Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-VerbAgreement_________________________________________________________________

California Estate University East Bay * ENGL1002College Writing II * Prof. Georgie Ovenden1CONTENTS1. Singular and Plural Subjects 2. What is Subject-Verb Agreement?3. When does lack of Subject-Verb Agreement happen?4.Buried Subjects5. Compound Subjects6. Or and Either/Or Subjects7. Clauses and Phrases as Subjects8. Indefinites as Subjects9. Collective Nouns and Amounts as Subjects10. Plural Words as Subjects11. Titles, Company Names, Words, and Quotations as Subjects12. Linking Verbs13. There (is/are), Here (is/are), and It14. Who, Which, That and One of as Subjects2 1. Singular and Plural Subjects1In any sentence, look for the subject. Is it singular or plural? That will help you determine the verb ending.

SINGULARFor singular nouns, pronouns, and nouns that cannot be counted (i.e. news, time, happiness), use verbs in singular. I chew. Water drips. Time flies. You laugh.

PLURALFor plural nouns and pronouns, use verbs in plural.

We know. The cups are clean. They stretch.

1. (Harris, 53)(Harris, 53) Book PARAP.. EX sent to Meron 10pm

3By changing the time of the sentence (present, past, future), you can easily find the verb in a sentence because the verb is the word that changes with time.

Laura memorizes poetry.Jean memorized verses last night.Jim will memorize the play next weekend. HINT FindingThe Subjectand Verb

1. Identify verb2. (Harris, 54) Book Parad.. Liv

42. Beware of the following words at the beginning of some phrases. They distract us from the main subject. These are:includingin addition toalong withtogether withaccompanied bywithas well as exceptno less than

All of us in the class, except for Greg, have a disability.

HINT Finding The Subject and Verb2

2. Beware of distractersSUBJECTVERB2. (Harris, 54)2. (Harris, 54) Pard.. Liv52. What is Subject-VerbAgreement?Subject-Verb Agreement is a grammatical rule that requires a verb to agree in number with the subject (Carlin, n.p.).

For example, a singular subject must take a singular verb and if the subject is plural its verb must be in plural form.

Image: NIU - Northern Illinois University . Web.Jon IMAGE: Effective Writing Practices Tutorial - Subject Verb Agreement. NIU - Northern Illinois University - Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

62. What is Subject-Verb Agreement? - Continued...The subject and verb have to match in number to each other. When the subject is singular then the verb must become singular. If the subject is plural, then the verb must become plural.

When you make a verb into a plural or singular it all has to do with the letter s. If the subject is singular, add an s to the end of the word. When the subject is plural then dont add the s at the end of the verb. This is where the common mistakes come in.Tony works at the mall.They work at the mall.

Zakeei7HINT Subject-Verb AgreementIn present tense sentences. It is incorrect to have an s ending in the verb when you have one an s ending on the subject (such as plural subject nouns) and vice versa. Also, many third person, present tense, and singular verbs use an s ending. In other words, dont use a singular verb with a plural subject, nor a plural verb with a singular subject3.

Cars pollute. The factory pollutes. 3. (Harris, 53)3. (Harris, 53) Book Para Liv83. When does lack of Subject-Verb Agreement happen?Subject-Verb Agreement can be rather difficult to identify due to the variation of subjects and verbs used in a sentence.

If we mistakenly pair a singular subject with a verb that is in plural form then we lack Subject-Verb Agreement.

Image: Kansas.com Blogs. Web.JonIMAGE: McLendon, Lisa. "Agreement | Grammar Monkeys | Wichita Eagle Blogs." Kansas.com Blogs An Index to Wichita Eagle Blogs, plus a Feed of All Blog Posts. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

94.Buried SubjectsMore complex phrases have several other words besides the main subject, which separates the subject and verb. Sometimes in between the subject and the verb there is a phrase, but the verb still has to agree with the subject. When you find this, ignore prepositional phrases; modifiers; who, which, and that clauses; and those other words that do not belong to the main idea (Harris, 53).The ceiling, as well as the wooden floors and the wall, need repair.

The ceiling, as well as the wooden floors and the wall, needs repair.[As the subject is the ceiling and not the floors, the writer must make the verb singular not plural.]

SUBJECTVERBSUBJECTVERBJon4. (Harris, 53) The example from the book says:

Almost all of Methas many friends who are invited to her party are bringing gifts. In this sentence, Almost is a modifier, of Methas many friends is a prepositional phrase, and who are invited to her party is a who clause that describes friends.]

10Whenever you are confused about whether you have to add the letter s or not, add in the word it if the subject is singular, or they if the subject is plural, and try the verb with an s and without it. Then, decide if they should make their verb singular or plural.

HINT The It and TheyTechniqueZakeei 11EXERCISE | The It and They TechniqueITTHEYWhich verb sounds correct?

Mary (makes, make) a great sandwich.

It (makes, make) a great sandwichWhich verb sounds correct?

Mary and Tom (walks, walk) to the park.

They (walks, walk) to the park.

Zakeei12EXERCISE | The It and They TechniqueCORRECT: Mary makes a great sandwich

[Mary is singular so you must make the verb singular which means adding an "s" to the end of the verb.]

CORRECT: Mary and Tom walk to the park.

[Mary and Tom are plural so you must make the verb plural.]

ITTHEYZakeei135. Compound Subjects:When two or more words, or phrases are joined together by and or nor.If you use and to connect two or more nouns or pronouns, use a plural verb. (B and C = plural.)

The mother and daughter share a close friendship.

However, do not use plural if the compound subjects are used as one element, use instead a singular verb.

The garden and the flowers is what I care about most.

SUBJECTVERB Zakeei + Liv146. Or and Either/Or in SubjectsUse a singular verb when two singular subjects are joined by the words or or nor.

The teacher or the girl wants to write on the board.

Use a verb that agrees with the closer subject word when the subjects are a plural and a singular noun and are joined by or or either...or, neither...nor, or not only...but also (Harris, 54).

Neither red bulbs nor a black screen was allowed in this room.

Not only the kid but also his toys are back in the yard.

Zakeei + Jon + Liv

6. (Harris, 54) Book parapd Liv.

When the subject words are joined by or or either or, neither nor, or not only but also, the verb agrees with the closer subject word.Gang colors or dyed hair is not allowd in that school.Either Aleeza or her children are going to bed early.Neither the actors nor the director is ready for the performance.Not onlyy the clouds but also the snow was gray that day.

157. Clauses and Phrases as SubjectsUse a singular verb if the subject is built by the whole phrase/clause.The book I want to buy is too expensive.

Use a plural verb if the verb is a form of the verb be and its complement or the noun after the verb is also plural.

What they wanted were millions of cushions of color.

[What they wanted = millions of cushions]7. (Harris, 55) Book Parad...Liv

What I want to know is why I can't try the test again.Saving money is difficult to do.To live happily seems like a worthwhile goal. clause or phrase is the subject, use a singular verb

However, if the verb is a form of be and the noun afterward (the complement) is plural, the verb has to be plural. What we saw were pictures of the experiment.

168. Indefinites as SubjectsUse a singular verb for indefinite words with singular meanings, such as each, every and any that are used as the subject word or when they precede it (Harris, 55).Each wants something different.Each kind of animal has an interesting biology.

Sometimes, other indefinite words such as none, some, most or all, are used as the subject word (55). In these cases, Use a verb according to the meaning of the subject.

None of the students is asking questions. [None of the students is the subject of the sentence. It is used here as one unit, so you have to use a singular verb.]Most of the students are tired now. [Most of the students refers to multiple persons, so you have to think of it as plural subject with a plural verb (55).]8. (Harris, 55) Book ParadLiv

Indefinite words with singular meanings, such as each, every, and any, take a singular verb when they are the subject word or when they precede the subject word.Each has her own preference.Each book is checked in by the librarian.

However, when indefinite words such as none, some, most, or all are the subject, the number of the verb depends on the meaning of the subject. Some of the book is difficult to follow. [The subject of the sentence is a portion of the book and is therefore thought of as a single unit and has a singular verb.]Some of us are leaving now. [The subject of this sentence is several people and is therefore thought of as a plural subject with a plural verb]All she wants is to be left alone.All my sweaters are in that drawer.

[The subject of this sentence is several people and is therefore thought of as a plural subject with a plural verb]

17When the writer is talking about a collection of something (a group of people, team, family, committee, etc.). With collective nouns, it is easy to believe that because there are several involved, it takes a plural verb, but a group is one unit.

The staff feel the policy is wrong.The staff feels the policy is wrong.DefinitionCollective NounsZakeei + ParadLiv Book189. Collective Nouns and Amounts as SubjectsAlthough it is less common, you can use of the collective noun referring to members/items as separate individuals. Use a plural verb in these cases.

The family are disagreeing with each others ideas.

Use a singular verb when you name an amount in the subject.Hundred dollars is enough.Two stacks is plenty.Usually 12 miles is what I run every day. 11. (Harris, 56) Book Parad...Liv.

In most cases, a collective noun refers to the group acting together as a unit, but occassionally the collective noun refers to members acting individually. In that case, the verb is plural.

The committee are unhappy with each others decisions. [The subject here is thought of as different people, not as a single unit.]

When the subject names an amount, the verb is singular.Twent-five cents is cheap.Four bushels is enough.More than 125 miles is too far. Six dollars is the price.

1910. Plural Words as SubjectsA sentence can have both a singular subject and also a plural subject when it is joined by and or nor. This is where it can get confusing, how do you know which verb to use? In such case, make the verb agree to the nearest subject.

The dirt and dust particles pose a threat to your new furnace.

When words are considered a single unit they take on a singular verb. Subjects like physics and news end with s but are considered a single subject.

The news is interesting.Zakeei12. (Harris, 56) Book Parapd Kim

Some words that have an s plural ending, such as civics, mathematics, measles, news, and economics, are thought of as a single unit and take a singular verb.Physics is fascinating.Measles is unpleasant. Four bushels is enough.The news is disheartening.Modern economics shows contradictions.

Some words, such as those in the following list, are treated as plural and take a plural verb, even though they refer to one thing. (In many cases, there are two parts to these things.)

Designer jeans are fashionable.Eyeglasses are inexpensive.Pants cover his tan.Shears cut cloth.Scissors cut paper. Thanks are not necessary.Clippers trim hedges.Riches are his dream.

20SUBJECT11. Titles, Company Names, Words, and Quotations as SubjectsAnother common mistake is when talking about a company. People will try to refer to a company as they, when they should be referring to it as it. A company is considered singular and not plural.Use a singular verb.Safeway has a strong team. It treats the employees like family.

When the subject is a title, company, term, or quote the verb should be singular even though the subject ends with an s.

All the Kings Men is a good book.Lowes is open today.Apples for the teacher! is what the boy said.

Zakeei13. (Harris, 56-57) Book ParadKim

For titles of written works, names of companies, words used as terms, and quotations, use singular verbs.

All the Kings Men is the book assigned for this week.General Foods is hiring people for its new plant.Thanks is not in his vocabulary.Cookies for everyone is what she said.

2112. Linking VerbsWhen a sentence has a linking verb, the verb agrees with the subject and not the words that follow the verb.

Her solution is to fix the papers. Big words are hard to pronounce.

14. (Harris, 57) Book Parad.. Kim2213. There (is/are), Here (is/are), and ItWhen a sentence begins with there or here, the verb will agree with the subject that follows the verb or the complement.

There is an exciting new book to read.There are too many books to read.Here walks the evil spirit. Here walk the ghosts.

When it is the subject it always takes a singular verb even when a plural verb follows.

It was ducks in the pond that quacked at my friends.

15. (Harris, 57) Book ParadKim

2314. Who, Which, That and One of as SubjectsWhen the subject is who, which, or that, the verb agrees with the antecedent or the word before the verb.

This is the tree that has more limes.

Those are the girls who have emphysema.

11. (Harris, 57) Book Para Kim

2414. Who, Which, That and One of as Subjects Continued...You must decide if a verb should be singular or plural when dealing with phases like one of those who/which/that. First you decide if the who, which, or that refers to a group or just one person, then make the verb agree with that subject.

Betty is one of those singers who sing only on the weekends.[In this sentence, Betty is part of a large group, singers who sing only on the weekends acts like others in that group. Therefore, who takes a plural verb because it refers to singers.]

Sour dough bread is one of the breads that smells good.[Sour dough bread is part of a group of breads; but in this case, the this bread smells good and the other breads may. Therefore, that refers to that one bread and takes a singular verb.]

ParadKim2515. Dont vs. Doesnt The word doesnt should be used with a singular subject.The boy doesnt talk to his friend.

The word dont should be used with a plural subject.

Girls dont like boys.Jon + Kim2616. Someone, somebodyThe words someone, somebody, anybody, nobody, anyone, everyone, either, each, each one, no one, and neither should be used with a singular verb.

Everyone need time to play.

Everyone needs time to play.

Jon27Subject-Verb Agreement occurs when the subject and verb endings agree in number and person (Harris, 52).

RememberImage: Jose Carrillos English Forum. Web.12. (Harris, 52) Book ParapraseIMAGE: "Subject-Verb Agreement?" Jose Carillo's English Forum. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. 28Works CitedCarlin, Susan E. Subject-verb Explanation.Electronic Educational Environment. UC Irvine. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. .Harris, Muriel. 3 - Revising Sentences for Accuracy, Clarity, and Variety. Prentice Hall Reference Guide. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson | Prentice Hall, 2006. 52-59. Print.Marshall, Pam. "Subject Verb Agreement." K12 Reader: Reading Instruction Resources for Teachers and Parents. n.p., 2011. Web. 21 Nov 2011. .

Please check that your source is accurate with this information.29Works CitedIMAGES: Effective Writing Practices Tutorial - Subject Verb Agreement. NIU - Northern Illinois University - Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. McLendon, Lisa. "Agreement | Grammar Monkeys | Wichita Eagle Blogs." Kansas.com Blogs An Index to Wichita Eagle Blogs, plus a Feed of All Blog Posts. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. http://blogs.kansas.com/grammar/tag/agreement/ "Subject-Verb Agreement?" Jose Carillo's English Forum. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. http://josecarilloforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=240.30

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