Name __________________________________________

Subject-Verb Agreement
PowerPoint Companion: Advanced Rules

Rule #1- Subjects and verbs must agree in number. Rule #2- When dealing with a contraction, look only at the verb.
Singular subjects typically do NOT end in s. Mr. White _______________ like to fly.(doesnt, does)
Singular verbs typically DO end in s.

Rule #3- When identifying the subject, avoid prepositional phrases. Rule #4- Collective nouns are singular subjects.
The flowers in the vase ______________ water. My family _________________ Hanukkah.
(needs, need) (celebrate, celebrates)

Mrs. Thompsons class _________________ quite talkative. (is, are)

The audience _________________ at the end of the play. (claps, clap)

My dance team _________________ four nights a week. (practice, practices)

The band _________________ at every football game. (perform, performs)

Rule #5- Indefinite pronouns are often singular. Rule #6- Indefinite pronouns can be plural.

Everybody _________________ to win. Both _________________ interesting.

(want, wants) (look, looks)

Each of the 5th grade teachers_________________ nice. (seems, seem) A few of the students _________________ good ideas. (has, have)

Nothing _________________ very well organized. (is, are) Many _________________ going to be late. (is, are)

Something by the bikes ______________ making a strange sound. (is, are) Others _________________ decided not to join. (have, has)

Everything ________________ sense at the end of the book. (make, makes) Several _________________ a reward. (deserves, deserve)

Rule #7- A noun with two joined parts is plural. Rule #8- Here and there are never subjects.

The scissors _________________ sharp. There ___________ ten kids on my team.

(is, are) (is, are)

There _________________ an annoying bee buzzing near my ear. (is, are)

Here _________________ the book I borrowed from you. (is, are)

My goggles _________________ at the bottom of the pool. (is, are) Here _________________ the first marathon runner. (come, comes)

Kendras tights _________________ a hole in the knee. (has, have) Here _________________ our suitcases! (come, comes)

That pair of jeans ______________ expensive. (is, are) There _________________ still one coin missing. (is, are)

There _________________ 25 members of the Chess Club. (is, are)

Here _________________ your keys. (is, are)

Here _________________ your order of French fries. (is, are)

 Rule #9- Noncount nouns are singular subjects. Examples of Noncount Nouns

The grass ______________ to be mowed.

(needs, need)

The flour that fell on the floor ___________ to be swept away. (need, needs)

The bags of flour _________________ ten pounds. (weigh, weighs)

The water _________________ perfect for swimming. (is, are)

The popcorn at theaters _________________ too buttery. (is, are)

Driving through the mountains ________________ me carsick. (make, makes)

Spaghetti _________________ my favorite food. (is, are)

Two sticks of butter ______________ needed for the cookie recipe. (is, are)

The snow ____________ beautiful when it is falling from the sky. (look, looks)

Rule #10- Units of distance, time, and money are singular. Rule #11- Portion words have a very special rule.
Five miles _________________ too far to walk. This is one time when you will look at the prepositional phrase to help you
(is, are) determine when to use the singular verb or the plural verb.

Some of the girls _________________ to swim. (want, wants)

Most of the cheese _________________ moldy. (is, are)

Ten years _________________ passed since I last saw my aunt. (has, have) All of the caramel _________________ gone. (is, are)

Five dollars_________________ the cost of driving on the toll road. (is, are) All of the leaves _________________ fallen from the tree. (has, have)

There _________________ two months of school left. (is, are) Most of his money _________________ been spent. (has, have)

Fifty dollars _________________ too much to pay for these shoes. (is, are) The majority of the students _____________ completed the test. (has, have)

Most of the team _________________ sick. (is, are)

All of the pumpkin pie _________________ been eaten. (has, have)

Some of the beds still _________________ to be made. (need, needs)

Most of the cars _________________ moving. (isnt, arent)

 Are the following sentences written correctly?
1. There is a wasp nest under the slide. 2. Your denim shorts is in the washing machine.

3. My moms family are planning a reunion for next 4. Each of the girls have a ring from their grandmother.
summer.

5. Fifteen dollars for this pair of jeans is a great deal! 6. Most of the crowd are standing and cheering.

7. Soccer is Maddy and Jasons favorite sport. 8. Everyone on the team are friendly.

9. Some of the children have never seen snow before. 10. Twenty-five years are a long time to wait.

11. Here comes the buses. 12. Several of the teachers at my school have children.

13. The ice in the cups of lemonade have melted. 14. My goggles are foggy.

15. The City Council meets twice a month. 16. That team dont like to lose.

17. Here is the pizza you ordered! 18. Each of the books has a surprise ending.
 Name __________________________________________

ANSWER KEY

Subject-Verb Agreement
PowerPoint Companion: Advanced Rules

Rule #1- Subjects and verbs must agree in number. Rule #2- When dealing with a contraction, look only at the verb.
Singular subjects typically do NOT end in s. doesnt
Mr. White _______________ like to fly.(doesnt, does)
Singular verbs typically DO end in s.

Rule #3- When identifying the subject, avoid prepositional phrases. Rule #4- Collective nouns are singular subjects.
need
The flowers in the vase ______________ water. celebrates Hanukkah.
My family _________________
(needs, need) (celebrate, celebrates)

family class
group audience
team organization
is
Mrs. Thompsons class _________________ quite talkative. (is, are)

claps
The audience _________________ at the end of the play. (claps, clap)

practices
My dance team _________________ four nights a week. (practice, practices)

performs
The band _________________ at every football game. (perform, performs)
Rule #5- Indefinite pronouns are often singular. Rule #6- Indefinite pronouns can be plural.

wants
Everybody _________________ to win. look
Both _________________ interesting.
(want, wants) (look, looks)

each everyone someone anyone both others

another everything something anything few several
nothing everybody somebody anybody many
seems
Each of the 5th grade teachers_________________ nice. (seems, seem) have
A few of the students _________________ good ideas. (has, have)
is
Nothing _________________ very well organized. (is, are) are
Many _________________ going to be late. (is, are)
is
Something by the bikes ______________ making a strange sound. (is, are) have
Others _________________ decided not to join. (have, has)
makes
Everything ________________ sense at the end of the book. (make, makes) deserve
Several _________________ a reward. (deserves, deserve)

Rule #7- A noun with two joined parts is plural. Rule #8- Here and there are never subjects.

are
The scissors _________________ sharp. are
There ___________ ten kids on my team.
(is, are) (is, are)

glasses pants tights scissors is

There _________________ an annoying bee buzzing near my ear. (is, are)
binoculars shorts leggings pliers
goggles jeans tweezers is
Here _________________ the book I borrowed from you. (is, are)

are
My goggles _________________ at the bottom of the pool. (is, are) comes
Here _________________ the first marathon runner. (come, comes)

have
Kendras tights _________________ a hole in the knee. (has, have) come
Here _________________ our suitcases! (come, comes)

is
That pair of jeans ______________ expensive. (is, are) is
There _________________ still one coin missing. (is, are)

are
There _________________ 25 members of the Chess Club. (is, are)

are
Here _________________ your keys. (is, are)

is
Here _________________ your order of French fries. (is, are)
 ANSWER KEY
Rule #9- Noncount nouns are singular subjects. Examples of Noncount Nouns

needs
The grass ______________ to be mowed.
(needs, need) WATER milk, tea, gasoline, coffee
needs to be swept away. (need, needs)
The flour that fell on the floor ___________
AIR oxygen, smoke, steam
weigh
The bags of flour _________________ ten pounds. (weigh, weighs)
SUGAR salt, rice, flour, popcorn, corn
is
The water _________________ perfect for swimming. (is, are)

is
The popcorn at theaters _________________ too buttery. (is, are) ICE butter, bread, cheese, gold, money

makes
Driving through the mountains ________________ me carsick. (make, makes) SOCCER dance, basketball, swimming
is
Spaghetti _________________ my favorite food. (is, are)
RAIN fog, snow, weather, fire, energy
are
Two sticks of butter ______________ needed for the cookie recipe. (is, are)

looks beautiful when it is falling from the sky. (look, looks)

The snow ____________

Rule #10- Units of distance, time, and money are singular. Rule #11- Portion words have a very special rule.
is
Five miles _________________ too far to walk. This is one time when you will look at the prepositional phrase to help you
(is, are) determine when to use the singular verb or the plural verb.

want
Some of the girls _________________ to swim. (want, wants)

is
Most of the cheese _________________ moldy. (is, are)

has
Ten years _________________ passed since I last saw my aunt. (has, have) is
All of the caramel _________________ gone. (is, are)

is
Five dollars_________________ the cost of driving on the toll road. (is, are) have
All of the leaves _________________ fallen from the tree. (has, have)

is
There _________________ two months of school left. (is, are) has
Most of his money _________________ been spent. (has, have)

is
Fifty dollars _________________ too much to pay for these shoes. (is, are) have
The majority of the students _____________ completed the test. (has, have)

is
Most of the team _________________ sick. (is, are)

has
All of the pumpkin pie _________________ been eaten. (has, have)

need
Some of the beds still _________________ to be made. (need, needs)

arent
Most of the cars _________________ moving. (isnt, arent)

By Deb Hanson 2015

Clip art by Educlips
Fonts by Hello Literacy and KG Fonts
 Are the following sentences written correctly?
are
1. There is a wasp nest under the slide. yes 2. Your denim shorts is in the washing machine. no
You may choose to have students justify their
answers in this space.

is has
3. My moms family are planning a reunion for next no 4. Each of the girls have a ring from their grandmother.
summer. no

5. Fifteen dollars for this pair of jeans is a great deal! 6. Most of the crowd are standing and cheering.
yes

is
7. Soccer is Maddy and Jasons favorite sport. yes 8. Everyone on the team are friendly. no

is
9. Some of the children have never seen snow before. 10. Twenty-five years are a long time to wait. no
yes

come
11. Here comes the buses. no 12. Several of the teachers at my school have children.
yes

has
13. The ice in the cups of lemonade have melted. no 14. My goggles are foggy. yes

doesnt
15. The City Council meets twice a month. yes 16. That team dont like to lose. no

17. Here is the pizza you ordered! yes 18. Each of the books has a surprise ending. yes