Transcript Subject and Verb Agreement and Rules_Web Page Version_2005

In your English
notebooks, please
copy the following
information about
singular and plural
subjects and
verbs.
Rule 1: Subjects connected
by “and” are plural.
Example: Dustin and Crystal
are masticating in
unison.
Rule 2: Certain expressions (as
well as, including, together with,
with, etc.) logically seem to
change a singular subject to
plural. They don’t. These
expressions will be set
off from the subject
by commas..
Flatulence, as well as
other rude habits, (is,
are) becoming more
common in public.
Answer: is
Grant, along with
Reanna and Ross, (is,
are) going on vacation.
Answer: is
Chris, as well as
Miguel, (plan, plans) to
vacation in his living
room.
Answer: plans
Rule 3: Singular subjects
connected by conjunctions
such as either-or,
neither-nor, or,
and nor stay
singular
Neither Jenna nor Amber
(was, were) able to get up
from the couch because
Shelley was sitting on
them with scuba
tanks in her arms.
Answer: was
Rule 4: If a singular and
plural subject are connected
by either-or, neither-nor, or,
and nor the verb should agree
with the subject
closest to it.
Neither Amber nor the others
(was, were) able to get up from
the couch because Emily was
sitting on them with a
Rottweiler in
her arms.
Answer: were
Rule 5: Anybody, anyone,
another, each, either,
everybody, everyone,
everything, much, little, one,
nobody, nothing, somebody,
something, someone,
are considered singular.
Everyone (is, are)
sleeping on the floor,
kept warm by the toasty
Chalupas snuggled
under their coats.
Answer: is
The dangers of eating too
many chips (do, does) not
worry Matt.
Answer: The dangers of eating
too many chips do
not worry Matt.
Rule 6: Singular subjects take singular
verbs, and plural subjects take plural
verbs.
First, find the main verb. Don’t be
distracted by verbals, which are verb
like elements acting as
another part of speech
Josh, distracted by daydreams,
(is, are) eating Doritos and
licking his fingers.
Answer: Josh, distracted by
daydreams, is eating
Doritos and licking his
fingers.
Ask yourself, “Who or what is doing this
action?” The answer to this question will
be the subject. The subject does not
necessarily come before the verb, and
there may be all kinds of distracting
modifiers and prepositional phrases in
between the subject and the
verb. It may help to bracket
such phrases so you can see the
subject better.
Woo hoo! We’re through!