Subject Verb Agreement

“Subject Verb Agreement”

RULE 1

Subject and verb must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that form the backgroud of the concept.

Example:  The cat sleep when it is satisfied

The cats sleeps when they are satisfied

RULE 2

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

Example:  the lions, who is chewing on my jeans, are usually very good

RULE 3

Prepositional phrase between the subject and verb usually don’t affect agreement.

Example:  the blouses in the seruni are beautifullll.

RULE 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.

Example:  there were fifteen candies in that bag. Now there is only one left!

RULE 5

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

Example:  the cat and the chicken are eating together in my page home.

RULE 6

The verb is singular if the two subject separated by and refer to the some person or thing.

Example:  meatball and orange juss are my family’s favorite food.

RULE 7

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

Example:  every muslim and muslimah is be relative.

RULE 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.

Example:  today, either sari or tutik is to eat the meatball in canteen.

RULE 9

The only time when the object of the preposition decides plural of 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.

Example;  some of the cat in my home is gone

some of the cats in my home are hungry.

RULE 10

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

Example:  two quart of oil was required to get the motorcycle running.

RULE 11

If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the word or, nor, neither/nor, either/ or, and not only/but also,

the verb is plural.

Example:  chickens and cows are both available at the pound.

RULE 12

If one subject is singular and one plural and the word 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.

Example:  either the cat or the dogs have escaped from my house.

RULE 13

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

verbs.

Example: nothing person is not want to be loved.

RULE 14

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

Example:  all peoples loved me

RULE 15

It two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb

Example:  to walk and to chew gum require great skill

RULE 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

Example:  swimming in the beach and playing chess are my hobbies

RULE 17

Collective nouns like family, commttee, herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. Usually take a singular verb form

Example:  the crowd is generation next period

RULE 18

Title of books, movies, novels, etc, are treated as singular and take a singular verb.

Example:  spiderman has reached top 2 the best seller books.