Transcript Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement
In a sentence, subjects and verbs
need to agree in number.
EXAMPLE
She don’t know.
WHY IS “DON’T” THE INCORRECT VERB?
“She” (the subject) is singular.
“Don’t” (the verb) is plural.
Subject and verb do not agree.
HOW DO WE FIX IT?
Make the verb singular to agree with the subject.
She doesn’t know.
Steps to Correct Subject Verb
Agreement
1. Find the subject.
--Who or what is doing the action?
2. Determine the subject’s number.
--Is the subject singular or plural?
3. Find the verb.
--What is the subject doing?
4. Put the verb in the form that agrees with
the subject’s number.
Example
They (eat, eats) pizza.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Find subject 
Determine number 
Find verb 
Put verb in form that agrees 
Example
They (eat, eats) pizza.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Find subject  THEY
Determine number  PLURAL
Find verb  EAT/EATS
Put verb in form that agrees  EAT
They EAT pizza.
Special Problems in Subject Verb
Agreement
• Intervening Phrases
• Compound Subjects
• Indefinite Pronouns
Intervening Phrases
Words that come in between a subject and
its verb.
1. The girl without a space between her
eyebrows (look / looks) like she is wearing
a fur headband.
Intervening Phrases
Intervening phrases do not affect the
number of the subject.
1. The girl without a space between her
eyebrows (look / looks) like she is wearing
a fur headband.
Compound Subjects
Two words or groups of words linked by a
conjunction (usually and/or/nor) that form
the subject of a verb.
2. The ninja and the pirate (sing, sings)
karaoke at The Otter on Tuesdays.
Compound Subjects
Subjects joined by AND take a plural verb.
2. The ninja AND the pirate (sing, sings)
karaoke at The Otter on Tuesdays.
Compound Subjects
3. Either the ninja or the pirate (use, uses)
his ninja sword to frighten away burglars.
Compound Subjects
Singular subjects joined by OR or NOR take
a singular verb.
3. Either the ninja OR the pirate (use, uses)
his ninja sword to frighten away burglars.
Compound Subjects
4. Stanley or those girls (is / are) going to
buy me a new pogo stick.
Compound Subjects
When a singular and a plural subject are
joined by OR or NOR, the verb agrees
with the nearer subject.
4. Stanley or those girls (is / are) going to
buy me a new pogo stick.
Indefinite Pronouns
A pronoun whose antecedent or referent is
undefined.
5. Each of the two chicken wings (is / are) covered in
carpet fuzz.
6. Many of their heads (is / are) too large to fit through the
office door.
7. Some of the money (is / are) missing.
8. Some of the tickets (is / are) in the front row.
Indefinite Pronouns
These indefinite pronouns are singular:
each, either, neither, one, no one, everyone,
anyone, someone, anybody, somebody,
everybody
5. Each of the two chicken wings (is / are)
covered in carpet fuzz.
Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are plural:
several, few, both, many
6. Many of their heads (is / are) too large to
fit through the office door.
Indefinite Pronouns
These indefinite pronouns may be singular
or plural depending on the meaning of the
sentence:
some, any, none, all, most
7. Some of the money (is / are) missing.
8. Some of the tickets (is / are) in the front
row.
Your Turn
Write a 10 question subject verb agreement
quiz that tests each of the skills we have
covered this period.