Problems With 
Subject/verb agreement 
Skills 20-23
Skill 20: Make verbs agree after 
prepositional phrases 
When a prepositional phrase come between the subject and the 
verb, be sure that the verb agrees with the subject. 
S (prepositional phrase) V 
The key to the doors are in the drawer. 
The key to the doors is in the drawer. 
The keys to the door is in the drawer. 
The keys to the door are in the drawer.
Skill 21: Make verbs agree after 
expressions of quantity 
When the subject is an expression of quantity followed by 
the preposition of, the subject can be singular or plural, 
depending on what follows the preposition of. 
All of the book was interesting. 
Singular 
All of the books were interesting. 
Plural 
All of the information was interesting. 
Uncountable
When an expression of quantity is the subject the 
verb agrees with the object. 
ALL 
MOST 
SOME 
HALF 
OF THE (OBJECT) V 
All of the books are interesting.
Skill 22: Make invert verbs agree 
Question 
Negative 
Place V S 
Condition (no if) 
Comparison 
After question word, negative expressions, place expressions, 
conditions without if, and comparison, the verb agrees with the 
subject, which may be after the verb.
Behind the house was the bicycles I wanted. 
Behind the house were the bicycles I wanted. 
Behind the houses were the bicycle I wanted. 
Behind the houses was the bicycle I wanted.
Skill 23: Make verbs agree after certain 
word 
Certain words in English are always grammatically singular, 
even though they might have plurals meanings. 
These words or expressions are grammatically singular, 
so they take singular verbs: 
Anybody 
Everybody 
Nobody 
Somebody 
Anyone 
Everyone 
No one 
Someone 
anything 
Everything 
Nothing 
Something 
Each (+ noun) 
Every (+ 
noun)
Everybody are going to the theater. 
Everybody is going to the theater.

Problems with subject-verb agreement

  • 1.
    Problems With Subject/verbagreement Skills 20-23
  • 2.
    Skill 20: Makeverbs agree after prepositional phrases When a prepositional phrase come between the subject and the verb, be sure that the verb agrees with the subject. S (prepositional phrase) V The key to the doors are in the drawer. The key to the doors is in the drawer. The keys to the door is in the drawer. The keys to the door are in the drawer.
  • 3.
    Skill 21: Makeverbs agree after expressions of quantity When the subject is an expression of quantity followed by the preposition of, the subject can be singular or plural, depending on what follows the preposition of. All of the book was interesting. Singular All of the books were interesting. Plural All of the information was interesting. Uncountable
  • 4.
    When an expressionof quantity is the subject the verb agrees with the object. ALL MOST SOME HALF OF THE (OBJECT) V All of the books are interesting.
  • 5.
    Skill 22: Makeinvert verbs agree Question Negative Place V S Condition (no if) Comparison After question word, negative expressions, place expressions, conditions without if, and comparison, the verb agrees with the subject, which may be after the verb.
  • 6.
    Behind the housewas the bicycles I wanted. Behind the house were the bicycles I wanted. Behind the houses were the bicycle I wanted. Behind the houses was the bicycle I wanted.
  • 7.
    Skill 23: Makeverbs agree after certain word Certain words in English are always grammatically singular, even though they might have plurals meanings. These words or expressions are grammatically singular, so they take singular verbs: Anybody Everybody Nobody Somebody Anyone Everyone No one Someone anything Everything Nothing Something Each (+ noun) Every (+ noun)
  • 8.
    Everybody are goingto the theater. Everybody is going to the theater.