Transcript Subject – Verb Agreement

Subject – Verb
Agreement
Why do subjects and verbs have to agree? After all,
they are only words!
What’s wrong with these
sentences?
 There
is too many pictures on the wall..
Or this one?
 Everybody
but Julio want to go home..
Or this one?
 All
the people wants to win the lottery..
The subjects and verbs don’t agree!
How do we fix them?
 There
are too many pictures on the wall.
A plural subject goes with a plural verb.
 Everybody
but Julio wants to go home.
A singular subject goes with a singular verb.
 All
the people plan to win the lottery.
A plural subject goes with a plural verb.
Now the subjects and verbs agree!
To be correct, subjects and verbs must agree…
They must agree in NUMBER:
•Singular subjects go with singular verbs.
•Everyone wants to win the lottery.
•Plural subjects go with plural verbs.
•All the players want to win the game.
•Number is always about Singular & Plural
What causes problems with S/V agreement?
 Words
between the subject and the verb:
The shoes in the closet needs to be shined.
In the closet is a prepositional phrase between the
subject shoes and the verb need.
To be correct, the verb should be: need with no “s”
The shoes in the closet need to be shined.
Common Prepositions
about
before
during
inside
over
above
across
around
at
below
beside
between
by
except
for
from
in
in
of
off
on
through
to
under
with
Verb before the subject…
 Inside
the garage are the shovel.
 Across the border is Reynosa and
Progresso.
 Where is the instructions for the XBox?
Shouldn’t they be…?
•Inside the garage is the shovel.
•Across the border are Reynosa and
Progresso.
•Where are the instructions for the XBox?
Indefinite Pronouns
[-one words]
one
anyone
[-body words] [-thing words]
nobody
nothing
anybody
anything
each
neither
everyone
everybody
everything
either
someone
somebody
something
All of these indefinite pronouns are singular
Nobody _____ a clue about what they are doing. (has/have)
Everything _____ ready for the party. (is/are)
Neither Fred, nor Ed, nor Ted ____ the way. (knows/know)
All and both, however, are plural
All of them wants to go. (should be want)
These create problems:
The words there and here are
never subjects.
1.Here are the papers you gave me.
2.Here is my answer.
Here is not
the subject.
Compound Subjects
 Subjects
joined by and usually take a plural verb.
Diet and exercise is ways to be healthy. (should
be are)
Ambition and luck was Juan’s keys to success.
(should be were)
Who, Which and That
If they stand for singular words, who, which and that
take singular verbs:
Rebecca is a person who _____ very private. (is/are)
If they stand for plural words, who, which and that take
plural verbs:
Joel is one of those people who _____ very private. (is/are)
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)
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.
 TIP:
Try to ignore everything before the final
subject
Using Singular Verbs with Titles
and Terms

Titles and terms are treated as singular
subjects–even if they contain plural words.
Examples:
1.
2.
Les Miserables is a popular musical.
“Disciplinary measures” is a
euphemism for punishment.
Terms that refer to amounts

Money, time, weight, measurements, &
fractions are usually singular when
thought of as a single unit.
Example:
1.
2.

Ten dollars is too much for that silly band.
Twelve years seems like a long time for school.
When money, time, weight,
measurements, & fractions are thought
of as separate items, they are plural.
Example:
1.
2.
Ten quarters are divided among six cups.
Those twelve years are each important ones.
General Rules for checking subject / verb
agreement



When you are trying to see if the subject and verb agree,
leave out the part you don’t need SUCH AS A
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE! (The subject will NEVER be in the
prepositional phrase)
Everyone in the contest want to win.
Everyone want to win. [wrong!: should be wants]
Now put the part back:
Everyone in the contest wants to win.
Say the sentence to yourself out loud, if it doesn’t sound
right, there is a very good chance it is not right.
One More Thing: Tense Agreement
 Tense
is all about time.
 Usually we write in the Past tense.
 The Present and Future are fine,
but once you start in a tense, STAY
there!
 “Yesterday we decided that
tomorrow we will go shopping” is
correct. (Past & Future together)
 “We went to the store and buy
food.” is not correct. (Past &
Present together) It should be
bought not buy.
Everyone at the movie is taking a
dollar.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
correct
were
am
are
when
Oh No!
The subject
and verb are
not in
agreement.
Click HERE to
try again.
CORRECT!
The subject
and verb are
in
agreement.
Click HERE to
move forward.
One time I were at the mountains.
correct
b) was
c) is
d) am
e) does
a)
Oh No!
The subject
and verb are
not in
agreement.
Click HERE to
try again.
CORRECT!
The subject
and verb are
in
agreement.
Click HERE to
move forward.
Each of the students are worried
about the test.
correct
b) has
c) is
d) am
e) does
a)
Oh No!
The subject
and verb are
not in
agreement.
Click HERE to
try again.
CORRECT!
The subject
and verb are
in agreement.
Click HERE to
move forward.
The last book we read, as well as
the five in the library, was fiction.
correct
b) is
c) am
d) were
e) does
a)
Oh No!
The subject
and verb are
not in
agreement.
Click HERE to
try again.
CORRECT!
The subject
and verb are
in
agreement.
Click HERE to
move forward.