Subject and Verb Agreement

Head of the Forum

This is a lesson (copied from a site )that I found very interesting

Example

talks, talk
Which one is the singular form?
Which word would you use with he?
We say, "He talks." Therefore, talks is singular.
We say, "They talk."
Therefore, talk is plural.

Rule 1

Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.
Example

My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

Rule 2

Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb as in
Examples

Neither John nor Susan is available.
Either Kiana or Casey helps today with stage decorations.

Rule 3

When one of your two subjects is I, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.
Example

Neither she nor I am going to the festival.

Rule 4

When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Example

The book or the magazines are on the shelf.

Rule 5

When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Example

Neither Jenny nor the others are available.

Rule 6

As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.
Example

A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

Rule 7

Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such asalong with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions whendetermining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
Examples

The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause
of her shaking.

Rule 8

The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody,someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do notbe misled by what follows of.
Examples

Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.
NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one.

Rule 9

With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority,some, all, none, remainder, etc.—look at the noun in your of phrase(object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular orplural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use asingular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a pluralverb.NOTE: Apparently, the SAT testing service considers none as a singular word only.
Examples

Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition.
One-third of the city is unemployed.

One-third of the people are unemployed.NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.Rule 10

When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.
Examples

Neither of them is available to speak right now.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.

Rule 11

The words here and there are never subjects because they are notnouns. In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subjectfollows the verb.
Examples

There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.

Rule 12

Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.
Examples

Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.

Rule 13

Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of the verbin the middle of the sentence. The pronouns who, that, and which becomesingular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. Soif that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use aplural verb.
Examples

Charlene is the scientist who write/writes the reports.
The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular. Therefore, use the singular verb writes.
He is one of the men who does/do the work.
The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb do.

Rule 14

Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.
Examples

The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit here.
The staff are in disagreement about the findings.
The staff are acting as separate individuals in this sentence.
The sentence would read even better like this:
The staff members are in disagreement about the findings.

Head of the Forum

Activity:

A number of teenagers __________playing on the playground
The number of people who owncars __________ increasing.
The wounded __________ sent tothe hospital at once.
The Philippines __________ inthe Pacific Ocean.
Her family __________ sittingoutside enjoying the fresh air.
Neither his brother nor hissister __________ in the hospital.
The teacher together with hisstudents _______ discussed the matter.
One and a half days __________what I need.

Active Member

A useful lesson to take into consideration. May God make your wishes come true. Amen