This 3-sentence summary provides the high-level information from the document: The document is a presentation about subject-verb agreement that covers maintaining agreement between subjects and verbs, provides examples of singular and plural subjects and verbs, and discusses situations that can cause disagreement such as compound subjects, interruptions, and inverted word order.

1. This presentation is
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©2012 by Robin L.
Simmons.

2. Subject-Verb Agreement
Do I need an
s at the end
of the verb?
Or should I
leave the s
off?

3. This presentation
covers maintaining
agreement
between subjects
and verbs.

4. A subject-verb agreement
item on an objective test
might look like this ...

5. Sample Item
The foods that providegood nutrition is
provide good nutrition is
are
A
B
B
often the least tasty; a hamburger and fries,
on the other hand, satisfythe tongue but
satisfy the tongue but
C
clog the arteries.
Does
A.
B.
C.
D.
Is needs to be
disagreement
the plural are,
happen at
which option B
provide, is, or
fixes.
satisfy?
provides
are
satisfies
No change is necessary.

6. Agreement in a Nutshell
The elephant
trumpets for a peanut.
elephant = singular subject
trumpets = singular verb
The elephants
trumpet for peanuts.
elephants = plural subject
trumpet = plural verb

7. In the present
tense, singular
verbs end in the suffix
s; plural verbs do
not.

8. Two [or mor e] singular
nouns joined by and make a
plur al subject.
The chicken wing and pork rib sit
untouched on Ruth’s plate.
Because there’s no s at
the end of sit, you
know it’s a plural verb.

9. W hen each or ever y pr ecedes
two [or mor e] singular nouns
joined by and , you have a
singular subject.
Every chicken wing and pork rib sits
untouched on Ruth’s plate.
Because there is an
s at the end of sit,
you know it’s a
singular verb.

10. I n t h i s s i t u at i o n , n o m at t e r
how m any s i n g u l a r n o u n s yo u
join with and, the subject is
s ti l l s i n g u l a r.
Every chicken wing, pork rib, slice of pepperoni pizza,
hotdog, hamburger, steak, and fried shrimp sits
untouched on Ruth’s plate.
X X
X
X X
X
I’m a
vegetarian!

11. Use caution with these three
c o n j u n c t i o n s : ei ther … or ,
nei ther … nor , a n d not onl y …
but al s o .
Not only the employees but also their
boss but also her
boss wish the shift shift shift would
employees wish thewould end. end.
wishes the would end.
You’ll have two subjects, but
If you flip the two subjects,
so that employees is next to
only the closer one—in this
the case bosswish will work!
verb, then — counts!

12. T hese indefinite pr onouns
ar e always singular [even
w hen they seem plur al].





Each, either, neither
Anyone, anybody, anything
Everyone, everybody, everything
No one, nobody, nothing
Someone, somebody, something

13. Everyone on Earth =
more than one
person—billions of
people, in fact.
The word everyone,
however, is still
singular.

14. Bewar e in te r r u p tin g p hr ases.
 As well as
 Along with
 Together with
 Including
 In addition to
 Especially
The squirrel as well as the pigeons keep an
keeps
an eye on Sammy, sneaky cat.
eye on Sammy, thethe sneaky cat.
Bad
kitty!
This sentence might
sound right, but it is
completely wrong!

15. Bewar e inver ted wor d or der.
Here is the onions you need forfor the chili. In
are the onions you need the chili. In the
are the jalapeño peppers you
the refrigerator is the jalapeño peppers might
refrigerator is the jalapeño peppers you you
might want to
want to add. add.
Here and
there are
never the
subjects.
Cross through
prepositional
phrases to find
the real subject!

16. Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
Show me
what you
know.

17. Item 1
In the cabinet is the tools that you will need toto
are the tools that you will need
is the tools that you will need to
A
A
unclog the bathroom sink; I have found that a
have found that a
B
plunger and a prayer often do the trick.
do the trick.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
are
has
does
No change is necessary.

18. Item 2
Here are the books that Thomas and Darlene
A
need for their research, and here is the earplugs
are the earplugs
is the earplugs
B
B
that you’ll require once they both doze off in
doze off in
C
boredom and start snoring.
A.
B.
C.
D.
is
are
dozes
No change is necessary.

19. Item 3
Jasmine and Rodney have decided to double the
have decided to double the
A
number of cupcakes that they are baking since
B
everyone love moist cake and chocolate frosting.
loves moist cake and chocolate frosting.
love moist cake and chocolate frosting.
C
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
has
is
loves
loves
No change is necessary.

20. Item 4
Not only those students but also their professor
looks forward the final exam; everyone has
look forward to the final exam; everyone has
look forward toto the final exam; everyone has
A
A
BB
exciting vacation plans that start next Monday.
start next Monday.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
looks
looks
have
starts
No change is necessary.

21. Item 5
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
tries climb the walls of its glass cage while
try to climb the walls of its glass cage while
try to to climb the walls of its glass cage while
AA
humans hover outside like giant predators who are
hover outside like giant predators who are
B
C
ready to strike.
A.
B.
C.
D.
tries
tries
hovers
is
No change is necessary.

22. Item 6
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hope that Grandma
hopes that Grandma
hope that Grandma
A
A
brings her famous brownies and peach pie that
brings her famous brownies and peach pie that
B
drip with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
drip with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
hopes
hopes
bring
drips
No change is necessary.

23. Item 7
Either the dogs or the cat sleep on the bed while
sleeps on the bed while
sleep on the bed while
A
A
everyone is out; Lorraine always finds an
is out; Lorraine always finds an
B
C
indentation in the center of her comforter.
A.
B.
C.
D.
sleeps
sleeps
are
find
No change is necessary.

24. Item 8
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne,
plans a daily trip for ice cream, for these women
plans a daily trip for ice cream, for these women
A
have discovered that the calories is worth seeing
have discovered that the calories is worth seeing
are worth seeing
B
C
C
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A.
B.
C.
D.
plan
has
are
No change is necessary.

25. Item 9
The scissors are sharp, so neither the cousins nor
A
Timmy is allowed to play with them, even when the
is allowed to play with them, even when the
B
boys needsto finish aaschool project.
need to finish school project.
needs to finish a school project.
C
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
is
are
need
need
No change is necessary.

26. Item 10
Each fork, spoon, and knife are scarred from the
is scarred from the
A
A
disposal since Drew refuses to check the drain
refuses to check the drain
B
before he throws the switch.
throws the switch.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
is
is
refuse
throw
No change is necessary.

27. Grammar Bytes!
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28. The End.
Bad
kitty!