Everything You Need to Know About Subject/Verb

Agreement* (*But were afraid to ask… or you really just didn’t care.)

Texas State University Writing Center

Can you spot the grammatical error?

How about here?

What is a sentence?

A sentence is made up of two parts: the subject (or the main noun) and the predicate (or the main verb).

Dogs bark.subject predicate

The tiny girl runs home every day.

subject predicate

What is a Subject?The subject is who or what the sentence is about.

Examples: I walked into the room. Joe and Sylvia would like a pizza.The book on the table is blue. Does anybody have a quarter I can borrow?

If you’re not sure what the subject of a sentence is, ask yourself: who or what is doing the action, OR to whom or what is the verb phrase referring?

What is a verb or predicate?The predicate is the main verb or verb phrase in a sentence.

Verbs can be actions (run, fight, dream), linking (to be, to seem, appear, feel, taste, look, & become) or states of being (is, am, are, were, was, etc…). Some verb phrases include an action or description of the subject.

Examples of Action Verbs:Joseph laughs like a hyena. The cat on the roof ran into the neighbor’s yard.

Examples of Other Verbs:Joseph is laughing at his little sister.The cat on the roof did run into the neighbor’s yard. Lydia and John became a couple after our wedding.Do you know the reason for all the commotion?

Subject/Verb Agreement Rules

When you have a singular subject, use the singular form of the verb.Juliet is a nice girl.There was a large cat in the room. [A large cat was there…]The car stalls at each stop.

When you have a plural subject, use the plural form of the verb.They are at the mall.His brothers were running around the block. There were many pictures taken at the zoo.

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Ignore the nouns in prepositional phrases or clauses that modify the subject, and use only the subject to determine your verb.

The car that parked in her parking space was towed.Dogs from the pound carry illnesses. Do birds from South America migrate?

Again, ask yourself who or what is doing the action, or who or what is the predicate (main verb) referring to, in order to find the subject.

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When you have a compound subject joined by the conjunction and, use the plural form of the verb.

Joseph and Lynn were in the mall. Local colleges and universities raise money annually. Three dogs and a cat walk into a bar…Do Sarah and my brother have a license?

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When the compound subject is joined with or, nor, neither/nor, either/or or not only/but also, the predicate (main verb) should agree with the subject closest to it.

Neither John nor Sylvia makes good margaritas.Two horses or a car has the strength to pull that. Not only those dogs but also this cat was bitten.

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The Case of the Indefinite PronounMost indefinite pronouns [another, anybody everybody, no one, somebody, something, etc…] are singular and require singular verbs, even though the sentence may sound odd. However, a few indefinite pronouns [none, some, more, most, any, all] may be singular OR plural. In this case, look to the noun closest to the predicate for agreement.

Singular Indefinite Pronouns:Anyone going to the mall gets the gift for Bob. One of our best runners is running in the Olympics.Neither of the two was wrong.

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Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns: All of the people are gone. All of my money is gone. Most of the moon is covered in darkness. Most of his coins are pennies.

A Final Word of Caution! When using the phrases “one of those” or “one of these,” look to the noun preceding the verb in the clause for agreement.

Studying before a test is one of those simple measures that reap big rewards.

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The Case of the Collective NounCollective nouns name a group: team, choir, band, orchestra, jury, committee, etc… Some collective nouns may be either singular or plural, depending on how you regard them. Both versions are acceptable.

The Smith family expects that its restaurant will benefit from a recent increase in Arizona tourism.

The Smith family expect that their restaurant will benefit from a recent increase in Arizona tourism.

The jury expects its verdict to be controversial.

The jury agree not to discuss their verdict with the press.

ONLINE GRAMMAR JEOPARDY:LET’S PLAY!

University of Arkansas: http://www.uark.edu/depts/aeedhp/jdmhome/game/start.htm

Quia-Grand Grammar Game: http://www.quia.com/cb/125663.html

Other Online Resources:Test Your Grammar Skills

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/

E-Mints National Center: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/sv_agr_quiz.htm