Subject-Verb Agreement

Connie Roper
UNC-Pembroke, NC

Here are a few simple rules to remember to help you choose the right verb in your sentences.

*A verb must agree in number with the subject. (Most singular verbs end in -s; plural verbs generally do not end in -s. Verbs used with the first person pronoun, "I," or the second person pronoun, "you," also do not end in -s.)
*The subject of the verb is never in a prepositional phrase.
*A compound subject joined by and is almost always plural.
*A compound subject joined by or or nor should have a verb that agrees with the subject nearest it.
*The verb doesn't is always singular.

When nouns or noun phrases in the subject are joined by and or by the correlative both-and the subject is plural. See the following example:

My brothers and sisters are tall.

If the coordinating conjunction or or the correlatives either-or or neither-nor are used, then the verb should agree with the closest member of the compound subject. The following are my examples:

Neither the teacher nor the students were on time. Either the members or the president is going to make the appeal.

Click on the following link to learn more. Things We Have to Remember About Subject/Verb... Once you have read over the material here, try this for fun: Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement
 

Some confusion may arise if a sentence includes a parenthetical phrase such as as well as or in addition to. Look at the following sentence: The bedroom, in addition to the bathroom, needs to be cleaned. A parenthetical phrase is not treated as a part of the subject. Because this sentence sounds awkward, a speaker may want to say, "The bedroom and the bathroom need to be cleaned." Another way to determine the correct verb is to determine the headword in a noun phrase. Consider the following sentence: The stack of dishes was leaning. You might be tempted to say *"The stack of dishes were leaning." But the headword in this sentence is stack, which is singular and therefore takes a singular verb; the phrase "of dishes" is a prepositional phrase and should not affect our decision to use a singular or plural verb. Look at this sentence: *The frustrating new requirements for graduation annoys me. This sentence is incorrect. I have used the wrong noun to determine the verb. The sentence should read: The frustrating new requirements for graduation annoy me.

In some cases with collective nouns the verb can be either singular or plural depending on the context and meaning. "The jury disagree about the suspect's guilt." "The jury is present."
The preceding sentences indicate the different use of the collective noun jury. Similarly, we need to examine context when choosing verbs for "singular-in-form" nouns such as remainder, rest, and number as well as certain indefinite pronouns, including some, all, and enough. The rest of the cake is mine. The rest of the students are hungry, too. Some of the cake was eaten. Some students were waiting for more. This may seem confusing, but remember you are talking about only one cake but several students.

One other thing to take into consideration when using the correct verb is the confusion often associated with the auxiliaries don't and doesn't. The auxiliary doesn't agrees with singular nouns and the singular third-person pronouns: he, she, and it.. Don't is used with plural nouns and all other personal pronouns. It doesn't seem right. She doesn't care. Martha isn't home. I don't skate. They don't live here. We don't argue. These birds are beautiful.
 

EXERCISE

Find and correct errors (if any) in subject-verb agreement in the following sentences.

1. There were a boy, a girl, and a dog on the porch.
2. The new line of Ford Explorers are expensive.
3. The instructions for this test is hard.
4. Some of the members are missing.
5. Some of the team is here.
6. The trees and the shrub is in bloom.
7. Either the teacher or the students is going to
publish the web page.
8. Neither the windows nor the floor were cleaned.
9. Mia, as well as Monique, have on her mother's clothes.
10. Doughnuts and coffee was served.
11. The vision in my eyes seem to be improving.
12. Cereal along with milk make a good breakfast.
13. Some bugs, as well as the chameleon, changes colors.
14. Either the computer or the programmers is wrong.
15. Neither apples, pears, nor peaches requires peeling.

Click here for answers.

Bibliography
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Kolln, Martha and Robert Funk. Understanding English Grammar. Fifth Edition. Needham, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon. 1998.

This book focuses on grammar and parts of the sentence. The authors introduce topics and terms about Standard English you may not have heard in high school.

Littel, Joy, ed. Basic Skills in English. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal, Littell & Company, 1985.

This book is a high school text and teaches the basic structure of sentences.

Englishtown. Internet. www.englishtown.com

This an interesting web site created by students and teachers which offers information and ideas about learning English as well as teaching English.

Edited by Mark Canada