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Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement. Keep Your Eyes Open. Although often overlooked, problems with Subject-Verb Agreement are REAL! To help avoid these errors, we will discuss:

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Subject-Verb Agreement

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  1. Subject-Verb Agreement

  2. Keep Your Eyes Open • Although often overlooked, problems with Subject-Verb Agreement are REAL! • To help avoid these errors, we will discuss: How to make Subjects and Verbs agree in number, What to do with tricky subjects like Each and Every, What to do with compound subjects • Learn to spot and correct these errors and become a believer.

  3. Recognizing Subjects and Verbs • A complete sentence must have a SUBJECT and a VERB. • The subject is the who or what that performs the action. • The verb is the action word.

  4. Spot the Subject and Verb • The players on our side are strong. • The players on our side are strong. • Players is the subject and are is the verb. • Once you’ve identified the Subject and the Verb, you have to make sure they agree in Number. • Singular subjects require singular verbs and plural subjects require plural verbs.

  5. What Next? • An easy way to make your subjects and verbs agree is to think about the S. • Usually, plural nouns end with the letter S and singular nouns do not. • Verbs are the opposite: • For the most part, singular verbs end with the letter S and plural verbs do not.

  6. Therefore . . . • The carS run, but the car runS. • The plural noun cars takes the plural verb run. There is only one S in the pair. • The singular noun car takes the singular verb runs. Again, There is only one S in the pair.

  7. BEWARE • Compound subjects do not end with S. • Instead, compound subjects consist of two or more subjects joined by and. • We treat these subjects like any other plural subject. • The student and the instructor work long hours.

  8. BEWARE • The student and the instructor work long hours. • The subject consists of two people. Therefore, it is plural.

  9. BEWARE • BE CAREFUL! • When subjects are joined by and and combine to form a single thing or person, they are treated like a singular subject. • Use a singular verb with such compound subjects.

  10. Example: • Spaghetti and meatballs has a place on many menus. • Spaghetti and meatballs is acting as a unit, as a singular subject.

  11. Using Each and Every • Each and Every are singular pronouns. • Therefore, they require singular verbs. • Every flying saucer was glowing.

  12. Using Each and Every BEWARE! • You always use a singular verb with each and every, even if they precede subjects joined by and. • Each alien hand and foot leaves a distinct print.

  13. Compound Subjects Joined By Words Like Or • Be careful when your subjects are joined by the following words: • or • nor • either . . . or • neither . . . nor • not only . . . but (also)

  14. Compound Subjects Joined By Words Like Or • In such cases, the verb agrees with the subject nearest it. • Example: Either the instructors or the student knows the answer. • Try to ignore everything before the final subject

  15. Compound Subjects Joined By Words Like Or • Either the instructors or the studentknows the answer. • The singular subject student requires the singular verb knows.

  16. What if the Subject is an Indefinite Pronoun? • Indefinite Pronouns refer to nonspecific people or things. They are usually singular and require singularverbs.

  17. What if the Subject is an Indefinite Pronoun? • The following common Indefinite Pronouns usually take singular verbs: • Another each everything nothing anybody either neither somebody anyone every nobody someone anything everyone no one something • The following are usually plural: • Both few fewer many others several they

  18. What if the Subject is an Indefinite Pronoun? • BEWARE! A few indefinite pronouns—none, some, more, most, any, and all—can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. • Example: • Some of our streams are polluted; some pollution is reversible, but all pollution is a threat to nature

  19. Making Verbs Agree With the Antecedents of Who, Which, and That • When Who, Which, or That starts a clause, the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun to which Who, Which, or That refers (its Antecedent).

  20. Making Verbs Agree With the Antecedents of Who, Which, and That • The scientist will share information with the studentswho work with her. • George Jones is the student who works in the lab.

  21. Using Singular Verbs with Titles and Terms • Titles and terms are treated as singular subjects–even if they contain plural words. • Examples: • Les Miserables is a popular musical. • “Disciplinary measures” is a euphemism for punishment.

  22. You’ve Been Warned • See ifyou can spot Subject-Verb Agreement errors. • Subjects and Verbs must agree in number. • Be careful with subjects like Each and Every—these are singular. • Pay close attention to subjects joined with words like and and or—these subjects can be either singular or plural.

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