Subject-Verb Agreement

by Patrícia de O. Lucas and David Hughes

Grammar checkers findo some, but not all, erros in subject-verb

agreement. For example, a grammar checker might mark the sentence the sentence. It is important that he is on

time as correct because it does not recognize the need for the base form

of a verb after a clause like It is important that. Also, sometimes

grammar checkers identify the wrong word as the subject.

Verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural) and person (I, you,

he, they and so on). A singular subject (one person or thing) has a singular verb. A plural

subject (two or more people or things) has a plural verb.

Some subject-verb agreement errors happen when the

subject is third-person singular (he, she or it). Remember to use the –s form in the simple

present tense. Also remember to use the –s form of the

helping verbs do and have.

Singular subjects

These subjects are always singular

He, she or it It is raining.

A singular noun This rose bush hasn’t bloomed for three years.

A nouncount noun The coffee isn’t hot.

A single gerund or gerund phrase Making trouble is her hobby.

An amount of time, money, or weight (Even though the word is plural in form, it is considered one unit).

Three years is a long time to wait for a visa.

Sixty dollars is too much for that shirt.

Thirty-two pounds is the average weight gain during pregnancy.

These indefinite pronouns are always singular

- one words

- body words

- thing words

Anyone, anybody, anything

Is anyone at home?

Has anybody seen my car keys?

Everyone, everybody, everything

Everyone likes Chinese food.

Everybody has an equal opportunity.

Someone, somebody, something

Someone has borrowed my pen.

No one, nobody, nothing

Nothing satisfies her.

Nobody knows how to solve this problem.

One

One has a right to disagree with the government.

These indefinite pronouns are also always singular

Each, either, neither

Each of their children has had a good education.

Does either of your parents speak English?

No, neither does.

Singular or plural subjects

The following indefinite pronouns and quantity

expressions can be singular or plural

All, a lot of, most, any, none, some, one-half, two-thirds, etc

They are singular when they refer to a singular or

noncount noun or pronoun

All his money was stolen

They are plural when they refer to a plural noun or

pronoun

All of his books were stolen.

Does any of the food need heating?

Do any of the desserts need refrigerating?

Some of the snow has melted.

Some of the trees have lost their leaves.

One-half of his face was painted green.

One-half of the students were from Asia.

None of the money was missing.

None* of the questions were easy.

*None is always singular in formal English. In informal English, none can be singular or plural.

None of the students is here. (formal)

None of the students are here. (informal)

Plural subjects

These subjects are always plural

They

They are best friends.

A plural noun

The trees don’t have any leaves.

Both

Both of my parents speak English.

Two or more subjects joined by and

John, Chris, and Anna are in the same class

Exceptions

1. When the subjects joined by and refer to a single unit or to the same person or thing, the

subject is singular.

A hamburguer and fries is my favorite snack. (The writer considers hamburguer and

fries as one unit).

My best friend and wisest counselor is a dog. (The two

subjects refer to the same animal).

2. When the subjects joined by and have the word each or

every in front of them, they are considered one unit and take a

singular verb.

Each passenger and crew member was questioned.

Every man, woman, and child in the country knows who Elvis

Presley was.

Confusing situations

Subject-verb agreement is sometimes confusing in the

following situations.

Subject and verb separated by other words

Often a prepositional phrase or a clause comes between the subject and its verb. Words

between a subject and verb do not change subject-verb agreement. You should

mentally cross them out when deciding whether to use a singular or a plural verb.

Many varieties of rice are grown around the world. (The subject is varieties, not rice).

The color of her eyes changes depending on the color of her clothes. (The subject is color, not

eyes).

The list of students who have been admitted to the university but haven’t yet registered for class

is posted outside the registrar’s office. (The subject is list).

Subjects joined by or, nor, either...or, and neither...nor

Singular subjects joined by or, nor, either...or, neither...nor take

a singular verb.

Example

A passport or other photo ID is required at check-in.

Plural subjects take a plural verb

Example

Neither my parents nor my brothers and sisters know

that I am coming home

When one of the subjects is singular and the other is plural, the verb agrees with the nearer

subject

Examples

Either the students or the teacher is right

Either the teacher or the students are right

Collective nouns

A collective noun names a group of people. These are

collective nouns.

Band, class, committee, couple, crew, crowd, family, group, jury,

majority, minority, orchestra, pair, staff, team

A collective noun takes a singular verb when the group

acts as a unit

My family lives together in one big house (acting as a unit)

A collective noun takes a plural verb when the members of the

group act individually

My family take separate vacations. (acting individually)

Inverted word order

Changing the order of the subject and the verb does not

change subject-verb agreement

There is a large, angry elephant running loose in the street.

There are several angry farmers chasing it.

Sentences with a subject complement

When a sentence has a subject complement, the verb agrees with the subject, not with the

subject complement. (A subject complement is a noun, often

following the verb be, that renames the subject)

Her main topic od conversation is hairstyles.

Topic = subject

Hairstyles = subject complement

Hairstyles are her main topic of conversation.

Hairstyles = subject

Her main topic of conversation = subject complement

Nouns ending in –s and other irregular nouns

A few nouns that look plural are singular, and other nouns that look singular are plural. A

few examples of these exceptional nouns are listed

here.

A few nouns ending in –s are singular

economics Economics is my hardest class.

the United States The United States is a relatively young country.

news The best news is sometimes no news.

A few nouns not ending in –s are plural

men The men were waiting outside.

people People want peace and security.

police The police have arrived.

teeth Her teeth are very white.

A few nouns have the same singular and plural form

data The data shows...The data show...

fish This fish is...These fish are...

species A species has...Several species have...

After who, which, and that

The verb after the relative pronouns who, which, and that agrees with its antecedent. An

antecedent is the noun to which the relative pronoun

refers.

Children may not see a film that has an X-rating.

a film = singular antecedent

Children may not see films that have na X-rating

films = plural antecedent

The number of / a number of

The number of takes a singular verb. A number of, which

means several, takes a plural verb.

The number of volunteers was surprising. (The number

was surprising, not the volunteer)

A number of students were absent. (Several students were

absent)

Time to practice!