Untitled Document
Test Yourself
Subject - Verb Agreement
[Harbrace 7a]
Review
Practice Exercises
Introduction
Subjects and verbs in sentences must agree
-- that is, they must coincide in number (singular or plural) and
person (first, second, or third). Even if other words separate a
subject and a verb, the two must still agree.
A singular subject has a singular verb.
EXAMPLE:
The student speaks French.
Student and speaks are singular.
A plural subject has a plural verb.
EXAMPLE:
The students speak French.
Students and speak are plural.
Compound Subjects
A compound subject (two subjects connected
by and) requires a plural verb.
EXAMPLE:
Andrew and Louis speak French.
The subjects Andrew and Louis and the verb speak are
plural.
When compound subjects are connected by or or nor the
verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
EXAMPLES:
Neither Andrew nor Louis speaks Spanish.
(Louis, the subject closer to the verb, is singular; therefore, the verb speaks is
singular.)
Either juniors or seniors are eligible
for study abroad.
(Seniors, the subject closer to the verb, is plural; therefore, the verb are is
plural.)
EXAMPLES:
Neither Andrew nor the other students speak Hungarian.
(Students, the subject closer to the verb, is plural; therefore, the
verb speak is plural.)
Neither the other students nor Andrew speaks
Hungarian.
(The subjects students and Andrew take the singular verb speaks.)
Either Susan or her friends are coming to
the meeting.
(Friends, the subject closer to the verb, is plural; therefore,
the verb are is plural.)
Either her friends or Susan is coming to
the meeting.
(Susan, the subject closer to the verb, is singular; therefore,
the verb is is singular.)
Two items that can be considered a unit require
a singular verb.
EXAMPLE:
Reading and writing another language requires constant practice.
Collective Nouns
A collective noun is usually considered a
single unit and usually takes a singular verb.
EXAMPLE:
The class prepares for each exam.
Some collective nouns, such as audience,
class, group, committee, public, team, crowd may take either
singular or plural verbs, depending on their use.
EXAMPLES:
The committee is agreeing on the new freeway route. (as a unit)
The committee are arguing over the new freeway
route.
(acting as separate individuals)
Subject Modified
by a Clause or Phrase
If a subject is modified by a clause or phrase,
the verb must agree with only the subject, not with words in the
modifier.
EXAMPLES:
Speaking French with other students is a challenge.
Students who eat at the French-language
table speak only French.
Book Titles
A book title is considered singular, regardless
of any plural forms within.
EXAMPLE:
Spanish Tales is a lively collection of stories for beginning
Spanish students.
One of those which/One
of those who Phrases
A singular verb is used before the phrases one
of those which or one of these who, and a plural verb
is used after these phrases.
EXAMPLE:
The French professor is one of those teachers who encourage conversation.
The school counselor is one of those who
really listen to our problems.
There is/There
are Constructions
The noun that follows there is/was or there
are/were determines the subject of the sentence. The verb must
agree with the subject, even if the verb comes first.
There was one French exchange student
on campus last fall.
There are many French students who have
spent a semester on campus.
Parenthetical Expressions
A parenthetical expression introduced by together
with, as well as, in addition to, or including is
separate from and does not determine the subject's number.
EXAMPLE:
French, as well as Spanish, is offered in many sections.
Part, portion, and the number of take
singular verbs. A number of requires a plural verb.
EXAMPLE:
Because the number of students is always large, a number of instructors are
needed to teach the courses.
Indefinite Pronouns
- These indefinite pronouns are singular
and require singular verbs:
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
everybody
everyone
neither
no one
nobody
none
one
somebody
someone
EXAMPLES:
Everybody wants to sit at the French table.
Everyone goes through the cafeteria line.
- These indefinite pronouns require a plural
verb:
both
few
many
several
- These indefinite pronouns may require a
singular or a plural verb, depending on the meaning:
some
any
much
most
all
EXAMPLES:
Some of the students are without their assignments.
Some of the ice cream is missing.
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