Subject-Verb Agreement

1
Subject-Verb Agreement
2
What it is

• Subject-verb agreement means
• If the subject is plural, then the verb needs to
  be plural
• If the subject is singular, then the verb needs
  to be singular

3
Various Senarios
4
Singular subjects take singular verbs

• He / washes the dishes
• A girl in my neighborhood / plays in the band.

5
Plural subjects take plural verbs

• They / have been washing the dishes
• Several girls in my neighborhood / were playing
  in the band.

6
Subjects joined by and take a plural verb

• Compound subjects 2 or more subjects having the
  same verb
• My pen pal and best friend / are my cousin
• Broccoli and melted cheese / make a tasty dish.

7
When a singular subject and a plural subject are
joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the
subject nearer the verb.

• Neither the children or their mother / was ready
  for the trip.
• Neither the mother or her children / were ready
  for the trip.

8
Cheat Sheet

• 1. A singular subject will need a verb that ends
  with s
• 2. A plural subject will need a verb that does
  NOT end with s

9
Practice

• You (come, comes) with me.
• The girl and her friends (talk, talks)
  frequently.
• Neither the spices nor the pepper plant (grows,
  grow) well here.
• Usually the beginning speech (last, lasts) ten
  minutes.
• The leader with his followers (have, has) the
  power to influence many people.
• Out of the jungle (step, steps) three lions.
• The committee (are, is) disagreeing on the
  procedure.
• Few of them (were, was) interested in our
  project.
• Civics (is, are) taught in eighth grade.
• Everyone (need, needs) some attention sometime.