Rules of Thumb for SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT

1. Rules of Thumb for SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT Created by April Turner

2. Rule 1 • Use a verb ending in –s if your subject is a he, she, or it. • Singular subjects include, but are not limited to, these: • Singular nouns: • A list of phone numbers is available. • A major problemis smokers. • Singular indefinite pronouns: • Each of us has a key. • Subjects preceded by each, every, or many a: • Every man, woman, and childhas an opinion.

3. Singular Subjects, cont. • Subjects preceded by the number of: • The number of students attending college is very high. • Titles/names of companies, books, plays, movies, etc.: • The Centers for Disease Controlis in Atlanta, Georgia. • Gerunds: • Recycling telephone directorieshelps save landfill space each year. • Relative pronouns referring to singular antecedents: • Ora is the only one in the group whosmokes. • Subjects joined by or, nor, either…or, or neither…nor: • Neither the players nor the coachwas present.

4. Rule 2 • Use a verb that does not end in –s if your subject is a they. • Plural subjects include, but are not limited to, these: • Subjects joined by or, nor, either…or, or neither…nor: • Neither the coach nor the playerswere present. • Plural indefinite pronouns: • Both of us have a key.

5. Plural Subjects, cont. • Plural nouns: • The scissorsare lying on the desk. • Subjects preceded by a number of: • A number of studentsare majoring in law. • Relative pronouns referring to plural antecedents: • He is one of the millions of peoplewhosmoke.

6. Rule 3 • Ignore prepositional phrases: • A listof phone numbersis available. • Ignore there and here at the beginning of a sentence: • Thereare three books on the censored list. • Ignore appositives: • Theyeachhave a ticket. • Ignore words synonymous with the subject: • Clothesare her passion. Her passionisclothes.

7. Rule 4 • Some subjects may be singular or plural depending on the meaning of the subject. • Some of the food is cold. • Some of the vegetables are cold. • The castwas congratulated. • The castwere practicing their lines. • Fifteen minutesis a long time. • Fifteen minutesremain. • Statisticsis a difficult course. • Divorce statisticsare alarmingly high.

8. Let’s Practice!!! • The sheriff along with two of her deputies (were, was) checking licenses at the North Road exit. • WAS • Some of the lots in our subdivision (was, were) not for sale. • WERE • Here (is, are) the transistors and diodes that you purchased for your repair shop. • ARE • Genetics (is, are) very difficult for beginning students to understand. • IS

9. More Practice!!! • The number of girls in my football club (was, were) surprising. • WAS • A number of the swimmers (is, are) going to the state competition. • ARE • There (is, are) some error messages showing up in my program. • ARE • Neither Betty nor Jane (type, types) more than fifty words per minute. • TYPES

10. Bibliography Hixon, Mamie Webb.Real Good Grammar, Too .