SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT [s-v]: definition Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that states that the verb must

agree in number with its subject. In English, present tense verbs change to show agreement in the third person singular form (subjects represented by the pronouns HE, SHE, IT) by adding an S or ES.

I live you live he liveS she liveS it liveS

we live you live they live

The irregular verb BE has three forms in the present tense and two forms in the past tense:

Present: I am you are he is, she is, it is we are they are

Past: I was you were he was, she was, it was we were you were

Subject-verb agreement often causes problems when a noun rather than a pronoun is the subject of the verb.

Incorrect: The class meet at 10. The boys in front of the store wants to buy magazines.

Correct: The class meets at 10. The boys in front of the store want to buy magazines.

Subject-Verb Agreement - Exercise 1

Choose the correct verb in each sentence below. Then click the "Check My Work" button to view the correct answers. 1. Emily and Greg ( 2. There ( is, comes, come) to my house every Friday for lunch.

are) time to watch the movie. wants, want) me to play a musical

3. My friends who are in the band ( instrument. 4. My father or my brothers ( 5. Everyone ( needs, is,

are) coming with me to the ball game.

need) time to relax. looks, hopes, look) fresh. hope) to win the tournament next week.

6. That bag of oranges ( 7. The lacrosse team ( 8. Your trousers (

needs,

need) to be cleaned. is, are) dusty. thinks, think) that it is too

9. Some of the books on the shelf (

10. Even though the students like the class, a few ( complicated.

Compound Subjects
c. Compound subjects When the subject of a verb consists of two or more nouns joined by and, or or nor, the subject can be referred to as a compound subject. In the following examples, the compound subjects are underlined. e.g. Cars and buses were filling the streets.

One apple or one pear is needed. Neither ducks nor pigeons were in the yard. i. Compound subjects with And A compound subject consisting of two nouns joined by the word and usually takes a plural verb. In the following examples, the compound subjects consist of various combinations of singular and plural nouns joined by the word and. In all of the examples, the compound subject with and takes a plural verb. e.g. Red and white are my favorite colors. One egg and one lemon are required to make the cake. One teacher and twenty students are present. Roses and tulips are blooming in the garden. However, a compound subject with and takes a singular verb when the subject as a whole refers to only one thing, or is considered as referring to only one thing. e.g. Our vice-president and treasurer is a person everyone likes. Strawberries and cream is my favorite dessert. In the first example, the use of the singular verb is indicates that the compound subject vice-president and treasurer refers to a single person. In the second example, the use of the singular verb is indicates that the compound subject strawberries and cream is being considered as referring to a single type of dessert. Likewise, a compound subject with and takes a singular verb when the subject is the title of a book or the name of a company. e.g. War and Peace is a long book. Johnson and Sons is a company which sells musical instruments. In each of the above examples a singular verb, is, is used, since the compound subject is the name of a single thing. ii. Compound subjects with Or or Nor When a compound subject consists of two or more nouns joined by the word or or nor, the verb agrees with the noun nearest the verb. In the following examples the verbs are singular, since the nouns nearest the verbs are singular. e.g. A bus or a streetcar passes this point every two minutes. Neither my friend nor his brother knows what to do. Cookies or cake is available. Neither sardines nor salmon was served. In the following examples the verbs are plural, since the nouns nearest the verbs are plural. e.g. Sandals or slippers are suitable.

Neither pencils nor pens were provided. Cake or cookies are available. Neither salmon nor sardines were served. When a compound subject consists of one singular noun and one plural noun joined by or or nor, it is sometimes considered advisable to place the plural noun directly before the verb, so that the verb will be plural. e.g. A coat or two sweaters are needed. Neither the teacher nor the students were there. In these examples, the plural nouns sweaters and teachers have been placed immediately before the verbs, so that the verbs will be plural. The following table summarizes the rules for the agreement of verbs with compound subjects: Agreement of Verbs with Compound Subjects
Nouns of Compound Subject Nouns referring to a single thing Nouns referring to two or more things Singular noun nearest the verb Plural noun nearest the verb
Compound subject exercises Underline both subjects.
1. Mark and Jake walked around the block. 2. Mark walked around the block and up the ladder. 3. Mr. Travers teaches at the school and plays outside at recess. 4. Mattingly and Dina learn from Mr. Travers. 5. Lori's blue and green dress has been drying on the clothesline in the yard. 6. I looked for the jacket in the house and the car. 7. Luc jogged quickly and quietly onto the soccer field.

Conjunction and and or/nor or/nor

Verb singular plural singular plural

PHRASAL VERB A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb plus a particle (preposition, adverb). The particle can change the meaning of the verb completely, e.g.:

look up consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary) look for seek (look for her ring) look forward anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone)

Read this story about a teacher talking to his/her students. Type the correct two-part verb into each box. Choose from turn on - turn off - turn up - turn down - take off - take out - put out - put away - hang up - clean up - pick up. If you see on large box, type in both parts of the phrasal verb. If you see two small boxes, one word goes in each box. Example: Phrasal verbs exercise Teacher: OK class. Time to start. Mary could you everyone, your books , and make sure you that ! the lights? Thanks. OK your cell phones.
turn

the TV

on

or

turn on

the TV.

Hey! No cell phones in class!

Actually, before we start I want to tell you a little story. Every night I go home, better my suit and throw it on the bed. My wife always says "You'd your suit or it will get wrinkled. Of course I do what she says, but last after

night she was really angry. She said "You're so messy. I always have to you. I got all stressed out so I lit a cigarette. My wife said, " You can't smoke in the house!" that

! Are you crazy?

Anyway, let's get back to class. Listen to this tape and answer the questions. Student: It's too loud. Can you Teacher: How's that? Student: I can't hear anything. Teacher: OK, I'll Student: Better. Teacher: OK. Woops, I dropped my pen. Oh it rolled all the way over there. Could you it please? it . How's that? it down please?