Transcript Subjects joined by AND are usually plural and take plural verbs.

Subject-Verb
Agreement
Subject-Verb Agreement
To make a noun plural, we add –s
Singular: girl
Plural: girls
To make a verb plural,
we take away the –s.
Singular: he talks
Plural: they talk
Subject-Verb Agreement
Examples:
The twelve princesses dance every night.
One princess dances every night.
NOTE:
Even though the pronoun YOU can be singular, it always takes a plural
verb. I also takes the plural action verb.
You sit in that seat every day.
You find your seats by number.
Take out Prepositional Phrases
Don’t confuse the object of the preposition as the subject! The subject of the sentence will
NEVER be found in a prepositional phrase.
Take out all of the prepositional phrases and extra words so that you only have the subject
and verb showing.
One of my friends is going.
One is going.
The subject is ONE, not FRIENDS.
One is singular, so you choose IS GOING, not ARE GOING.
Watch the Subject!
The subject does NOT always come at the beginning of the sentence. Sometime the subject
follows the verb.
•A phrase may come at the beginning of the sentence.
Behind the door was a prize.
Turn the sentence around to say:
A prize was behind the door.
prize – singular
needs a singular verb – was
Questions
•With questions, the verb, or part of it, can come before the subject.
Does Rose go to camp?
(Rose does go to camp) – Turn it around.
Rose – singular
Go – singular verb (no s)
Do her sisters go to camp?
(Her sisters do go to camp.) Turn it around.
Sisters – plural
Do go – plural verb (no s)
There and Here
•If a sentence begins with THERE or HERE, the subject will come after the
verb.
Here comes the parade.
Parade – singular
Comes – singular (with s)
There go the floats.
Floats – plural
Go – plural verb (no s)
Compound subjects
•Subjects joined by AND are usually plural and take plural verbs.
(Exceptions are rare.)
My friend and I are going.
Friend AND I are 2 people, so they are plural and take a plural verb,
are.
Compound Subjects
•When subjects are joined by OR or NOR, the subject closer to the verb determines
which verb to use. Since STUDENT is singular, you need the singular, IS.
Either the teacher or the student is responsible.
Student is closer to the verb than teacher, so it determines which verb to use. Since STUDENT
is singular, you need the singular IS.
Neither the teacher nor the students are responsible.
In this sentence, STUDENTS is closer to the verb and is plural, so you need to use the plural
verb ARE.
Either the students or the teacher is responsible.
Now, TEACHER is closer to the verb. Since TEACHER is singular, use the singular verb IS.
Practice
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There (was/were) ten gifts left.
James and his brother (is/are) leaving now.
Either he or his dogs (was/were) responsible for the mess.
The cats and her kitten (has/have) brown spots.
The watermelons (was/were) sitting in the truck bed.
The letters from Robert (has/have) been found in the drawer.
Down in the forest (was/were) two rope swings.
Neither the soldiers nor their general (was/were) given credit for the victory.
Here (is/are) your homework study guide.
In the drawer (is/are) the cookie cutters.
There (is/are) a few questions still unclear.
Both the time and the effort (was/were) wasted.
The forks in the drawer (was/were) dirty.
Neither the coach nor the players (was/were) giving interviews.