Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number.
Example: The dog barks when he is angry.
The dogs growl when they are angry.
2. Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect
agreement.
Example: The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.
Example: The colours of the rainbow are beautiful.
4. When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed after the verb,
so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.
Example: There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately identify the
subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Example: Does Rahman usually drink milk? Where are the pieces of this puzzle?
6. If two subjects are joined by ‘and’, they typically require a plural verb form.
Example: The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
7. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by ‘and’ refer to the same person or thing.
Example: Red beans and rice is my mom's favourite dish.
8. If one of the words ‘each’, ‘every’, or ‘no’ comes before the subject, the verb is singular.
Example: No smoking or drinking is allowed. Every man and woman is required to check in.
9. If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘neither’/‘nor’,
‘either’/‘or’, and ‘not only’/‘but also’ the verb is singular.
Example: Jessica or Tina is to blame for the accident.
10. The only time when the object of the preposition factors into the decision of plural or
singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are
followed by a prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition determines
the form of the verb.
Example: All of the chicken is gone. All of the chickens are gone.
11. The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.
Example: Four liters of octane was required to get the car running.
12. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘neither’/‘nor’,
‘either’/‘or’, and ‘not only’/‘but also’, the verb is plural.
Example: Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.
13. If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words ‘or’, ‘nor’,
‘neither’/ ‘nor’, ‘either’/ ‘or’, and ‘not only’/ ‘but also’, you use the verb form of the subject that
is nearest the verb.
Example: Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo. Neither the lion nor the bears
have escaped from the zoo.
14. Indefinite pronouns (everybody, nobody, somebody) typically take singular verbs.
Example: Everybody wants to be loved.
15. Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural
form.
Example: Few were left alive after the flood.
16. If two infinitives are separated by ‘and’, they take the plural form of the verb.
Example: To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb form of the
verb; but, when they are linked by ‘and’, they take the plural form.
Example: Standing in the water was a bad idea. Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are
my hobbies.
18. Collective nouns like herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.
Example: The herd is stampeding.
19. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.
Example: The Aguner Parashmoni is a movie starring Bipasha Hayat.
Compare:
Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Jamal nor Rahman is available.
Either Kamal or Salam is helping today with stage decorations.
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
English Two
Unit 5 Page # 101
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, ‘breaking and entering’ and ‘bed and breakfast’ are compound nouns.
Compare:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
If the noun after ‘of’ is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Rules of Conditionals (See Unit 3, Lesson 1)
If Jamal were here, you'd be sorry.
I wish it were Friday.
Exercise
Fill the gaps with appropriate verbs:
1. I don’t (understand) ___ the assignment.
2. These clothes (be) ____ too small for me.
3. Palash (do not) ____ like vegetables.
4. Sugar and flour (be) ___ needed for the recipe.
5. My mom or dad (be)___ coming to drop me off.
6. Neither Nila nor I (be) ___ going to college today.
7. Each (get) ___ a trophy for playing.
8. Everybody (enjoy) ___ a good book.
9. The committee (meet) ____ here every Thursday.
10. Basketballs (roll) ____ across the floor.
Answer Key
1. understand
2. are
3. doesn’t
4. are
5. is
6. am
7. gets
8. enjoys
9. meets
10. roll