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Subject-Verb Agreement. What Is It?. Definition – Making the verb agree with the person and number of the subject. A singular noun should be accompanied by a singular verb. A plural noun needs a plural verb. Rules – Things to Ignore….
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What Is It? Definition – Making the verb agree with the person and number of the subject. • A singular noun should be accompanied by a singular verb. • A plural noun needs a plural verb.
Rules – Things to Ignore… • Ignore any phrases between the simple subject and the verb or verb phrase. • Ignore the predicate noun that has a different number. • Ignore the word “there” when it is in the position that the subject usually appears in.
Rules – Things to be Careful With… • Nouns that have only have a plural form. • “News” – The news is goodtoday. • “Pliers” – The pliers are over there. • However, when words such as pliers follow the phrase “a pair of,” pair is now the subject, and the verb must agree with the number of pairs. • Collective Nouns. • They normally take a singular verb. • However, if the focus of the sentence is clearly on the individuals in the group, then the verb is plural.
Rules – Things to be Careful With… • Words that can be singular or plural, depending on the words that modify them • All, any, more, most, part, some, half (other fractions as well), and percent. • If the word is followed by an of-phrase that is singular, it requires a singular verb. • If the word is followed by an of-phrase that is plural, it requires a plural verb. • Example. Part of the testwas an essay. Part of the clotheswere ready to be packed.
Rules – Things to be Careful With… • Titles, quotations, and amounts should be singular. These are treated as one unit. • Relative Pronouns. These pronouns do not change form for singular and plural. However, when used, the verb should agree with their antecedent. • Compound Subjects. • Compound subjects that are joined by and are normally plural. • When a compound subject is joined by or, the subject named closest to the verb decides the verb form. • He and I are going to the store. • Either he or I am going to the store.
Examples – Incorrect • The office door were closed yesterday. • She and I am going to the mall. • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were written by Mark Twain. • There was many people at the party. • The team were traveling from Georgia.
Examples - Correct • The office door was closed yesterday. • She and I are going to the mall. • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain. • There were many people at the party. • The team was traveling from Georgia.
Practice • Each of my brothers (wants, want) to join the Navy after graduating from high school. • There (is, are) a row of weeds where the corn is supposed to be growing. • Preparation and wisdom, never blind confidence, (assures, assure) anyone a fair chance at success. • As the audience (take, takes) their places, some of the candidates go to the platform. • Dad, Mom, Ron, and I (was, were) trying to decide where to eat to celebrate Dad’s promotion.
Answers • Each of my brothers wants to join the Navy after graduating from high school. • There is a row of weeds where the corn is supposed to be growing • Preparation and wisdom, never blind confidence, assure anyone a fair chance at success. • As the audience take their places, some of the candidates go to the platform. • Dad, Mom, Ron, and I were trying to decide where to eat to celebrate Dad’s promotion.
Thanks To… The definitions and examples used in this presentation are from: English Handbook. BJU Press. Writer’s Choice, Composition and Grammar. “Grammar Reteaching.” Grade level 9, 1993 edition.
