SUBJECT-VERB-AGREEMENT
1. The subject and verb must agree in number.
Dennis drives his own car.
Many men today drive their own cars.
2. Compound subjects take the plural verb.
Rose and Linda are best friends in school.
The doctors and nurses are distributing free medicines.
3. A compound subject referring to a single person takes the singular
verb.
My confidant and adviser is my brother.
The secretary and treasurer of our class is a trustworthy classmate.
4. Compound subjects modified by each and every are singular.
Every father and mother carries out the assigned role.
Each male and female student wears I.D. inside the school.
5. The verb agrees with its subject, not with the predicate nominative.
Books and magazines are the only material for his report.
6. When the compound subjects are joined by or, nor, either-or, neither-
nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer it.
Neither the singers nor the composer is benefited by the concert.
Either Jim or his friends are volunteering to clean the mess.
7. When regarded as a unit, a collective noun is singular.
The committee stands firm to impose its decision.
The jury holds its verdict in abeyance.
8. When regarded as individuals, a collective noun is plural.
The audience are clapping their hands after each number.
The crowd are agitating over a dispute among themselves.
9. When preceded by the article “a”, the subject number is plural.
A number of poor children are afflicted by the epidemic.
A number of people have passed through the acid tests of life.
10. When preceded by the article “the”, the subject number is singular.
The number of absentees from the English class is reduced.
The number of enrollees generally decreases during the second semester.
11.The verb agrees with the affirmative, not with the negative subject.
The father, nor the mother, decides on the welfare of the family.
You, not I, are accountable for the loss of the book.
12. Singular indefinite pronouns like someone, anyone, each, neither,
either, take the singular verbs.
Someone is by your side to support you at the confrontation.
Anyone is welcome to give his suggestions.
13. The plural indefinite pronouns such as all, both, several, few, many
take plural verbs.
Many have been invited to my party.
Few have came and attended, however.
14. Many a followed by a singular noun takes singular verb.
Many a novel has been written on love.
Many a youngster today has already been aware of the crisis.
15. Nouns plural in form but singular in meaning takes singular verb.
Statistics provides the numerical data in question.
Politics is always associated with the "pulling of the string".
16. Scissors, refreshments, clothes, pliers, etc. are always plural.
Refreshments are now served at the canteen.
17. Impersonal pronoun “it” at the beginning of a sentence is followed
by a singular verb.
It is his suggestions that finally take precedence.
18. An amount of money, space of time or unit of measurement even in
plural form, takes a singular verb.
Three meters of cloth makes a dress of my size.
19. Fractions are singular or plural depending upon the -of phrase.
One half of the class misses out the first period.
20. Adjectives used as nouns are considered plural.
The old need some recognition to feel that they belong.
21. Singular verbs are used with mathematical abstractions.
Four times eight is thirty-two.
22. The indefinite pronoun “none” is singular but may occasionally
require a plural verb.
None of the students have done their homework.
