

The issues of inflation and tax reform continues to be on everyone’s mind.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Not one of the performers were at the party after the concert.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

When there’s thunderstorms approaching, we are always reminded of the threat of

tornadoes.

Verbs: Subject-Verb Agreement

Joseph or Julian prepare the conference room each week.