By:

Capoeira
Erwin (080)
(082)
Arfinsa (081)

Subject-Verb
Agreement
 Subject-Verb Agreement

Do I need an Or should I
s at the end leave the s
of the verb? Thisoff?
presentation
covers
maintaining
agreement
between
subjects and
verbs.
A subject-verb agreement
item on an objective test
might look like this ...
 SAMPLE ITEM
The foods that provide good nutrition is

often the least tasty; a hamburger and fries,

on the other hand, satisfy the tongue but

clog the arteries. Does

Is needs to be
disagreement
the plural are,
happen at
A. provides which option B
provide, is, or
B. are fixes.
satisfy?
C. satisfies
D. No change is necessary.
Agreement in a Nutshell

The elephant
trumpets for a peanut.
elephant = singular subject
trumpets = singular verb

The elephants
trumpet for peanuts.
elephants = plural subject
trumpet = plural verb
 In the present tense, singular
verbs end in the suffix s; plural
verbs do not.

RULE
The chicken wing and
pork rib sit untouched on
Ruths plate.
Note:

Because theres no s at the end

of sit, you know its a plural
verb.
Every chicken wing and
pork rib sits untouched on
Ruths plate.

Note:

Because there is an s at the

end of sit, you know its a
singular verb.
Every chicken wing, pork rib, slice
of pepperoni pizza, hotdog,
hamburger, steak, and fried shrimp
sits untouched on Ruths plate.
Use caution with these three
c o n j u n c t i o n s : ei ther or ,
nei ther nor , a n d not onl y
but al s o .

Not only the boss

employees
but also
buther
also their
employees
wishes
boss wish the wish
the shift
shift thewould
wouldshift
end. would
end. end.

Youll flip two

If youhave the two
subjects,
subjects,but
so
only theemployees
that closer onein
is next
this
to
verb, boss
the case then wish
counts
will work!
!
These indefinite pronouns are
always singular [even when they
seem plural].

Each, either, neither

Anyone, anybody, anything
Everyone, everybody, everything
No one, nobody, nothing
Someone, somebody, something
Everyone on Earth =
more than one
personbillions of
people, in fact.
The word everyone,
however, is still
singular.
 Quick Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
No change is necessary.

Show me
what you
know.
 Item 1

In the cabinet is
is the
arethe
the
tools
tools
tools
that
that
that
you
you
youwill
will
will
need
need
needto
toto
AA
unclog the bathroom sink; I have
have found
found that
that aa
B
plunger and a prayer often do do the
the trick.
trick.
C

A. are
B. has
C. does
D. No change is necessary.
 Item 2
Here are the books that Thomas and Darlene
A
need for their research, and here is
is the
arethe
the
earplugs
earplugs
earplugs
BB
that youll require once they both doze
doze off
off in
in
C
boredom and start snoring.

A. is
B. are
C. dozes
D. No change is necessary.
 Item 3

Jasmine and Rodney have

have decided
decided to
to double
double the
the
A
number of cupcakes that they are baking since
B
everyone love
love moist
lovesmoist
moistcake
cake
cakeand
and
andchocolate
chocolate
chocolatefrosting.
frosting.
frosting.
CC

A. has
B. is
C. loves
loves
D. No change is necessary.
 Item 4

Not only those students but also their professor

looksforward
look
look forward
forwardto
toto
the
the
thefinal
final
final
exam;
exam;
exam;everyone
everyone
everyonehas
has
has
AA BB
exciting vacation plans that start start next
next Monday.
Monday.
C

A. looks
looks
B. have
C. starts
D. No change is necessary.
 Item 5
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil

tries
try
try to
toto
climb
climb
climb
the
the
the
walls
walls
walls
of
ofof
its
itsits
glass
glass
glass
cage
cage
cage
while
while
while
AA
humans hoverhover outside
outside like
like giant
giant predators
predators who
who are
are
B C
ready to strike.

A. tries
tries
B. hovers
C. is
D. No change is necessary.
THE END