SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT

One of the most common grammatical mistakes has to do with agreement of subject and predicate. Study the
rules below and practice them consciously in your everyday speech.

A. THE PREDICATE AGREES WITH THE SUBJECT

1. The predicate agrees with the subject in person and number. The third person singular verb in the
present tense ends in s.

e.g. I like the story.

Elena likes it too.

2. The predicate agrees with the subject regardless of intervening words. Whenever there is a phrase or
a clause modifying the subject, look past these words to the real subject and make the verb agree
with it.

e.g. Rama was exiled by Dasa-ratha.

Rama, with Sita and Lakshman, was exiled by Dasa-ratha.
Rama, who was the husband of Sita, was exiled by Dasa-ratha.

3. If the idea expressed by a collective noun is that of a single group of individuals, the predicate
should be singular. If the idea expressed by the collective noun is that of a number of individuals,
the verb should be plural.

e.g. The group practices self-denial.

The crowd are doing different things.

4. The verb must be singular when one of the following words is the subject: each, neither, everyone,
any, anyone, someone, everybody, anybody, somebody.

e.g. Each has a sacred duty to perform.

Neither of Bharat’s arguments convinces Rama.

5. In a compound subject, one of whose members is singular and the other is plural, the predicate
agrees with the subject closer to it.

e.g. Either his friends or his father is with him.

Either his father or his friends are with him.

6. In a compound subject, one negative, one positive, the predicate agrees with the positive member.

e.g. You, not I, are to blame.

I, not you, am to blame.

7. The predicate agrees with the subject and not with the predicate word.

e.g. The result of Kaikeyi’s plan is the many opportunities to get Rama exiled.

8. The expression the number, takes a singular verb; a number takes a plural verb.

e.g. The number of rites performed was considerable.

A number of rites were performed.

9. Two nouns generally thought of together take a singular verb.

e.g. Bread and butter is good for breakfast.

Rice and fish is also good.
 10. Two nouns referring to the same person take a singular verb.

e.g. Mita’s cousin and classmate is here.

11. Few, several, and many take plural verbs when used as pronouns.

e.g. Few are willing to leave Rama.

Several have consented to follow him.

12. Sums of money and units of measurement take singular verbs.

e.g. Three hundred pesos is enough.

One hundred meters is not too far.

13. Fractions take singular verbs. But if the fraction is followed by an of-phrase, the number of the
verb depends on whether the noun in the of-phrase is singular or plural.

e.g. Three-fourths is a fraction of one.

Three-fourths of the jackfruit is enough.
Three-fourths of the mangoes are enough.

14. All takes a plural verb when it refers to concrete nouns in the plural; all takes a singular verb
when it refers to abstract nouns or mass nouns.

e.g. All of the brothers of Rama were loyal to him to him.

All of his ambition was gone.
All of the oxygen was exhausted.
All of the money was lost.

15. Be careful of the plurals of foreign nouns. Some nouns retain the plural the plural forms of the
foreign from which they have been taken. Though they may look like singular nouns, they are
plural and require plural verbs.

Singular Plural
phenomenon phenomena
genus genera
synopsis synopses
alumnus alumni
alumna alumnae

Synopses of two stories were submitted.

The alumni were in favor of building the stadium.

16. A title of a book, play, film, painting, musical composition or other such work is singular.

e.g. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel.

The Frogs is a play by Aristophanes.
Angels and Demons is a book made into a film.
Clear and Present Danger is written by Tom Clancy.

B. THE VERB AGREES WITH SPECIAL NOUNS

1. The words listed below are mass nouns. They are always singular and cannot be preceded by the
phrase a number of. They refer to things that cannot be counted. Memorize them.

advice blood graft mail (letters)

chalk homework soap paper (unused)
clothing money ammunition help (noun)

Much ammunition was lost.

 My homework gives me a hard time.
A bit of soap is on the table.

When a noun listed above is preceded by pieces of, kinds of, types of, etc., it is followed by a plural
verb.
Various kinds of clothing are sold at that store.
Many pieces of chalk are in the box.

2. Some nouns change their meaning with a change in form. These nouns are commonly used in the
singular; they carry a special meaning when used in the plural.

a. advice (counsel)
His advice is generally followed. k. lace (general use)
advices (orders, news, instructions) More lace is on her dress than on mine.
Early advices from abroad are e-mailed daily laces (different kinds)
Different laces are woven in the factory.
b. candy (general use)
Here is some candy. l. land (isolated portion of the earths surface)
candies ( different kinds) Idle land invites squatters.
Assorted candies are in this box. lands (different nations or countries)
Foreign lands do not interest me any longer.
c. cloth (fabric)
This cloth is lovely. m. paper (material for writing or printing)
clothes (finished garment) Paper has become a precious commodity.
These clothes are for evening wear. papers (documents)
These papers are legal.
d. fish (collectively)
There is some fish for dinner. n. people (general use)
fishes (different kinds) A nomadic people has no fixed native land.
There are different fishes in the aquarium. peoples (different races or nations)
Peoples of the world do not live in peace today.
e. food (general use)
There was so much food. o. pottery (industry)
foods (different kinds) Pottery is profitable.
Canned foods are available even in sari-sari stores. potteries (wares fashioned out of clay)
There are expensive potteries in ceramic shops.
f. fruit (general use)
The fruit contains the plants seeds. p. property (possession, real state)
fruits (different kinds) His family’s property includes a condominium.
The fruits were piled on the market stalls. properties (materials used on the stage; props)
In our class plays stage properties are often
g. hair (entire growth on ones head) imaginary.
Her lovely hair was adorned with a gold comb.
hairs (strands of hair) q. sand (the whole stretch of sand)
Many grey hairs show that mother is getting old. The sand is warm.
sands (individual grains)
h. glass (material) The sands of time have run low.
Molten glass is shaped in various ways.
glasses (spectacles; drinking vessels) r. wood (lumber)
My glasses are gold-rimmed. Today wood has become an expensive building
material
i. grass (general use) woods (forest)
Grass turns brown in summer. The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
grasses (different specimens)
Grasses include sugarcane and bamboo. s. work (product of human labor)
Work keeps her too busy too worry.
j. instruction (teaching) works (all products; duties or ceremonials; a place
The instruction here is excellent. where industrial labor is carried on as in iron
instructions (orders; regulations) works or public works)
In the hospital all instructions are followed The works of Juan Luna are famous.
carefully.
Good works are done to accord with the law of
God.

3. Nouns ending in s but are singular in meaning use singular verbs.

acoustics measles statistics mathematics

economics news civics
ethics phonetics mumps
linguistics physics athletics

Measles is contagious.
Economics is an interesting subject.
Mumps disfigures the face.
Physics is her favorite subject.

4. Nouns always used in the plural use plural verbs.

glasses (spectacles) oats goods

riches scissors socks
thanks tongs pliers
shoes slacks refreshments
proceeds ashes clippers
trousers remains (a corpse) pants

The goods are being inventoried.

His pants are too tight.
Marlon’s shoes are comfortable.

5. With nouns always singular in form but either singular or plural in meaning, the verb agrees with
the meaning intended.

deer sheep swine salmon trout

Fifty sheep are grazing in the meadow.

A sheep is grazing in the meadow.
Five deer are drinking at the brook.
One deer, the largest, leads the rest.

6. Nouns that express abstract ideas are usually singular in form. They require singular verbs.

poverty laughter pity

courage luck presence
education wealth sadness
fun merriment hatred
happiness piety honesty

Courage was what Sita needed.

Rama’s presence was not necessary.
Pity springs naturally in a brother’s heart.
There is merriment at the wedding celebration.
Name: ___________________________________________________________ Date: _________
Course: _________________ Score: ________

ACTIVITY 1

I. Choose the correct verb.

________ 1. Neither Luis nor his friends (is, are) here.
________ 2. (Is, Are) either Joey or your friends coming
________ 3. Either the boys or the girl (is, are) mistaken.
________ 4. Neither his shoes nor my shirt (fit, fits) Gene.
________ 5. My cousin and my friend (is, are) not here.
________ 6. The pen and pencil (is, are) in the box
________ 7. Each of his friends (bring, brings) a present.
________ 8. Ten pesos (was, were) our contribution.
________ 9. Three meters of cloth (is, are) what we need.
________ 10. The class (feel, feels) that you are reasonable.
________ 11. Only two-thirds of the apples (was, were) left.
________ 12. (Has, Have) either of the girls finished the work?
________ 13. Each of the letters (was, were) written.
________ 14. All they had (was, were) hope.
________ 15. A fleet of ships (are, is) docking near the harbor.
________ 16. The number of students absent (is, are) unusual.
________ 17. All they had (was, were) guns.
________ 18. All the men in the room (was, were) his friends.
________ 19. The crowd (is, are) getting restless.
________ 20. Either my brothers or my cousin (is, are) leaving for
abroad.

ACTIVITY 2

________ 1. India, as well as the Philippines, still (have, has)
aboriginal tribes.
________ 2. All the adolescents (live, lives) in dormitories.
________ 3. All (have, has) supervisors to look after them.
________ 4. The unmarried youths (gather, gathers) in these
dormitories.
________ 5. They (hold, holds) parties.
________ 6. This merrymaking (last, lasts) far into the night.
________ 7. Wine (play, plays) an important part in these
celebrations.
________ 8. There (are, is) singing and dancing.
________ 9. The songs and dances (are, is) traditional.
________ 10. The manner of singing and dancing (are, is)
also traditional.
ACTIVITY 3
________ 11. The neoli bird (sing, sings) sweetly.
________ 12. There (are, is) choral singing.
________ 13. The boys and girls (sing, sings) in turn.
________ 14. The boys (ask, asks) a question.
________ 15. The girl (answer, answers) the question.
________ 16. The roof, as well as the walls, (need, needs)
repair.
________ 17. The Pretenders (was, were) written by SF Jose.
________ 18. Her dream and ambition (is, are) to become a
professional gymnast
________ 19. A number of students (has, have) been
enrolling in computer-related course.
________ 20. Across the street (stand, stands) a dog and a
cat.

________ 1. The jury (find, finds) the third contestant witty.

________ 2. The teacher, together with the students, (read, reads) Lewis Carrol’s Jabberwocky.”
________ 3. Public speakers (need, needs) to be aware of their audience.
________ 4. One fourth of the cake (has, have) been eaten by Dennis.
________ 5. Twelve thousand pesos (is, are) the monthly salary of a public school teacher
________ 6. Three of the houses on Diagon Alley (was, were) burned last night.
________ 7. Three fourth of the students in English 1 (get, gets) the quiz.
________ 8. Her manner of dressing (speak, speaks) of her personality.
________ 9. Demi Moore is one of those Hollywood actresses who (has, have) genuine talent.
________ 10. Either Karen or all of her classmates (wants, want) to get higher grades.
________ 11. Neither Edcel nor Leo (removes, remove) his polo shirt inside the classroom.
________ 12. Amor is a person who really (knows, know) her obligations as a student.
________ 13. Ricky loves dancing, but his friends (like, likes) singing.
________ 14. Those eyeglasses left on the bench (appear, appears) worn out.
________ 15. Father and son (greets, greet) each other with
________ 16. French and Spanish (belong, belongs) to the Indo-European family of language.
________ 17. A large piece of paper or several small ones (is, are) needed for taking notes.
________ 18. The committee (is, are) arguing heatedly with one another.
________ 19. Roy Andres, of all the trainers, (was, were) the most informative.
________ 20. Two or three glum faces or one terrible “boo” (is, are) enough to discourage a new actor.