Subject and Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural. Problems occur in
the present tense because one must add an -s or -es at the end of the verb when the subjects or the entity
performing the action is a singular third person: he, she, it, or words for which these pronouns could substitute.
Notice the difference between singular and plural forms in the following examples:
Singular Plural
The student sings. (He or she sings) Your children sing. (They sing)
The bird does migrate. (It does) Those birds do migrate. (They do)
In order to find out if your subject and verb agree, you need to be able to identify the subject of your sentence.
Here are some helpful hints that will help you to decipher where your subject is and where it is not.

Where is my subject?
Most likely, your verb will agree with the first noun to the left of the verb:
The Supreme Court judge decides the appropriate
penalty.
Subject: judge Verb: decides
The committee members were satisfied with the
resolution.
Subject: members Verb: were
Occasionally, a sentence has the subject after the verb instead of before it. This strategy is often used
for poetic effect.
Over the ripples glides a small canoe.
Subject: a small canoe Verb: glides
There was a well-known writer at the meeting.
Subject: a well-known writer Verb: was
You will not find the subject in a modifying phrase (MP), a phrase that starts with a preposition, a
gerund, or a relative pronoun and that modifies the meaning of the noun or subject under discussion.
The group of students is going on a field trip.
Subject: the group MP: of students Verb: is
The survey covering seven colleges reveals a growth
in enrollment.
Subject: the
survey
MP: covering seven
colleges
Verb:
reveals
The speaker whom you saw at the lecture is one of the
state senators from Minnesota.
Subject: the
speaker
MP: whom you saw at
the lecture
Verb: is
If subjects are joined by and, they are considered plural.
The quarterback and the coach are having a
conference.
Subject: the quarterback and the
coach
Verb: are
having
If subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the closer subject.
Either the actors or the director is at fault.
Subjects: actors, director Verb: is
Either the director or the actors are at fault.
Subjects: director, actors Verb: are
The relative pronouns (who, whom, which, and that) are either singular or plural, depending on the
words they refer to.
The sales manager is a good researcher who spends a
great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Subject: the sales manager Verbs: is, spends
Sales managers are good researchers who spend a
great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Subject: sales managers Verbs: are, spend
Indefinite pronouns (someone, somebody, each, either one, everyone, or anyone) are considered
singular and need singular verbs although they convey plural meaning.
Anyone who wants to pursue higher education has to
pass entrance exams.
Subject: anyone Verbs: wants, has
Everyone on the committee is welcome to express
his/her ideas.
Subject: everyone Verb: is
A few nouns can be either plural or singular, depending on whether they mean a group or separate
individuals. These words are rarely used as plurals in modern writing.
The jury is sequestered.
Subject: jury Verb: is
The jury are having an argument.
Subject: jury Verb: are having
A few subjects look plural but are really singular or vice versa.
The news of the discovery is spreading.
Subject: news Verb: is
The mass media have publicized the facts.
Subject: mass media Verb: have publicized
The data amaze everyone.
Subject: data Verb: amaze









20 Rules About Subject-Verb Agreement
Is, or are? Go, or goes? Whether a verb is singular or plural depends on any one of a complicated set of factors.
Here is a roster of rules for subject-verb agreement (or Here are some rules . . .):
1. Use verbs that agree with a subject, not with a noun that is part of a modifying phrase or clause
between verb and subject:
The pot of eggs is boiling on the stove.
2. Use singular or plural verbs that agree with the subject, not with the complement of the subject:
My favorite type of movie is comedies, but Comedies are my favorite type of movie.
3. Use singular verbs with singular indefinite pronouns each, the -bodies, -ones, and -things
(anybody, everyone, nothing), and the like:
Neither is correct. (And, just as in rule number 1, the presence of a modifier is irrelevant: Neither of them is
correct.)
4. Use plural verbs with plural indefinite pronouns:
Many outcomes are possible.
5. Use singular verbs with uncountable nouns that follow an indefinite pronoun:
All the paint is dried up.
6. Use plural verbs with countable nouns that follow an indefinite pronoun:
All the nails are spilled on the floor.
7. Use plural verbs with compound subjects that include and:
The dog and the cat are outside.
8. Use plural verbs or singular verbs, depending on the form of the noun nearest the verb, with
compound subjects that include nor or or:
Either the dog or the cats are responsible for the mess. (Either the cats or the dog is responsible for the
mess is also technically correct but is awkward.)
9. Use singular verbs with inverted subjects that include singular nouns:
Why is my hat outside in the rain?
10. Use plural verbs with inverted subjects (those beginning with the expletive thererather than the
actual subject) that include plural nouns:
There are several hats outside in the rain.
11. Use singular or plural verbs with collective nouns depending on meaning:
His staff is assembled, but Staff are asked to go to the conference room immediately. (In the first sentence,
the emphasis is on the body of employees; in the second sentence, the focus is on compliance by each individual
in the body of employees.)
12. Use singular verbs for designations of entities, such as nations or organizations, or compositions, such
as books or films:
The United Nations is headquartered in New York.
13. Use singular verbs for subjects plural in form but singular in meaning:
Physics is my favorite subject.
14. Use singular or plural verbs for subjects plural in form but plural or singular in meaning depending
on the context:
The economics of the situation are complicated, but Economics is a complicated topic.
15. Use plural verbs for subjects plural in form and meaning:
The tweezers are in the cupboard.
16. Use plural verbs in constructions of the form one of those (blank) who . . .:
I am one of those eccentrics who do not tweet.
17. Use singular verbs in constructions of the form the only one of those (blank) who . . .:
I am the only one of my friends who does not tweet.
18. Use singular verbs in constructions of the form the number of (blank) . . .:
The number of people here boggles the mind.
19. Use plural verbs in constructions of the form a number of (blank) . . .:
A number of people here disagree.
20. Use singular verbs in construction of the forms every (blank) . . . and many a (blank) . . .:
Every good boy does fine; Many a true word is spoken in jest.