Using Subject-Verb Agreement

How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs Indefinite pronouns Compound subjects Subjects after verbs Don’t and doesn’t Review A Review B... How to fix problems

Using Subject-Verb Agreement

What is subject-verb agreement?

How to fix problems in agreement

Phrases between subjects and verbs

Indefinite pronouns

Compound subjects

Subjects after verbs

Don’t and doesn’t

Review A

Review B

What is subject-verb agreement?

Every sentence has a subject and a verb

The dog runs.

Subject Verb

The dog runs.

The dog runs.

Two children play music.

Two children play music.

What is subject-verb agreement?

Number

Number is the form a word takes to show

whether it is singular or plural

scientist

• A word that refers to one thing is singular

• A word that refers to more than one is plural

Plural scientists geese they

What is subject-verb agreement?

Singular subjects

• Singular subjects take singular verbs

Tabitha rides the train

Singular

Subject

Singular Verb

Tabitha rides the train

Tabitha rides the train

He repairs the bicycle.

Singular

Subject SingularVerb

He He repairs the bicycle repairs the bicycle

A verb should agree in number with its subject

What is subject-verb agreement?

Plural subjects

• Plural subjects take plural verbs

The girls ride the train

Plural Subject

Plural VerbThe The girls girls ride ride the train the train

They repair the bicycle.

Plural Subject

Plural Verb

They repair the bicycle

They repair the bicycle

What is subject-verb agreement?

Singular Helping VerbVerb Phrase

He is repairing

They are repairing the bicycle.

Plural Subject

Plural Helping VerbVerb Phrase

They are repairing

[End of Section]

For each sentence, identify the subject, and then choose the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject

1 The water (rushes, rush) down the river.

2 The bees (buzzes, buzz) around the picnic table

3 The photograph (was, were) a gift from my cousin

4 At the science fair the winner always (receives, receive) a

How to fix problems in agreement

Phrases between subjects and verbs

Sometimes a phrase comes between the subject and the verb

The hero

The number of the subject is usually not changed

by a phrase following the subject

Subject Verb Verb

of those folk tales is Coyote

Subject Verb

A bag of marbles is on the shelf

Is agrees with bag, not marbles

The peppers in the garden have grown quickly

The helping verb have agrees

with peppers, not garden

A bag of marbles is on the shelf

The peppers in the garden have grown quickly

How to fix problems in agreement

Phrases between subjects and verbs

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form

of the verb in parentheses

1 A tidal wave, despite its name, (is, are) not caused by the

tides

2 Earthquakes beneath the sea (causes, cause) most tidal

waves

3 Tidal waves in the open ocean generally (does, do) not

cause much interest

4 The height of tidal waves there often (remains, remain)

low

On Your Own

How to fix problems in agreement

Phrases between subjects and verbs

How to fix problems in agreement

Indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to a person or thing whose exact identity is unknown.

• Some indefinite pronouns are singular.

• Some are plural.

• Some may be either singular or plural,

depending on how they are used.

Verb Verb Verb

How to fix problems in agreement

Indefinite pronouns

The following indefinite pronouns are singular:

Singular indefinite pronouns

anybody either neither one

anyone everybody nobody somebodyanything everyone no one someoneeach everything nothing something

Everyone on the team dribbles well

Nothing Neither of the boys ever goes on sale at this store is in my class

Subject Subject

The following indefinite pronouns are plural:

Plural indefinite pronouns

Are many of the tools sharp?

Few have traveled there

Both of them wear glasses.

Subject

Subject

Subject

Verb Verb

The following indefinite pronouns may be singular

or plural, depending on how they are used:

Singular or plural indefinite pronouns

Most of the ice has melted

Most of the ice cubes have melted

Singular when they refer

to singular words

Plural when they

refer to plural words

Subject

Subject

How to fix problems in agreement

Indefinite pronouns

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form

of the verb in parentheses

1 Most of the balloons (has, have) long strings.

2 Both of these shoes (gives, give) me blisters.

3 Someone on the soccer team (needs, need) a new

uniform

4 Neither of the boys (was, were) wearing a helmet

5 None of the house (has, have) been painted yet.

On Your Own

How to fix problems in agreement

Indefinite pronouns

Verb Verb

How to fix problems in agreement

Compound subjects

A compound subject is two or more subjects

that are joined by a coordinating conjunction and that have the same verb

Verb

• When a singular and a plural subject are joined

by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject

that is closer to the verb.

The verb makes agrees with the nearer subject, book.

The verb prepare agrees with the nearer subject, parents.

How to fix problems in agreement

Compound subjects

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, choose the verb that

agrees with the compound subject

1 Ants and spiders (has, have) invaded the backyard

2 Mandy and her friends (is, are) going to the movies.

3 A statue or a fountain (looks, look) good in a park setting

4 Neither maples nor elms (grows, grow) well in the valley

5 Either potatoes or rice (is, are) served with the chicken

On Your Own

How to fix problems in agreement

Compound subjects

How to fix problems in agreement

Subjects after verbs

In some sentences the subject comes after the verb

1 Find the subject.

Here

When the subject follows the verb

(is, are) the balloons the balloons.

Plural Subject

2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

are

Subjects also appear after verbs in questions.

1 Find the subject.

Where (is, are) the old magazines?

Plural Subject

2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

are the old magazines?

How to fix problems in agreement

Subjects after verbs

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form

of the verb in parentheses

1 There (is, are) a new student in my brother’s class.

2 (Was, Were) the fans cheering for the other team?

3 Where (has, have) Reggie hidden the gifts?

4 Here (stands, stand) the bravest heroes among us.

5 There (is, are) several correct answers to that question.

On Your Own

How to fix problems in agreement

Subjects after verbs

want that coat.

How to fix agreement problems

Don’t and doesn’t

The contractions don’t and doesn’t should agree

with their subjects.

Doesn’t is the contraction of does not Use it with all singular subjects except I and you

know you

How to fix agreement problems

Don’t and doesn’t

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, choose the correct

contraction in parentheses

1 I (don’t, doesn’t) have any math homework tonight.

2 (Don’t, doesn’t) you usually study with Julia?

3 That show (don’t, doesn’t) come on until 9:00

4 My grandparents (don’t, doesn’t) live near us.

5 (Don’t, Doesn’t) Jerome play the guitar anymore?

On Your Own

How to fix agreement problems

Don’t and doesn’t

Review A

Choose the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the

subject

1 Everyone in her family (prefers, prefer) to drink water

2 Jamal and his parents (enjoys, enjoy) musicals.

3 There (is, are) three baby birds in the nest.

4 Neither the mower nor the weed-eater (works, work) well

5 Industries in the state (includes, include) farming and

mining

Review B

[End of Section]

For each of the following sentences, if the subject and verb

do not agree, write the correct form of the verb If the verb

already agrees with the subject, write C.

1 This table and this chair were made by hand in Mexico

2 Each of my brothers go to college out of state

3 Mr Chang and his class has painted a mural for the hall

4 A tornado or a hurricane is a dangerous storm

5 Here is the decorations for the dance

The End