This document provides rules for subject-verb agreement in sentences. It outlines eight rules: 1) singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs, 2) subjects connected with "and" take a plural verb, 3) subjects connected with "or, nor, either, neither" take a singular verb, 4) the verb agrees with the nearest subject in compounds with "or, nor", 5) intervening words don't affect agreement, 6) indefinite pronouns take singular verbs, 7) money, time, distance take singular verbs, 8) nouns in pairs take plural verbs. It concludes with examples and practice applying the rules.

1. Lesson 3
Following Subject and Verb
Agreement

2. Read the following:
1. Anna talks with her best friend
Jean.
2. Jean comforts Anna and assures
her that everything will be fine.
3. Jean tells her parents about
Anna’s problem.

3. 1. Mang Delfin and Aling Puring work
as dishwashers in a Chinese
restaurant.
2. Jean’s parents promise that they will
help Anna apply for scholarships.
3. Jean and Anna hug each other.

4. Rules in Subject-Verb
Agreement
Rule 1:
A singular subject needs a singular
verb; a plural subject needs a plural
verb.
Ex: Anna hugs her best friend Jean.
Anna and Jean hug each other.

5. Rule 2:
When the subject is composed of two
or more nouns connected by and, it
needs a plural verb.
Ex. Anna and Jean are best friends.
Carla, Anna and Jean enjoy each
other’s company.

6. Trisha and her friend
(bake, bakes) cookies on
weekends.
Trisha and her friend
(bake, bakes) cookies on
weekends.

7. Rule 3:
When two or more singular
nouns are connected by or, nor,
either and neither, the verb is
singular.
Ex.
Mrs. Dizon or Anna is there to
meet the principal.
Either Anna or Jean gets the
highest score in class.

8. Rule 4:
When a compound subject contains
both singular and plural noun joined
by or or nor, the verb should agree
with the nearest subject.
Examples:
Anna or her parents are ready to solve
their problem.
Her parents or Jean thinks of a solution.

9. Either Jessie or the girls
(prepare, prepares) the
presentation.
Either Jessie or the girls
(prepare, prepare) the
presentation.

10. Rule 5:
Intervening words between the
subject and the verb do not affect
the verb of the sentence.
Examples:
One of the applications forms is lost.
The principal, as well as the faculty
members, is ready to end the
meeting.

11. The teacher, together with her students,
(go, goes) to the club meeting.
The teacher, together with her students,
(go, goes) to the club meeting.

12. Rule 6:
Indefinite pronouns like each, each
one, everyone, everybody, somebody,
anybody, someone, and no one need
a singular verb.
Example:
Each one has the responsibility to
maintain peace in the classroom.
Someone is willing to do the job.

13. Rule 7:
When talking about money, time,
and distance, a singular verb is
used.
Examples:
One hundred pesos is what he
needs for two days.
Ninety minutes is too long for our
subject.

14. Rule 8:
Nouns in pair like eyes, pants, pliers
require a plural verb.
Examples:
Your eyes are as lovely as sparkling
stars.
The boy’s pants are wet because of
the broken pipe.

15. Rule 8
Nouns that end in-s but have singular meanings
such as civics, economics, ethics, mathematics,
measles, mumps, news, and etc. take a singular
verb.
Examples:
Mumps is a contagious disease.
Physics is my brother’s favorite subject.
The news today is shocking!

16. Reminder:
A verb must always agree with its
subject in number. A singular subject
takes a singular verb and a plural
subject takes a plural verb.

17. Let’s practice:
1. Each one (take, takes) a book to read.
2. Twenty kilometers (is, are) far enough.
3. Either Rica or the girls (is, are)
attending the meeting.
4. Neither the students nor their teacher
(is, are) going to the museum.