LET Reviewer: Correct your grammar! Here are the 20 rules in subject verb agreement with examples.
Correct your grammar! Here
are the 20 rules in subject verb agreement with examples.
1.
Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that
forms the background of the concept.
· The baby
cries when he is hungry.
· The babies
cry when they are hungry.
· The dog eats bones.
· The dogs eat bones.
· The apple is sweet.
2.
Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do
not affect agreement.
· The cat, who is chewing on
my jeans , is usually very good.
· The plants, which grows in
our backyard , are very nice to the see.
· The boy, who pushes
the carts is my friend.
· The ants in the ant-hill
are working.
· The knight under the trees
is the guard.
3.
Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect
agreement.
· The colors of the bag are
beautiful.
· One of the schools in
Pampanga is implementing a new curriculum.
· Bones of the cow are
nutritious.
· The computers found in the
library are new.
· Schools in this town are
very nice.
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.
· There is a problem with the
internet connection.
· Here are the files you
requested.
· There are some computers
left in the library.
· Here is your ball pen.
· There is an error with the
codes.
5.
Subjects don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately
identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
· Does Doggy usually eat fish ?
· Where are the pieces of
this collection?
· Is there something wrong
with Lina?
· Who is the president in
this institution?
· Where are the songs in this
album?
6.
If two subjects are joined by and , they typically require a plural verb form.
· The singer and the actress
are from different country.
· My father and I will go to
market today.
· The lawyer and the judge
will go to the court later.
· The teachers and the
principal will have a meeting.
· The police and the
detective will have the case.
7.
The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same
person or thing.
· Red beans and rice is my
favorite dish.
· Ham and bread has been my
favorite snack.
· Spoon and fork is used in
eating.
· Shoes and socks is the gift
that I received.
· Pen and Note is my tool in
school.
8.
If one of the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is
singular.
· No eating or drinking is
allowed.
· Every man and woman is
required to take the survey.
· Every child is special to
God.
· No man is an island.
· Every student is required
to wear proper uniform.
9.
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.
· Erick or Christian is to
blame for the accident.
· Neither Lina nor Cathy was
absent yesterday.
· Either apple or grape is
sweet.
· Neither Marco nor Vincent
is good in class.
· Either Jessy or Daisy is
good in singing.
10.
The only time when the object of the preposition factors into the decision of
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.
· All of the chicken is gone.
· All of the chickens are
gone.
· None of the apples are
eaten.
· None of the apple is eaten.
· Some of the oranges are
eaten.
11.
The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.
· Four quarts of oil was
required to get the car running.
· One half of the members of
the cabinet believes that president is responsible for the incident.
· Two third of the spectators
of the concert shouts when the show started.
· Eight o’clock is the start
of the class.
· One fourth of the class is
absent.
12.
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.
· Dogs
and cats are both available at the
pet shop.
· The president and the
former PNP chief are both responsible for the misencounter.
· Apples and grapes are both
sweet.
· Teachers and students are
part of the teaching – learning process.
· Scientists and inventors
are great people.
13.
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.
· Either the tigers or the
lion has escaped from the zoo.
· Neither the lion nor the
tigers have escaped from the zoo.
· Either the teacher or the
students have participated on the show.
· Neither the principal nor
the teachers are the performer.
· Either the police men or
the criminals are dead.
14.
Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs.
· Everybody wants to be
loved.
· Nobody has passed for the
examination.
· Someone is waiting outside
the hall.
· Anybody is the player of
the game.
· Somebody starts the drill.
15.
Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take
the plural form.
· Few were left in the school
after the parade.
· Many people were stranded
during the typhoon.
· Some are gathering their
data about the experiment.
· Both police and criminal
were found dead.
· All are good in the game.
16.
If two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.
· To sing and to play guitar
require great skill.
· To sketch and to paint are
his talent.
· To dance and to sing are
her talent.
· To belt and to sing are
difficult.
· To glide and to fly are
extraordinary.
17.
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.
· Standing in the tower was a
bad idea.
· Swimming in the river and
playing guitar are my hobbies.
· Singing is my hobby.
· Dancing and singing are
quite difficult.
· Playing basketball is very
tiring.
18.
Collective nouns like herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb
form.
· The faculty is going to
participate in the program.
· The crowd is very thick.
· The senate decides to make
the judgement.
· The class is the
participant of the meeting.
· The yellow team is the
winner.
19.
Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a
singular verb.
· The Tomorrow land
is a movie starring George Clooney.
· Back to the future is my
favorite movie.
· El Filibusterismo is the
novel of Dr. Jose Rizal
· Noli Me Tangere is a great
novel.
· Assessment of Learning
Outcomes is our reference book in this subject.
20.
Use the singular form of the verb if the subject is singular, and plural if the
subject is plural except for the word I and You.
· I have two hands.
· You are the best for me.
· You are my last hope.
· I have my money inside the
bag.
· You are the shining star.
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