SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT

Agreement means that the subject and verb must be alike in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.

SINGULAR: Joan of Arcwas the leader of the armies of France.

subject = Joan of Arc (singular)

verb = was (singular)

PLURAL: The seven dwarfswere in Disney’s Snow White.

subject = dwarfs (plural)

verb = were (plural)

GUIDELINES FOR AGREEMENT OF SUBJECT AND VERB

  1. If the subject is I, he, she, it—use a singular verb. If the subject is we, you, they—use a pluralverb.

Singularsubject, singular verb / Pluralsubject, plural verb
Iam going home. / Weare going home.
Heis older than Sonya. / Theyare older than Sonya.
Shewas dressed in blue. / Theywere dressed in blue.

Notice: you always take a plural verb even if only one person is addressed. Never say “you is” or “you was”.

You are a good student.(not “is”)

You are good students.

  1. Be careful in using don’t and doesn’t to match the subject.

Incorrect / Correct
He don’t know the answer. / He doesn’t know the answer.
She don’t feel well. / She doesn’t feel well.
It don’t matter at all. / It doesn’t matter at all.
  1. Subject nouns connected by and require a plural verb.

Correct: The hours and minutes (compound subject) divide the day into sleeping, working, and playing time.

Correct: Boys and girls (compound subject) together make coeducation pleasant.

  1. Introductory expressions such as there is, there are, here is, here are must agree with the subject noun or nouns that follow.

Correct: There is (singular) a visitor (singular) at the door.

Correct: There are (plural) sugar and milk (compound subject) on the table.

Correct: Here is (singular) the fish (singular) that I caught.

Correct: Here are (plural) the books (plural) that I have read.

Correct: Here come (plural) my mother and father (compound subject).

  1. After either…or, neither…nor, the verb must agree with whichever noun stands nearer to the verb.

Correct: Either Rana or Padma is at home.

Correct: Either the girl or the boys are to blame.

Correct: Neither her sister nor Tia is as tall as Marcus.

Correct: Neither the teacher nor the pupils are in the room.

  1. Certain nouns ending in the letter S look as though they are plural, but they are considered singular because they either express a single idea or represent a single sum.

For example:news, series, politics, mathematics, physics, ten dollars, etc.

Correct: There is good news today.

Correct: Civicstells about local governments.

Correct: Five dollars a week is my allowance.

  1. A noun followed by a phrase sometimes causes confusion as to whether the verb agrees with the subject noun or the noun in the phrase which comes between.

Correct: The boys in the front row are a bit noisy. (The noun boysis the subject; the phrase “in the front row” stands between the subject and the verb.)

Correct: The soldier in the ranks salutes the general. (The noun soldier is the subject; the phrase “in the ranks”stands between the subject and the plural verb.)

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