SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT Remember that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in person and number. EX: The elevator works very well. The elevators work very well. singular singular plural plural The study of languages is very interesting. singular subject singular verb Several theories on this subject have been proposed. plural subject plural verb  Some typical patterns of subject and verb agreement o S 1 + and + S 2 + V (plural) EX: The actress and her manager are going to a party tonight. o S 1 + or + S 2 Either + S 1 + or + S 2 + Verb (S 2 ) Neither + S 1 + nor + S 2 Not only + S 1 + but also + S 2 EX: Neither the boy’s parents nor I am pleased with his progress. o S 1 + as well as + S 2 along with/with together with + Verb (S 1 ) accompanied by/with addition to besides/except EX: A woman with her children is in the store. o Here/There + Be + Noun/Pronoun Adverb Phrase of Place EX: There are some problems to be solved. There is a book, a pen, and two pencils on the table. Here is my mother. At the end of the room are three young students. (Adverb Phrase of Place) o It + is/was + Noun/Pronoun + that-Clause EX: There was a knock at the door. I opened it. It was Tom and his wife. It was the children that stole your watch. o Each/Every + Noun (singular) + V (singular) EX: Every student has to finish the test on time. o Each Every + of + Noun (plural) + V (singular) Either Neither EX: Neither of the boys needs to do this sort of work. o Each/Every + Noun (singular) + and + Noun (singular) + Verb (singular) EX: Each boy and girl has to work independently. o Many a + Noun (singular) + Verb (singular) EX: Many a book is put on the top shelves. o All Most Many + of + Noun (plural) + Verb (plural) (A) few Some EX: Some of the books are very old. o All Most Much (A) little + of + Uncountable Noun (singular) + Verb (singular) Some Plenty Part EX: Most of water on earth is salty. o The number of + Noun (plural) + Verb (singular) A number of (=many)+ Noun (plural) + Verb (plural) EX: The number of days in a week is seven. A number of students are going to the class picnic. o No + Noun (singular/uncountable) + Verb (singular) No + Noun (plural) + Verb (plural) EX: No example is relevant to this case. No examples are relevant to this case. o None of the + Noun (uncountable) + Verb (singular) None of the + Noun (plural) + Verb (plural) EX: None of the counterfeit has been found. None of the students have finished the exam yet. o Indefinite pronouns + V (singular) Indefinite pronouns include “someone, anyone, everyone, no one, somebody, anybody, everybody, nobody, something, anything, everything, nothing”. EX: Something was under the house. o Collective nouns indicating money, time, and measurements are followed by singular verbs. EX: Fifty minutes isn’t enough time to finish this test. o Collective nouns are usually known as a group and hence used with singular verbs. However, if they indicate the individual members in the group, the plural verbs are used. Some of the collective nouns are “family, team, group, committee, class, crowd, government, organization, club, jury, public, …”. EX: The crowd was wild with excitement. Majority can be singular or plural. If it is alone, it is usually singular; if it is followed by a plural noun, it is usually plural. EX: The majority believes that we are in no danger. The majority of the students believe him to be innocent. The following nouns are used to indicate groups of certain animals and thus considered singular. flock of birds/sheep school of fish herd of cattle pride of lions pack of dogs EX: The flock of birds is circling overhead. o If the sentence begins with a gerund, an infinite, or a clause functioning as subjects, the verb must be singular. EX: Dieting is very popular today. (gerund) To see is to believe. (to-infinitive) What you have done is very meaningful to me. (clause) o The + adjective indicating a group of people usually goes with plural verbs. EX: The poor in this town need much more care. o Such nouns as “scissors, trousers, shorts, glasses, pants, pliers, tweezers, tongs, jeans ” are always plural. However, they are used with a singular verb when used with “a pair of”. EX: The pants are in the drawer. But: A pair of pants is in the drawer. o Such nouns ending in “s” as “news, measles, rickets, mathematics, phonetics, physics, mumps, economics, politics, athletics, statistics, …” are used with a singular verb. EX: Physics is a kind of subject. o These follow-up nouns (plural without “s”) are used with plural verbs. people police clergy men/women children sheep deer fish mice cattle oxen lice geese poultry teeth feet EX: The police are wanting him. EXERCISE FOR PRACTICE Choose the correct form of the verb in brackets in the following sentences 1) John, along with twenty friends, (is/are) planning a party. 2) The picture of the soldiers (bring/brings) back many memories. 3) The quality of these recordings (is/are) not very good. 4) If the duties of these officers (isn’t/aren’t) reduced, there will not be enough time to finish the project. 5) The effects of cigarette smoking (have/has) been proven to be extremely harmful. 6) The use of credit cards in place of cash (have/has) increased rapidly in recent years. 7) Advertisements on television (is/are) becoming more competitive than ever before. 8) Living expenses in this country, as well as in many others, (is/are) at an all-time high. 9) Mr. John, accompanied by several members of the committee, (have/has) proposed some changes of the rules. 10) The levels of intoxication (varies/vary) from subject to subject. 11) No problem (is/are) harder to solve than this one. 12) Nobody (work/works) harder than John does. 13) Either John or his friends (is/are) going to the beach today. 14) Neither the director nor the secretary (want/wants) to leave yet. 15) Two miles (is/are) too much to run in a day. 16) The number of residents who have been questioned on this matter (is/are) quite small. 17) These scissors (is/are) very dull. 18) Being cordial (is/are) one of his greatest assets. 19) The family (was/were) elated by the news. 20) A school of fish (is/are) being attacked by sharks. 21) The effects of that crime (is/are) likely to be devastating. 22) The Smiths (are/is) getting accustomed to stay up late. 23) All (is/are) satisfied with the exam result. 24) Tell me, who (is/are/am) your close friend. 25) You are the person who (am/is/are) wanted by the police. 26) There (has/have) been an increase in the importation of foreign cars. 27) There (was/were) water on the floor where he fell. 28) The boys in the room (is/are) studying. 29) The director and accountant (is/are) going to see him. 30) The gift that he gave me yesterday (is/are) very nice. . singular subject singular verb Several theories on this subject have been proposed. plural subject plural verb  Some typical patterns of subject and verb agreement o S 1 + and + S 2 . SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT Remember that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in person and number. EX: The elevator works very well o Each/Every + Noun (singular) + and + Noun (singular) + Verb (singular) EX: Each boy and girl has to work independently. o Many a + Noun (singular) + Verb (singular) EX: Many a book is