This document provides 50 sentences for the learner to identify whether the subject and verb agree. The learner must choose between two verb options provided in parentheses to complete each sentence correctly. The sentences cover a variety of subjects including singular and plural nouns, compound subjects, and subjects joined by "and", "or", or "nor" to practice subject-verb agreement rules.

1. Exercises on
Subject-Verb
Agreement

2. Read the following sentences. Choose the correct verb.
1. Each of the men (was, were) given ten minutes to speak to the
president of the company.
2. Beyond the river (is, are) a dress store and a shoe store.
3. Here (is, are) your notebook and dictionary.
4. Neither of the corporations (has, have) received the necessary
state charter yet.
5. My entire supply of checks (was, were) missing.
6. Physics (is, are) taken by many students to complete their
science requirement.
7. A natural monopoly (is, are) public utilities.
8. Neither of the unions (has, have) studied the working
conditions yet.
9. Sitting in the chair by the file cabinets (is, are) the secretary.
10. The data (was, were) published by the company.

3. 11. The cost of goods (vary, varies) greatly in the different states.
12. Where (is, are) one of the letters from Brown and Company?
13. Neither of the salesmen (wants, want) to help me.
14. One of the trade marks (has, have) not been registered yet.
15. Five percent of the profits (is, are) to be distributed to the
stockholders.
16. Food tests taken on Friday (confirm, confirms) my original
diagnosis.
17. Neither the employers nor the union (desire, desires) a strike
vote.
18. Neither the size nor the color of the envelopes (are, is)
correct.
19. Each of the loans (has, have) been recalled by the bank.
20. The news of the economic decline (has, have) been upsetting.

4. 21. The rhythm of the pounding waves _____ calming. (is, are)
22. All of the dogs in the neighborhood _____ barking. (was, were)
23. A high tax, not to mention unemployment, _____ votes.
(influence, influences)
24. My friends and my mother _____ each other. (like, likes)
25. The team and the band _____ on the field. (was, were)
26. Building a good marriage and building a good log fire _____
similar in many ways. (is, are)
27. John or Doris _____ to us regularly. (write, writes)
28. Either Patty or Tom _____ asked to lead the meeting. (was, were)
29. Neither Carol nor Ted _____ excluded from the meeting. (is, are)
30. Neither the basket nor the apples _____ expensive. (was, were)

5. 31. Neither the apples nor the basket _____ expensive.
(was, were)
32. Either Maria or you _____ late for class. (was, were)
33. Either you or Maria _____ late for class. (was, were)
34. Hardest hit by the high temperatures and drought _____
the farmers. (was, were)
35. Neither of them _____ going to the show. (like, likes)
36. Each of them _____ a good seat. (has, have)
37. Everybody in the class _____ tickets. (has, have)
38. Every silver knife, fork, and spoon _____ to be counted.
(has, have)
39. Each cat and each dog _____ its own toy. (has, have)
40. The committee _____ meeting today. (is, are)

6. 41: Ten million gallons of oil _____ a lot of oil. (is, are)
42. The jury _____ today. (vote, votes)
43. The number _____ very small. (is, are)
44. A number of students _____ absent. (was, were)
45. Ten million gallons of oil _____ spilled. (was, were)
46. The majority of us _____ in favor. (is, are)
47. Statistics _____ an interesting subject. (is, are)
48. My friends who are in the band _____ me to play a
musical instrument. (want, wants)
49. The sheep _____ when the gate is left open. (stray,
strays)
50. Your trousers _____ to be cleaned. (need, needs)

7. 51. Of all university courses, mathematics probably _____ the most fear. (produce,
produces)
52. Living in big cities almost always _____ stress because of traffic jams, too few
parking spaces, and too many people. (cause, causes)
53. The way of life in small villages far from big cities _____ mostly quiet because
there are few people. (is, are)
54. In many countries, governments _____ the mass media through censorship.
(control, controls)
55. Sometimes a government covertly _____ the general population by releasing
disinformation through the mass media. (influence, influences)
56. President Obama, along with his support staff and news reporters, _____ many
key cities around the world every year. (visit, visits)
57. Least considered in the latest bombing campaign _____ the innocent victims.
(was, were)
58. Each cat and each dog in this animal shelter _____ eventually placed in a good
home. (is, are)
59. The deer standing silently next to the large tree _____ not seen by the two
hunters. (was, were)
60. Neither the students nor the teacher _____ able to find the solution
immediately. (was, were)

8. 
 Exchange paper with your classmates.
 Check honestly, neatly, and carefully.
 Listen intently for the answers.
 Mind the paper that you are checking and not your
own paper.
Nothing Follows

9. 2nd Quiz in
English III

10. 
 Read with your eyes, not with your lips.
 Answer independently. Asking your classmates is
strictly proscribed.
 Mind your own paper.
Instructions

11. Read the following sentences. Choose the correct
verb.
1. Love (make, makes) the world go round.
2. Rules (is, are) made to be broken.
3. Familiarity (breed, breeds) contempt.
4. The shoemaker's children always (go, goes) barefoot.
5. A winner never (quit, quits), and a quitter never
(win, wins).
6. Half a loaf (is, are) better than none.
7. Too many cooks (spoil, spoils) the broth.
8. The cream always (rise, rises) to the top.
9. One good turn (deserve, deserves) another.
10. There (is, are) two sides to every story.

12. 11. Lightning never (strike, strikes) twice in the same place.
12. The early bird (catch, catches) the worm.
13. Every cloud (has, have) a silver lining.
14. A fool and his money (is, are) soon parted.
15. No good deed (go, goes) unpunished.
16. It's the last straw that (break, breaks) the camel's back.
17. Out of the mouths of babes (come, comes) words of
wisdom.
18. A journey of a thousand miles (begin, begins) with one
step.
19. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man (is, are) king.
20. Great oaks from little acorns (grow, grows).

13. 21. The scissors I got from the supply drawer (is, are) too dull.
22. My knee (look, looks) better than it did yesterday.
23. Two appetizers or one main course (is, are) all that I can eat.
24. Shaking the cans (cause, causes) them to squirt when they are
opened.
25. Our selection of grapes (is, are) second to none.
26. At the start of the meeting, Mr. Burns, my boss and mentor,
always (stand, stands) and (sing, sings) the company song. What a
dork.
27. Flags honoring National Heroes’ Day (was, were) raised over
city hall.
28. Our group's presentation (require, requires) a computer
loaded with PowerPoint.
29. The shirt with the bold horizontal stripes (make, makes) you
look heavier.
30. Our department (do, does ) not get any bonus pay when we
move.

14. 31. Neither the manager nor his staff knows anything about this.
32. The Simpsons is the most cynical televison show of the last decade.
33. Peanut butter and simulated bacon was a failed product that was
briefly marketed during the seventies.
34. Either the undercooked hamburger or the green apples are making
me sick.
35. Twenty-five cents a litre is a good price to pay for gasoline.
36. Television news is frequently filled with vacuous nonsense.
37. The Grapes of Wrath is a story of life in the Great Depression.
38 There is no reason for you to be missing so much work.
39 There are many people who have overcome great problems.
40. It was the dogs in the neighbourhood that were getting into the
garbage.

15. 41. Economics (is, are) almost as fascinating as accounting.
42. Analyzing sentences for grammatical purposes (is, are) even better than
watching paint dry.
43. Fifteen kilometers (is, are) a nice distance to ski in an afternoon
44. A number of people (was, were) sitting on the grass.
45. Each of the workers (was, were) given new safety equipment.
46. Neither the students nor the instructor (like, likes) the idea of a three-hour exam.
47. My partner, in addition to his customers, (like, likes) the way the new law makes
life safer.
48. The news of the economic decline (has, have) been upsetting.
49. Everyone who bought stocks last year (has, have) hoped to see an increase in
their value.
50. The Seattle Times (is, are) sold widely.