This PowerPoint is over subject-verb agreement

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

2. Subject-Verb Agreement Definition
• Subjects must agree with their verbs.
• Several things make it difficult to tell if the subject and verb match:
—Separation by a clause or phrase, especially a prepositional phrase.
—The use of compound subjects like either/or, neither/nor
—The use of a false compound
—The use of collective nouns (a noun as a group)
—The use of indefinite pronouns

3. Separate the Subject-Verb
• If you are confused about which verb to use, remove the interrupting
phrase or clause (or simply put your finger over the words), so the
subject and verb are next to each other.
• It will be clear then whether the verb should be singular or plural.

4. Examples of Subject-Verb
Separation
• The doctor, who has seen nearly ten thousand patients, remembers each
one of them by name.
• The populations of elephants and cheetahs decrease every year due to
the encroachment of humans.
• The book by Jane Austen that I placed on the stairs has gone missing.
• Dallas along with Houston tops the list of largest Texas cities.
• Which one of the following animal groups has the highest population:
cats, dogs, or ferrets?

5. Subject-Verb,
Compound Subjects
• There are two types of compound subjects:
—A compound subject that uses and takes a plural verb.
—A compound subject that uses or takes a singular verb.
• However, a false compound is created when you use as well as, together
with, along with, or in addition to.
• A false compound can be confusing but still takes a singular verb.

6. Compound and False Compound Subject Examples
• Mrs. Merckle and Mrs. Blanchet are best friends.
• An egg, sugar, or a cup of flour is missing from the recipe.
• Her vanity, along with her propensity to brush her hair in public, has not
abated with age.

7. Subject-Verb
either/or and neither/nor
• Either/or and neither/nor compounds use single verbs because both the
subject and verb are single.
• Either Dave or Ben is going to win the pie eating contest.
• Neither the squid pizza nor the lima bean mash looks appetizing to me.

8. Mixed Subjects
• With a mix of singular and plural subjects, place the plural noun second
to avoid an awkward construction then make the verb plural to match.
• Awkward: Neither the students nor their teacher knows what to do about the
ghost hiding in the supply closet.
• Better: Neither the teacher nor her students know what to do about the ghost
hiding in the supply closet.

9. Subject-Verb, Collective Nouns
• A collective noun is a single word used to define a group.
• Collective nouns may seem like they should take a plural verb but are
actually singular.
• Common collective nouns:
• jury, team, school, office, army, crowd, audience, organization, group, family,
etc.

10. Subject-Verb, Collective Nouns cont.
• The family feels disappointed that their trip has been cancelled.
• The jury has reached its verdict.
• The team celebrates by dancing in the end zone.
• The audience loves the play!

11. Subject-Verb,
Indefinite Pronouns Singular
• Indefinite pronouns are nouns that do not refer to a particular person or
thing. Many indefinite pronouns take a singular verb.
• Common singular indefinite pronouns:
• anybody, anyone, anything, each, everyone, everything, much, neither, no one,
nothing, someone, something

12. Indefinite Pronouns Singular
• Each of the puppies has found a home because everyone loves cute,
baby animals.
• Everyone loves his or her mother because mothers are great!
• Everything is better now because mother is home; nothing is wrong.

13. Subject-Verb
Indefinite Pronouns Plural
• Some indefinite pronouns are plural.
• Common plural indefinite pronouns:
• both, few, many, several
• Correct: Few have encountered Crazy Pirate Joe and lived to tell the tale.
• Correct: Several have forgotten to sign in.

14. Indefinite Pronouns Mixed
• However, some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural, depending
on whether the noun they reference singular or plural
• Common plural or singular indefinite pronouns:
• all, any, more, most, none, there
• All is well.
• All of my life is good.
• All (students) are required to sign in before attending class.