Hallo guys, Today we will enter the material about “SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT”.

what is subject? Subject is the person/people/thing(s) that do the activity.

User subject is I, you, they, we, she, he, it, my dad and my mom, Linda, Sussi, Linda and Sussi, the bank, the flight schedule, etc.

What is verb? Verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence.

Kinds of verb

1.     Action verbs

·        Also known as MAIN VERB.

·        Action verbs are words that express action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.).

·        Action verbs can be either transitive (with object) or intransitive (without object).

For example:

1.     Laurissa raises her hand. (kkt)

2.     Abdus gave Becky the pencil. (kkt)

3.     Laurissa rises slowly from her seat. (kki)

4.     He was pontificating about art and history. (kki)

2.     Lingking verbs

      A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that renames or describes the subject.

User to be: is, am, are, was, were

For example:

Lisa is in love with Jason.

We were there!

I am happy

User verb: seem, appear, become, grow, remain, get, prove, turn, look, sound, smell, taste, feel.

For example:

She looks pale.

I feels happy

That sounds great!

Your cook smells good.

3.     Helping verbs

      Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey additional information regarding aspects of possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was, did, has, etc.)

Modals always function as Helping Verbs.

Modals : can, could, may, might, shall, will, ought to, should, would.

For examples:

1.     Tejo is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.

2.     The trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.

3.     Tanya could learn to fly helicopters. (Could helps the main verb, learn.)

4.     Janine will drive to Idaho tomorrow. (Will helps the main verb, drive.)

Main rule of “Subject Verb Agreement”. Just remember the subject affects the verb!

RULE 1

Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the concept.

For examples:

The dog growls when it is angry.

The dogs growl when they are angry.

RULE 2

Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they

do not affect agreement.

For example:

The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

RULE 3

Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect

agreement.

For example:

The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

RULE 4

When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed

after the verb, so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.

For example:

There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.

RULE 5

If two subjects are joined by and, they typically require a plural verb form.

For example:

The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

RULE 6

The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same

person or thing.

Examples:

Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

RULE 7

If one of the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is

singular.

Examples:

No smoking or drinking is allowed.

Every man and woman is required to check in.

RULE 8

If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words or, nor,

neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also the verb is singular.

Examples:

Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

RULE 9

The only time when the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb.

Examples:

All of the chicken is gone.

All of the chickens are gone.

RULE 10

The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.

Examples:

Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

RULE 11

If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural.

Examples:

Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.

RULE 12

If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the verb.

Examples:

1.     Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.

2.     Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.

RULE 13

Indefinite pronouns (everything, anything, everyone, someone, somebody, nothing, etc) typically take singular verbs.

Examples:

Everybody wants to be loved.

Everything is gonna be alright.

RULE 14

Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.

Examples:

Few were left alive after the flood.

Several students understand the material.

RULE 15

If two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.

Examples:

To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

RULE 16

When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb

form of the verb; but, when they are linked by and, they take the plural form.

Examples:

1.     Standing in the water was a bad idea.

2.     Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

RULE 17

Collective nouns like family, committee, herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.

Examples:

1.     The herd is stampeding.

2.     Cooper family always attends the annual party.

RULE 18

Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular

verb.

For examples:

1.     The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

2.     Harry Potter has reached Top 3 Best Seller books.

Exercise : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.

1.     Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.

2.    Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.

3.    The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.

4.    Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.

5.    George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.

6.    Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.

7.    One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.

8.    The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.

9.    The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to watch.

10.  The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.

11.   Either answer (is, are) acceptable.

12.   Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.

13.   Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.

14.  (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?

15.  Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are) Andrea's favorite subject.

16.  Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.

17.  (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?

18.  Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.

19.  There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only one left!

20.  The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.

21.  The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.

22.  The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press cordially.

23.  All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.

ANSWER:

1. Annie and her brothers are at school.

2. Either my mother or my father is coming to the meeting.

3. The dog or the cats are outside.

4. Either my shoes or your coat is always on the floor.

5. George and Tamara don't want to see that movie.

6. Benito doesn't know the answer.

7. One of my sisters is going on a trip to France.

8. The man with all the birds lives on my street.

9. The movie, including all the previews, takes about two hours to watch.

10. The players, as well as the captain, want to win.

11. Either answer is acceptable.

12. Every one of those books is fiction.

13. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.

14. Is the news on at five or six?

15. Mathematics is John's favorite subject, while Civics is Andrea's favorite subject.

16. Eight dollars is the price of a movie these days.

17. Are the tweezers in this drawer?

18. Your pants are at the cleaner's.

19. There were fifteen candies in that bag. Now there is only one left!

20. The committee debates these questions carefully.

21. The committee lead very different lives in private.

22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, greets the press cordially.

23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, are in this case.