subject-verb agreement a review of the rules with practice exercises

Subject-verb AgreementSubject-verb Agreement

A Review of the RulesA Review of the Ruleswith with

Practice Exercises Practice Exercises

1. The verb agrees with the 1. The verb agrees with the subject, not with intervening subject, not with intervening

words. words. TobyToby, along with his girlfriend, , along with his girlfriend, playsplays

paintball nearly every weekend. paintball nearly every weekend.

OneOne of the students of the students hashas left his or her left his or her cell phone in the classroom. cell phone in the classroom.

A A harnessharness with bells with bells isis for sale on for sale on eBay. eBay.

Let’s practice!Let’s practice!

Click on the sentence in which the verb is Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. used correctly.

The President, along with the press secretarThe President, along with the press secretary, y, werewere late to the press conference late to the press conference. .

The President, along with the press secretarThe President, along with the press secretary, y, waswas late to the press conference. late to the press conference.

Not quite!Not quite!

Click here to try againClick here to try again. .

Right!Right!

Click here for the next question. Click here for the next question.

Click on the sentence in whichClick on the sentence in whichthe verb is used correctly. the verb is used correctly.

The cost of repairing all those compuThe cost of repairing all those computers ters isis quite prohibitive quite prohibitive. .

The cost of repairing all those compuThe cost of repairing all those computers ters areare quite prohibitive quite prohibitive..

Oops!Oops!

Click here to try again. Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! You’ve got it!

Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence.

Click on the sentence in whichClick on the sentence in whichthe verb is used correctly. the verb is used correctly.

A driver’s license, as well as another A driver’s license, as well as another form of ID, is requiredform of ID, is required. .

A driver’s license, as well as another A driver’s license, as well as another form of ID, are requiredform of ID, are required. .

Yes!Yes!

Let’s move on to the next rule. Let’s move on to the next rule.

Rule 2Rule 2

The verb agrees with its subject, even The verb agrees with its subject, even when the subject follows the verb.when the subject follows the verb.

In the back of the room In the back of the room sitssits a snoring a snoring studentstudent..

There There areare only two only two cookiescookies left. left.

More ExamplesMore Examples

Notice the highlighted subject in these Notice the highlighted subject in these sentences. sentences.

Here Here isis the the reportreport you were looking for. you were looking for. Here Here areare the the keyskeys you were looking for. you were looking for. On the wall On the wall hangshangs a a portraitportrait of his father. of his father.


Click on the correct sentence:Click on the correct sentence:

There There seemseem to be a few errors in this program to be a few errors in this program. .

There There seemsseems to be a few errors in this program to be a few errors in this program..


Be sure that you can identify the Be sure that you can identify the subject of the sentence. subject of the sentence.


Good!Good!

Click here for the next sentence. Click here for the next sentence.

Click on the sentence in which Click on the sentence in which the verb is used correctly. the verb is used correctly.

Included in the festivities was a Included in the festivities was a three-legged race, a sack race, and a three-legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. pie-eating contest.

Included in the festivities were a Included in the festivities were a three-legged race, a sack race, and a three-legged race, a sack race, and a pie-eating contest. pie-eating contest.


Click here to try again.Click here to try again.

Right!Right!


Rule 3Rule 3

Compound subjects joined by “and” Compound subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb. take a plural verb.

* Some subjects joined by “and” are * Some subjects joined by “and” are considered singular, however. considered singular, however.

Here are some examples:Here are some examples:

Shannon and her sister Shannon and her sister areare both on both on the tennis team. the tennis team.

My favorite salad dressing My favorite salad dressing isis vinegar vinegar and oil. and oil.

Macaroni and cheese Macaroni and cheese isis Jason’s Jason’s favorite lunch. favorite lunch.

Let’s try some practice Let’s try some practice exercises: exercises:

Click on the correct verb. Click on the correct verb.

Strawberries and cream ( Strawberries and cream ( isis areare ) a ) a traditional Wimbledon treat. traditional Wimbledon treat.


Remember, some compound nouns Remember, some compound nouns act as one unit and are considered act as one unit and are considered singular. singular.

Click here to return to the questionClick here to return to the question. .

Yes!Yes!

Let’s try another. Click on the correct Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb:verb:

Charlotte and her mother ( Charlotte and her mother ( livelive liveslives ) in Las Vegas. ) in Las Vegas.

You’ve got it!You’ve got it!

Let’s move on to Rule 4:Let’s move on to Rule 4:

When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearest subject. the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

This is a tricky rule, which doesn’t always This is a tricky rule, which doesn’t always sound “right” to the ear, so let’s look at sound “right” to the ear, so let’s look at some examples. some examples.

Examples:Examples:

Either David or his Either David or his cousin ownscousin owns that that property across the river. property across the river.

Neither Sylvia nor her Neither Sylvia nor her mothermother likeslikes going to rodeos. going to rodeos.

Neither the students nor the Neither the students nor the instructorinstructor knowsknows if classes will be held on if classes will be held on Columbus Day. Columbus Day.

Let’s practice this tricky Let’s practice this tricky rule. rule.


Either a check or a money order ( Either a check or a money order ( isis areare ) )

acceptable.acceptable.

Oops!Oops!

Remember, the verb agrees with the Remember, the verb agrees with the nearestnearest subject. subject.

Click here to try again.Click here to try again.

Yes!Yes!

Let’s try another. Click on the correct Let’s try another. Click on the correct verb. verb.

( ( WasWas WereWere ) Mr. Phelps or his son put ) Mr. Phelps or his son put on the committee? on the committee?

Not exactly. Not exactly.

Look for the nearest subject. Look for the nearest subject.


Right! Here’s another. Right! Here’s another.


Either the employees or the managerEither the employees or the manager

( ( isis areare ) confused about the policy. ) confused about the policy.

Oops!Oops!

Click here to try againClick here to try again. .

Right!Right!

Let’s move on to Rule #5:Let’s move on to Rule #5:

Amounts and distance, when used as Amounts and distance, when used as singular units of measurements, are singular units of measurements, are considered singular. considered singular.

For example:For example:

A million dollars just A million dollars just isis not enough to not enough to retire on these days. retire on these days.

Thirty miles Thirty miles seemsseems like a long walk to like a long walk to me. me.

Rule #6Rule #6

Most collective nouns, nouns that Most collective nouns, nouns that stand for groups of people or things, stand for groups of people or things, are generally treated as singular:are generally treated as singular:

The The team isteam is practicing at 6:00 a.m. practicing at 6:00 a.m. Our Our class hasclass has been cancelled tonight. been cancelled tonight. The The jury isjury is still deliberating. still deliberating.

Exception!Exception!

If individuals within a group are acting If individuals within a group are acting separately, the collective noun is separately, the collective noun is considered plural:considered plural:

The The bandband areare tuning their instruments. tuning their instruments. (Each member is tuning a different (Each member is tuning a different instrument.) instrument.)

The The audience areaudience are stomping their feet. stomping their feet.

Let’s try a few. Let’s try a few.

Click on the correct pronoun in Click on the correct pronoun in parentheses. parentheses.

The committee ( has have ) The committee ( has have ) recommended a further review. recommended a further review.

That’s not right. That’s not right.

It’s one committee, singular, not two It’s one committee, singular, not two committees. committees.


Right!Right!

Let’s try another. Click on the correct Let’s try another. Click on the correct pronoun. pronoun.

The team ( is are ) loading their The team ( is are ) loading their suitcases onto the bus. suitcases onto the bus.

Not quite. Not quite.


Most indefinite pronouns Most indefinite pronouns are singular are singular

What’s an indefinite pronoun? What’s an indefinite pronoun?

An indefinite pronoun takes the place of An indefinite pronoun takes the place of many unspecified persons or things:many unspecified persons or things:

Examples: Examples: Any, anybody, anyone, each, every, Any, anybody, anyone, each, every,

everyone, nobody, nothing, something, no everyone, nobody, nothing, something, no one, one one, one

Some indefinite pronouns Some indefinite pronouns are plural.are plural.

Plural indefinite pronouns:Plural indefinite pronouns:

Both, several, few, manyBoth, several, few, many

Some indefinite pronouns Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural. can be either singular or plural.

Pay close attention to the following Pay close attention to the following indefinite pronouns:indefinite pronouns:

All, any, some, none, most, enough, halfAll, any, some, none, most, enough, half

These can be either singular or plural, These can be either singular or plural, depending upon their function in the depending upon their function in the sentence. sentence.

Look at the noun or object that Look at the noun or object that this pronoun refers to.this pronoun refers to.

If the noun being modified is If the noun being modified is singular, treat the pronoun as singular, treat the pronoun as singular:singular:

Some of the Some of the newspaper isnewspaper is missing. missing. Most of the Most of the cake has beencake has been eaten. eaten. Half of the Half of the house washouse was damaged. damaged.

Notice that in the following Notice that in the following sentences, the pronoun refers sentences, the pronoun refers

to a plural noun:to a plural noun:

Some of the newspaper Some of the newspaper pages ispages is missing. missing.

Most of the Most of the cupcakes have beencupcakes have been eaten. eaten.

Half of the Half of the houses werehouses were damaged. damaged.


Choose the correct pronoun.Choose the correct pronoun.

Everyone concerned with the Everyone concerned with the community theater ( has have ) community theater ( has have ) helped in the fund raising. helped in the fund raising.


Remember, “everyone” is Remember, “everyone” is considered singular. considered singular.


Right!Right!

Let’s try another:Let’s try another:

Several of the students ( was were ) Several of the students ( was were ) delayed by the highway construction. delayed by the highway construction.

Not exactly. Not exactly.

““Several” is plural.Several” is plural.


Right!Right!

Let’s try one more. Let’s try one more.

None of the employees ( take takes None of the employees ( take takes ))

enough vacation time. enough vacation time.


““None” in this case is considered None” in this case is considered plural because “none” refers to plural because “none” refers to “employees.” “employees.”



This concludes the lesson. This concludes the lesson.

For more practice, try the For more practice, try the supplemental PowerPoint containing supplemental PowerPoint containing just subject-verb agreement just subject-verb agreement exercises. exercises.

subject-verb agreement a review of the rules with practice exercises

Documents

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press secretary

press conferencethe

subjectverb agreement

practice exercises

cell phone

intervening words