2. • Subjects and verbs must agree in
number.
Singular nouns take singular
verbs; Plural nouns take plural verbs.
3. • Don’t get confused by the words that
come between the subject and verb.
The dog, that is chewing on my
jeans, is usually very playful.
The students who participated in the
Science week celebration were too tired to
do their PeTas.
4. • Prepositional phrases between the
subject and verb usually do not affect
agreement.
The paintings in the gallery are so
expensive.
5. • When sentences start with ―there‖ or
―here,‖ the subject will always be placed
after the verb.
There is something wrong with his outfit.
Here are the letters you gave me for the
past months.
6. • Subjects joined by and typically require a
plural verb form.
My sister and I love to swim.
Cellular phone, wallet and keys are the
things that I always bring.
7. • The verb is singular if the two subjects
separated by and are taken as one.
Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite
spread.
Red beans and rice is the cafeteria’s
meal of the day.
8. • Each, everyone, every one, everybody,
anyone, anybody, someone, no one and
somebody are singular and require singular
verbs
Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.
9. • 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, use
the verb form of the subject that is
nearest the verb.
10. Not only Kenzo but also Kereen want/wants to visit
grandma.
Not only Marvin but also all of the grandchildren
want/wants to visit grandma.
Neither Miss Kim nor Jesy writes/write on the
blackboard.
Neither the teacher nor the
students writes/write on the blackboard.
11. • When either and neither are subjects, they
always take singular verbs.
Neither of them is available to speak
right now.
12. • Percent, fraction, part, majority, some,
none, remainder, and so forth —look at the
noun in your of phrase to determine
whether to use a singular or plural verb. The
expression "more than one" (oddly enough)
takes a singular verb: "More than one
student has tried this."
None of the garbage was picked up.
One third of the city is unemployed.
13. • Few, many, several, both, all, and some
always take the plural form.
Some people in my office are very
annoying.
Few mountain climbers have successfully
reached the peak of Mt. Everest.
14. • If two infinitives are separated
by and they take the plural form of the
verb.
To swim and to run require great skill.
15. • Collective nouns like herd, senate, class,
crowd, group, team etc. usually take a singular
verb form.
•In very few cases, the plural verb is used if the
individuals in the group are though of and
specifically referred to.
16. • Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are
treated as singular and take a singular
verb.
The last of the Mohicans is a nice
movie.
17. Final Rule – Remember, only
the subject affects the verb!
18. Directions: Choose correct verbs in the text below.(Rx1)
Adolescence 1. (brings, bring) with it a multiplicity of change in
every aspect of a child’s life. There 2. (is, are) a great expansion
and intensification of the emotional life as the adolescence 3.
(reaches, reach) out for new experience and understanding but
at the same time 4. (adopts, adopt) a defensive stance against
possible consequences. It 5. (is, are) normally a period of hopes
and ideals, of longings often divorced from reality and of
passion over matters those older persons often 6.(sees, see) as
being of little consequence. Emotions 7.(does, do) tend to show
greater fluctuations during adolescence than in the periods
that 8. (precedes, precede) and 9. (follows, follow) it. Periods
of great enthusiasm and attempt at high achievement 10. (is,
are) allowed by morbid self analysis. Emotions can lead to
violence attachments to members of the opposite sex and
intense friendship characterized by pledges and vows.
