SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

Action verb

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). 

Linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that renames or describes the subject. To Be: Is, am, are, was, were.

 Example:

1. I am very sad. 

2. Ammarullah is in love with Mega. 

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

Example:

1. I fell happy. 

2. I get money from my father.

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.).

 Examples:

1. Tejo is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.
2. The trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.

MAIN RULE OF 

“Subject Verb Agreement”

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

2. Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect agreement.

3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.

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.

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

6. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same person or thing.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

verb.

 Exercise : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7.        One of my sisters (are) 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 (are) 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 (are) only one left!

20.    The committee (debate) these questions carefully.

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

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

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