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SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs; Plural
subjects take plural verbs.

Examples:

• Family plays a significant role in individual’s

value formation.
• The students bring their experiment at the
Science laboratory.
2. Indefinite pronouns each, everyone, no one,
someone, somebody, nobody, and every take
singular verbs.

Examples:

Everybody is expected to attend the ICI

Acquaintance Party 2012.
Everyone seems excited to witness the stage
play of the BSED students.
3. Collective nouns take singular verbs if
they are taken as a single unit.

Examples:

• The class spends its free time in the library.

• The committee decides on the case about
drug addiction.
4. Collective nouns take plural verbs if they act
individually.

Example:

The crew disagree on the decision of the store

owners.
5. Compound subjects joined by either- or and neither-
nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. If the
subject near the verb is singular, it takes singular
verb. If it takes plural verb if the subject near the verb
is plural.

Examples:
• Neither the BSBA students nor the BSTM students
attend the seminar.
• Either the coach or the player comes on time.
• Neither the principal nor the teachers arrive late at the
assembly.
• Either the president or the secretaries move in the right
direction.
6. Intervening words do not affect the number of
verbs.

Example:

• Star Cinema, in cooperation with Viva Films,

presents “The Pinoy Avengers.”
• The mayor together with his sons visits the
slum area.
7. Nouns that are plural in form but
singular in meaning agree with singular
verbs.

Examples:

• Physics is a difficult subject.

• The news brings excitement to the crowd.
8. The expression a number takes plural verb;
the expression the number takes singular verb.

Examples:
• A number of people die in Japan earthquake.
• A number of children were affected by the
economic crisis.
• The number of absentees was reduced during
the second quarter.
• The number of ICI enrollees has increased this
school year.
9. An amount of money, space of time, or unit of
measurement even in plural form takes singular
verb.

Examples:

• Three meters of cloth is enough for the table.

• Twenty pesos is what I need.
10. Compound subjects connected by and takes a plural
verb.

Examples:

• Meriam and Joyce visit in my house.

• The teacher and the researcher discuss the
weak points of the proposition.
11. Compound subject connected by and takes a
singular verb if the subject means the same
thing or person.

Examples:
• My cousin and friend travels to Macau for
educational tour.
• The secretary and treasurer is trustworthy.
12. Title of books, magazines, movies must have a singular
verb.

Examples:

• “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer is my favorite poem.

• “The Avengers” hits the Philippine cinema by
storm.
13. In a compound subject, one negative, one
positive, the verb agrees with the positive
subject.

Examples:

• The students, not the teacher perform on

stage.
• The teacher, not the students teaches the
lesson.
14. Two nouns generally thought of together take a
singular verb.

Examples:

• Rice and fish is what I have for dinner.

• Bread and butter always goes together.
15. Few, both, several, and many take plural verbs when
used as pronouns.

Examples:

• Few are willing to leave the country.

• Several have consented to migrate.
16. Fractions take singular verbs. But, if the fraction is
followed by an of- phrase the number of the verb
depends on whether the noun in the of- phrase is
singular or plural.

Examples:
• Three- fourth of the melon is enough.
• Three- fourth of the apples are not green.
17. All takes plural verb when it refers to
concrete nouns; all takes singular verb when it
refers to abstract
Examples:
nouns.

• All of the students are loyal to her.

• All she had was hope.
Here and there can never be subjects of the sentence.

• Ex.
• Here are the utensils.
• There is the boy.
If your sentence compounds a positive and a
negative subject and one is plural, the other
singular, the verb should agree with the positive
subject.
Examples:
• The department members but not the chair
have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.
• It is not the faculty members but the
president who decides this issue.
• It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has
provoked the students to riot.
Nouns ending in ‘s’ like pants, trousers, scissors
1. Either the doctors nor the nurse (know, knows) the
treatment.
2. All of the hope (is, are) gone.
3. A number of leaves ( drop, drops) slowly.
4. Everyone in the lobby (is, are) excited.
5. Not only the instructors but also their student (finish,
finishes) the race.
6. The team ( practice, practices) at the gym.
7. The mayor, together with his sons and daughters (arrive,
arrives) late.
8. The number of employees ( was, were) layed off.
9. Several of the students (prefer, prefers) to be absent.
10. Bread and butter ( is , are) what I ate earlier.
• 1. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator ____ going to have to make
a decision.
is
are
• 2. ______ my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance?
Is
Are
3. Some of the votes __________ to have been miscounted.
seem
seems
• 4. The tornadoes that tear through this county every spring _____ more than just a
nuisance.
are
is
• 5. Everyone selected to serve on this jury _____ to be willing to give up a lot of time.
have
has
• 6. Kara Wolters, together with her teammates, _________ a formidable opponent on the
basketball court.
presents
present
• 7. He seems to forget that there __________ things to be done before he can graduate.
are
is
8. There _______ to be some people left in that town after yesterday's flood.
have
has
9. Some of the grain __________ to be contaminated.
appear
appears
10. Three-quarters of the students __________ against the tuition hike.
is
are
11. Three-quarters of the student body __________ against the tuition hike.
is
are
12. A high percentage of the population _________ voting for the new
school.
is
are
13. A high percentage of the people _________ voting for the new school.
was
were
14. Carlos is the only one of those students who __________ lived up to the
potential described in the yearbook.
has
hav
15. The International Club, as well as the Choral Society and the Rowing Club,
__________ to submit a new constitution.
need
needs
16. One of my best friends _____________ an extra on Seinfeld this week.
are
is
17. Not only the students but also their instructor ________ been called to
the principal's office.
have
has
18. Each and every student and instructor in this building __________ for a new
facility by next year.
hope
hopes
19. Rice and beans, my favorite dish, __________ me of my native Puerto Rico.
remind
reminds

20. A large number of voters still ___________ along straight-party lines.

votes
vote
DIRECTION: Underline the verb in the parentheses that agrees with the
subject
1. The father, together with his son and daughter, (go, goes) home.
2. Ten hours of waiting for delayed flight (is, are) exhausting.
3. Neither my brother nor my sister (send, sends) me a note.
4. Bacon and egg (taste, tastes) perfectly good during breakfast.
5. Everyone (enjoy, enjoys) the stage play.
6. A number of books (were, was) sold.
7. Cookies and cream (is, are) a good blend.
8. Neither the parents nor the grandparents (understand, understands) the
youth
of today.
9. The number of attendees (is, are) large.
10. My cousin and friend, Marvin (arrive, arrives) from Canada.
DIRECTION:
1. The father, together with his son and daughter, (go) home
2. Ten hours of waiting for delayed flight (exhaust).
3. Neither my brother nor my sister (send) me a note.
4. Bacon and egg (taste) perfectly good during breakfast.
5. Everyone (enjoy) the stage play. - future progressive tense
6. A number of books (be) sold.
7. Cookies and cream (be) a good blend.
8. Neither the parents nor the grandparents (understand) the youth
of today.
9. The number of attendees (attend) the seminar.
10. My cousin and friend, Marvin (arrive) from Canada.
DIRECTION:
1. The father, together with his son and daughter, (go) home
Past perfect tense.
2. Ten hours of waiting for delayed flight (exhaust).
Present perfect tense
3. Neither my brother nor my sister (send) me a note.
Simple future tense
4. Bacon and egg (taste) perfectly good during breakfast.
Past progressive tense
5. Everyone (enjoy) the stage play. - future progressive tense
6. A number of books (be) sold. – simple past tense
7. Cookies and cream (be) a good blend. – future perfect tense
8. Neither the parents nor the grandparents (understand) the youth
of today. – future perfect progressive tense
9. The number of attendees (attend) the seminar. – present
progressive tense
10. My cousin and friend, Marvin (arrive) from Canada. – past
perfect progressive tense