Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement Practice Exercises

Click on the Correct Verb • One of the cars in the parking lot ( hashave ) its headlights on.

Oops! • The subject here is “one,” which is singular. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb: • (There’sThere are) several squirrels in the birdhouse, eating all the birdseed.

Not quite! • Remember, when a sentence begins with “here,” “there,” or “where,” the subject follows the verb. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Try another: • Damaged by the tornado ( was were) a church, a video arcade, and a hardware store.

Oops! • The subject in this sentence is “church,” “arcade,” and “store.” This is a plural subject. • Click here to try again.

Yes! • Click on the correct verb: • Sylvia, as well as her sister, ( livelives ) in Loveland, Colorado.

Not exactly. • Remember, the subject here is “Sylvia.” Phrases such as “as well as” or “along with” are prepositional phrases. • Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! • Click on the correct verb. • Neither the President nor the Vice-President ( acceptsaccept ) responsibility for this scandal.

Not quite! • Remember, when subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the closest subject. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • ( HasHave) the jury reached a decision yet?

Oops! • Remember, “jury” is a collective noun that is considered singular. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • Each of the students ( hashave ) turned in his or her research paper.

Not quite! • “Each” is an indefinite pronoun that is always considered singular. • Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! • Click on the correct verb. Vinegar and oil ( seemsseem ) to be a popular dressing with this Italian salad.

Not quite! Some subjects joined by “and” are considered one unit. “Vinegar and oil” is considered one flavor. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • Either Chad or Tamika ( arrangesarrange ) transportation for VIPs.

Oops! • Remember, when two subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the closer subject. • Click here to try again.

Correct! • Click on the correct verb. • Neither of these slacks ( matchesmatch ) that orange blouse.

Not exactly. • “Neither” is a singular indefinite pronoun and is the subject of this sentence. • Click here to try again.

Correct! • Click on the correct verb. • None of the night shift workers ( hashave ) volunteered to work on Thanksgiving.

Not quite! • In this case, the subject “none” is considered plural because it refers to workers. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • There ( gogoes ) my Corvette and my ex-wife.

Oops! • Remember, “there” is not the subject. The subject here is “Corvette” and “wife,” so the subject is plural. • Click here to try again.

You’ve got it! • Click on the correct verb. • The condition of the hotel rooms ( isare ) surprisingly good.

Not quite! • In this case, “condition” is the subject. “Of the hotel rooms” is a prepositional phrase. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • Some of the errors ( hashave ) been corrected.

Oops! • “Some” is considered plural here because it refers to “errors.” • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • Fifty dollars ( seemsseem ) like a lot to pay for a steak.

Not quite! • Amounts are considered one unit and therefore singular. • Click here to try again.

Right! • Click on the correct verb. • Both of the televisions in my apartment ( is are ) not working.

Oops! • “Both” is a plural pronoun. • Click here to try again.

Yes! • Click on the correct verb. • Taken in the burglary ( waswere) a television set, a diamond ring, and a Tickle Me Elmo doll.

Not quite! • In this sentence, the verb follows the subject, which is “set,” “ring,” and “doll.” • Click here to try again.

Correct! • This concludes the practice exercises on subject verb agreement.

Subject Verb Agreement