Eng. 150

Holper

Unit 2: Practice C

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

Rules to Understand:

1) Subjects and verbs must agree in number: This means that they both need to be singular or they both need to be plural.

Wrong: dogs barks

Right: dogs bark

2) Subject and verb agreement has nothing to do with verb tense. Make sure not to switch into verb tenses to make subjects and verbs agree.

3) Most regular singular verbs end in "S" in present tense.

Example of singular verb: Bob swims.

Example of a plural verb: They swim.

4) By eliminating prepositional phrases, it's easier to see if the subject and the verb agree:

Example: The boy with the curls that cover his eyes run under the bridge. (Without the prep. phrases, it's easier to see here that subject and verb don't agree.)

5) When subjects are linked by and, the verb will be plural.

Example: Jan and Jim are both popular.

6) When subjects are linked by or, the verb will be determined by the number of the item on the right of the "or".

Exs: Bob or his friends are coming to the party.

Ken or Janice is nuts!

7) With either/or and neither/nor (just as with or), the verb is also determined by the number of the subject that comes to the right of or or nor.

Exs: Neither Albert nor his girls like candy.

8) Collective nouns are usually treated as singular: Groups like jury, committee, etc. are treated as singular, unless they act as individuals within a group.

Example as a group: The committee is meeting today to decide on your hanging.

Example as individuals: The jury disagree on the verdict.

Practice problems:

(Directions: First cross out any prepositional phrases, which will allow you to see the bare bones of the sentence. Then underline and label the subject and the verb. Circle the correct form of the verb last.)

1) My foot and my shoe, in a manner of speaking, is/are best friends.

2) A bad pair of those funky, zigzag scissors can (makes, make) one miserable.

3) Neither my Rolls Royce with the chrome grill and the teak dashboard nor my Fiat with the busted radiator (is, are) working.

4) The College of the Redwoods' history of progressive and fascinating innovations (shows, show) many bold moves.

5) The investors making the most money (talks, talk) the least.

6) The manners committee (is, are) meeting now to decide your fate.

7) In the back room, the mess of memos, calendars, and unpaid bills (stands, stand) nearly a yard high.

8) Something in her book bags (looks, look) suspicious.

9) Without your sniveling presence at the party, most of us is/are going to have a good time.

10) Cats is/are a famous musical.