Some of the most-confused rules in the SVA.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

2. GENERAL RULE:
A singular subject takes a singular
verb. A plural subject takes a plural
verb.
Singular Plural
Man
Flower
Fish
Men
Flowers
Fish or fishes

3. RULE 1: Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns like
everybody, everyone, anyone,
anybody, someone, somebody,
no one, no body take singular
verb.

4. RULE 2: Intervening Words
Phrases like together with, as well
as, and along with DO NOT
AFFECT the number of the subject.
Example:
Michael as well as his classmates
takes the bus to school.

5. RULE 3: Either-or and Neither-nor
When two subjects are joined
by neither-nor or either-or,
choosing the right number for the
verb can be tricky for writers.
Focus your attention on the noun
closest to the verb. a

6. Examples:
Either the teacher or the
students know about the fire.
Neither Jeff nor Kyla is going to
the party.

7. RULE 4: Collective Nouns
Words such as glasses, pants,
pliers, and scissors are regarded as
plural (and require plural verbs)
unless they're preceded the
phrase pair of (in which case the
word pair becomes the subject).

8. Examples:
My glasses are broken.
A pair of jeans is being repaired.

9. RULE 5a:
Some words end in -s and appear
to be plural but are really singular
and require singular verbs.
Example:
Mathematics, Physics, Gymnastics,
news, measles, etc.

10. RULE 5b:
Some words ending in -s refer to a
single thing but are nonetheless
plural and require a plural verb.

11. Examples:
My assets were wiped out in the
depression.
The average worker's
earnings have gone up
dramatically.

12. RULE 6: Fractions and numbers
 Fractional expressions such as half
of, a part of, a percentage of, a
majority of are sometimes singular
and sometimes plural, depending on
the meaning.
 Sums and products of mathematical
processes are expressed as singular
and require singular verbs.

13. Example:
Some of the voters are still angry.
A large percentage of the older
population is voting against her.
Two-fifths of the troops were lost in
the battle.
Four times four divided by
two is eight.

14. RULE 7: Positive and Negative
Subjects
If your sentence compounds a
positive and a negative subject
and one is plural, the other
singular, the verb should agree
with the positive subject.

15. Example:
The department members but not
the chair have decided not to
teach on Valentine's Day.