Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns and Compound Subjects

I. Singular Indefinite Pronouns

I. Singular Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are singular: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, something, someone, and something.

I. Singular Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are singular: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, something, someone, and something.B. Singular indefinite pronouns need singular verbs.

I. Singular Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are singular: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, something, someone, and something.B. Singular indefinite pronouns need singular verbs.

1. One of the stars is Antares.

I. Singular Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are singular: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, something, someone, and something.B. Singular indefinite pronouns need singular verbs.

1. One of the stars is Antares.2. Each of the tourists was given a

map.

II. Plural Indefinite Pronouns

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.B. Plural indefinite pronouns need plural verbs.

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.B. Plural indefinite pronouns need plural verbs.

1. Few of the guests (are/is) wearing formal clothes.

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.B. Plural indefinite pronouns need plural verbs.

1. Few of the guests are wearing formal clothes.

2. Many of the newer houses (has/have) built-in smoke detectors.

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.B. Plural indefinite pronouns need plural verbs.

1. Few of the guests are wearing formal clothes.

2. Many of the newer houses have built-in smoke detectors.3. Several in the group (say/says)

yes.

II. Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several.B. Plural indefinite pronouns need plural verbs.

1. Few of the guests are wearing formal clothes.

2. Many of the newer houses have built-in smoke detectors.3. Several in the group say yes.

III. Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns

III. Singular or Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, and some.

III. Singular or Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, and some.B. You can find out if the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural by looking at the prepositional phrase that comes after it.

III. Singular or Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, and some.B. You can find out if the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural by looking at the prepositional phrase that comes after it.

1. If the object of the proposition is singular, the pronoun is singular.

III. Singular or Plural Indefinite PronounsA. The following indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, and some.B. You can find out if the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural by looking at the prepositional phrase that comes after it.

1. If the object of the proposition is singular, the pronoun is singular.

2. If the object of the preposition is plural, the pronoun is plural.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow (has/have) melted.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is

singular.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is

singular.2. All of the snowflakes (has/have)

melted.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is

singular.2. All of the snowflakes have melted.

ALL is plural because snowflakes (the O.P.) is plural.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is

singular.2. All of the snowflakes have melted.

ALL is plural because snowflakes (the O.P.) is plural.3. Some of the birdseed (is/are) left

in the feeder.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is singular.

2. All of the snowflakes have melted.ALL is plural because snowflakes

(the O.P.) is plural.3. Some of the birdseed is left in the

feeder.SOME is singular because birdseed is

singular.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is singular.

2. All of the snowflakes have melted.ALL is plural because snowflakes

(the O.P.) is plural.3. Some of the birdseed is left in the feeder.

SOME is singular because birdseed is singular

4. Some of the seeds (is/are) left in the feeder.

C. Examples:1. All of the snow has melted.

ALL is singular because snow (the object of the preposition) is singular.

2. All of the snowflakes have melted.ALL is plural because snowflakes

(the O.P.) is plural.3. Some of the birdseed is left in the feeder.

SOME is singular because birdseed is singular

4. Some of the seeds are left in the feeder.SOME is plural because seeds is plural.

IV. Compound Subjects

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.B. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.B. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

1. Red and blue is/are the school’s colors.

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.B. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

1. Red and blue are the school’s colors.

2. Mr. Foxworth, Mrs. Russell and Ms. Kamal is/are sixth grade teachers.

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.B. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

1. Red and blue are the school’s colors.

2. Mr. Foxworth, Mrs. Russell and Ms. Kamal are sixth grade teachers.C. Singular subjects are joined by or or nor take a singular verb.

IV. Compound SubjectsA. A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects joined by the conjunctions or, and, or nor.B. Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

1. Red and blue are the school’s colors.2. Mr. Foxworth, Mrs. Russell and Ms. Kamal are sixth grade teachers.

C. Singular subjects are joined by or or nor take a singular verb.D. Plural subjects joined by or or nor take a plural verb.

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

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

1. A soft blanket (singular) or warm booties (plural) make a baby

comfortable.

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

1. A soft blanket (singular) or warm booties (plural) make a baby

comfortable. 2. Warm booties (plural) or a soft

blanket (singular) makes a baby comfortable.