SUBJECT-VERB

AGREEMENT

7 specific cases

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

COMPOUND SUBJECTS: Or/NOR

@ Singular subjects – Singular Verbs

A car or a bus is the only means to travel.

@ Plural Subjects – Plural Verbs

Either the fathers or the mothers go to the meeting.

@ Subjects with different number – Verb agrees with subject nearest to it

Neither those cats nor that dog was taken.

Either the gray or the white one are good for the subject.

Either the purse or the watch (is/are) bought as a gift.

Neither these magazines nor those newspapers (has/have) the article I was looking for.

Neither Eileen nor her sisters (ask/asks) their parents for money.

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COMPOUND SUBJECTS: AND

@ Plural verbs

A camera and a laptop were stolen.

@ Exemptions…

If (1) Subjects add up to one unit

Chips and dip is my favorite food.

(2) Subjects are preceded by each or every

Each man and woman leaves the building.

Two other boys and another girl was selected.

The bottles and the soda can (was/were) given to the garbage collector.

The wheel and axle (is/are) a type of simple machine.

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SUBJECTS THAT COME AFTER THE VERB

@ Verb agrees with the number of the subject

In the second floor are the two libraries.

There is the laptop computer.

Here is the new notebook.

Located at the third floor of this majestic building are our library.

There (is/are) new students coming next year.

One of the reasons for his expulsion (is/are) his insubordination.

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COLLECTIVE NOUNS

@ Single unit – singular verb

The herd is taken care of by the shepherd.

@Different individuals – plural verb

The committee have yet to prepare their statements.

My choir were selected for the competition this afternoon.

The school of fish (is/are) caught by the fishermen.

The faculty (is/are) each sent to different parts of the country to teach.

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PLURAL-LOOKING NOUNS

@ (1) Branches of knowledge; (2) Single unit or idea; (3) Indicating

characteristics – Singular verb

Economics is difficult to study.

The series is very entertaining.

The acoustics enhances the sound.

@ Words like: scissors, pants, trousers, pliers, shorts – plural verb

His pants are trendy.

Physics are the best.

Statistics (is/are) the course of Myrza.

Her trousers (is/are) very stylish.

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INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

@ Singular indefinite pronouns – singular verbs

Each of them is sick.

@ Plural indefinite pronouns – plural verbs

Many of the pigs are slaughtered.

@ All, Any, More, Most, None, and Some – verbs take number of the antecedent

All of the money is saved.

All of the papers are crumpled.

Everybody excel in that subject. Everyone love grammar.

Much of the students (fail/fails) the exam.

None of the cookies (is/are) handed to the little boy.

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AMOUNTS OR MEASUREMENTS

@ Singular verb

One-half of the pie is cut.

A kilo of the cereals is bought.

@ Referring to individual things – plural verb

Half of the chickens lay eggs.

One-twelfth of the students bring stroller bags.

Majority of the student population read Kule.

Three hundred pesos (is/are) the price of one ticket to IMAX.

Half of the dishes (has/have) been cleaned.

IMAGES ARE TAKEN FROM DEVIANTART