Using Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Using Subject-Verb Agreement • What is subject-verb agreement? • How to fix problems in agreement • Phrases between subjects and verbs • Indefinite pronouns • Compound subjects • Subjects after verbs • Don’t and doesn’t • Review A • Review B

2. What is subject-verb agreement? Every sentence has a subject and a verb. Verb Subject The dog runs. The dogruns. The dog runs. Verb Subject A ship sails. A shipsails. A shipsails. Verb Subject Two children play music. Two children play music. Two childrenplay music.

3. What is subject-verb agreement? Number Number is the form a word takes to show whether it is singular or plural. • A word that refers to one thing is singular. • A word that refers to more than one is plural. scientists scientist goose geese she they Singular Plural

4. What is subject-verb agreement? Singular subjects A verb should agree in number with its subject. • Singular subjects take singular verbs. Singular Verb Singular Subject Tabitha rides the train. Tabitharides the train. Tabitha rides the train. Singular Subject Singular Verb Herepairs the bicycle. Herepairs the bicycle. He repairs the bicycle.

5. What is subject-verb agreement? Plural subjects • Plural subjects take plural verbs. Plural Subject Plural Verb The girls ride the train. The girlsride the train. The girls ride the train. Plural Subject Plural Verb They repair the bicycle. Theyrepair the bicycle. Theyrepair the bicycle.

6. What is subject-verb agreement? Plural subjects In a verb phrase the first helping verb agrees with the subject. Singular Helping Verb Singular Subject Verb Phrase He is repairing the bicycle. is repairing He Plural Helping Verb Plural Subject Verb Phrase the bicycle. are repairing are repairing They They

7. What is subject-verb agreement? On Your Own • For each sentence, identify the subject, and then choose the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject. • 1. The water (rushes, rush) down the river. • 2. The bees (buzzes, buzz) around the picnic table. • 3. The photograph (was, were) a gift from my cousin. • At the science fair the winner always (receives, receive) a savings bond. • 5. They (march, marches) in all the parades. [End of Section]

8. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs Sometimes a phrase comes between the subject and the verb. Phrase Subject Verb Verb is Coyote. is Coyote. of those folk tales The hero The number of the subject is usually not changed by a phrase following the subject. Subject Verb The hero of those folk tales isCoyote.

9. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs Subject Verb A bag of marblesis on the shelf. A bagof marblesis on the shelf. Is agrees with bag, notmarbles. Subject Verb The peppersin the gardenhave grown quickly. The peppers in the gardenhave grown quickly. The helping verb have agrees with peppers,not garden.

10. How to fix problems in agreement Phrases between subjects and verbs On Your Own • For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses. • 1. A tidal wave, despite its name, (is, are) not caused by the tides. • 2. Earthquakes beneath the sea (causes, cause) most tidal waves. • 3. Tidal waves in the open ocean generally (does, do) not cause much interest. • The height of tidal waves there often (remains, remain)low. [End of Section]

11. How to fix problems in agreementIndefinite pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to a person or thing whose exact identity is unknown. • Some indefinite pronouns are singular. • Some are plural. • Some may be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used.

12. How to fix problems in agreementIndefinite pronouns The following indefinite pronouns are singular: Subject Subject Verb Verb Subject Verb Neither of the boys is in my class. Nothing evergoes on sale at this store. Everyone on the team dribbles well.

13. How to fix problems in agreementIndefinite pronouns The following indefinite pronouns are plural: Subject Verb Both of them wear glasses. Subject Verb Fewhave traveled there. Subject Verb Aremany of the tools sharp?

14. How to fix problems in agreementIndefinite pronouns The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural, depending on how they are used: Verb Subject Singular when they refer to singular words Mostof the ice has melted. Subject Verb Plural when they refer to plural words Mostof the ice cubes have melted.

15. How to fix problems in agreementIndefinite pronouns On Your Own • For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses. • 1. Most of the balloons (has, have) long strings. • 2. Both of these shoes (gives, give) me blisters. • 3. Someone on the soccer team (needs, need) a new uniform. • Neither of the boys (was, were) wearing a helmet. • 5. None of the house (has, have) been painted yet. [End of Section]

16. How to fix problems in agreementCompound subjects A compound subject is two or more subjects that are joined by a coordinating conjunction and that have the same verb. • Subjects joined by and usually take plural verbs. Red and blue arethe school’s colors. Subject 1 Subject 2 Verb Jana, Kurt, and Riley enjoyskating. Verb Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3

17. How to fix problems in agreementCompound subjects • Singular subjects joined by or or nor take a singular verb. Neither the bus nor the train stopsin our town. Singular Singular Verb On Mondays, Manuel or Gina baby-sits. Verb Singular Singular

18. How to fix problems in agreementCompound subjects • Plural subjects joined by or or nor take a plural verb. Curtains or artworks addcolor to a room. Plural Verb Plural Neither lemons nor limes were soldthere. Verb Plural Plural

19. How to fix problems in agreementCompound subjects • When a singular and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closer to the verb. Singular Plural Verb Either flowers or a book usually makes a nice gift. The verb makes agrees with the nearer subject, book. Verb Singular Plural Maria or her parents prepare the lunches. The verb prepare agrees with the nearer subject, parents.

20. How to fix problems in agreementCompound subjects On Your Own For each of the following sentences, choose the verb that agrees with the compound subject. 1. Ants and spiders (has, have) invaded the backyard. 2. Mandy and her friends (is, are) going to the movies. 3. A statue or a fountain (looks, look) good in a park setting. 4. Neither maples nor elms (grows, grow) well in the valley. 5. Either potatoes or rice (is, are) served with the chicken. [End of Section]

21. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs In some sentences the subject comes after the verb. Plural Subject Here (is, are) are the balloons. the balloons. When the subject follows the verb . . . 1. Find the subject. 2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

22. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs Subjects also appear after verbs in questions. Plural Subject Where (is, are) are the old magazines? the old magazines? 1. Find the subject. 2. Make sure the verb agrees with it.

23. How to fix problems in agreement Subjects after verbs On Your Own For each of the following sentences, choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses. 1. There (is, are) a new student in my brother’s class. 2. (Was, Were) the fans cheering for the other team? 3. Where (has, have) Reggie hidden the gifts? 4. Here (stands, stand) the bravest heroes among us. 5. There (is, are) several correct answers to that question. [End of Section]

24. You don’t know the rules yet. I don’t want that coat. Don’t the puppies look cute? How to fix agreement problemsDon’t and doesn’t The contractions don’t and doesn’t should agree with their subjects. Don’t is the contraction of do not. Use it with I and you and with all plural subjects.

25. He doesn’t know you. The car doesn’t run well in the winter. Doesn’t she bowl on a teen league? How to fix agreement problemsDon’t and doesn’t Doesn’t is the contraction of does not. Use it with all singular subjects except I and you.

26. How to fix agreement problemsDon’t and doesn’t On Your Own • For each of the following sentences, choose the correct contraction in parentheses. • 1. I (don’t,doesn’t) have any math homework tonight. • 2. (Don’t, doesn’t) you usually study with Julia? • 3. That show (don’t, doesn’t) come on until 9:00. • My grandparents (don’t, doesn’t) live near us. • 5. (Don’t, Doesn’t) Jerome play the guitar anymore? [End of Section]

27. Review A Choose the verb form in parentheses that agrees with the subject. • Everyone in her family (prefers, prefer) to drink water. • Jamal and his parents (enjoys, enjoy) musicals. • There (is, are) three baby birds in the nest. • Neither the mower nor the weed-eater (works, work) well. 5. Industries in the state (includes, include) farming and mining.

28. Review B For each of the following sentences, if the subject and verb do not agree, write the correct form of the verb. If the verb already agrees with the subject, write C. • This table and this chair were made by hand in Mexico. • Each of my brothers go to college out of state. • Mr. Chang and his class has painted a mural for the hall. • A tornado or a hurricane is a dangerous storm. 5. Here is the decorations for the dance. [End of Section]

29. The End