Subject Verb Agreement

Arranged by: Izza Maulana Rahman (113411063) Lailatul Akhadiyah (113411065) Umu Habibah (113411076) Zulfah Ariyani (113411092)

DEFINITION
Subject verb agreement refers to the fact

that the subject and verb must agree in

number: both must singular or both must

be plural.

FIND THE SUBJECT

1. The verb will agree with the first noun to the left of the verb.
The committee members were satisfied with
S V

the resolution.

2. A sentence has the subject after the

verb instead of before it. This strategy is often used for poetic effect.
Over the ripples glides a small canoe.
V S

3. The subject will not find in a modifiying

phrase (MP), a phrase that starts with a

preposition, a gerund, or a relative pronoun

and that modifies the meaning of the noun or

subject under discussion.

The group of students is going on field trip.
S MP V

4. If subject are joined by and, they are

considered plural.
The quarterback and the coach are having a
S V

conference.

5.If subject are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the closer subject.

Either the actors or the director is at fault.

S S V

6.The relative pronouns (who, whom,

which, and that) are either singular or

plural, depending on the words the refer

to.
The sales manager is a good researcher who
S S V

spends a great amount of time surfing the Web for information.

7.Indefinite pronouns (someone, somebody, each, either one, every one, or anyone) are considered singular and need singular verbs although they convey plural meaning.
Everyone on the committee is welcome to
S V

express his/her idea.

8. A few nouns can be either plural or singular,

depending on whether they mean a group or

separate individuals. These words are rarely

used as plurals in modern writing.

The jury is sequestered.

S V

9.A view subjects look plural but are really singular or vice versa.
The data amaze everyone.
S V

10. The verb is determined by the noun (or

pronoun) that follows of in most expressions of quantity.

Some of the books are good.
S V

11. One of, each of, and every one of take singular verbs.
One of my friends is here.
S V

12. Subjects with none of or consider singular in very formal english, but plural verbs are often used in informal speech and writing. None of the boys is here.
S V

13. The number is the subject, a number of is an expression of quantity meaning a lot of its followed by a plural noun and a plural verb. A number of the students were late for class.
S V

14. Sometimes a noun that ends in -s is singular. Notice the example: if the noun is changed to a pronoun, the singular pronoun it is used (not the plural pronoun they) because the noun is singular. The United States is big.
S V

15. Expressions of time, money, and

distance usually take a singular verb.

Eight hours of sleep is enough.
S V

16. People and police do not end in -s but are plural nouns and take plural verb.

The police have been called.

S V

17. Some nouns of nationality that end in-sh , ese, and -ch can mean either language or

people, e.g., English, Spanish, Chinese,

Japanese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, French.

English is spoken in many countries.

S V

THANK YOU