SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

GENERAL RULE:

A singular subject takes a singular verb.

A plural subject takes a plural verb.

SUB-RULES:

I.Nouns

A. Nouns that are always singular require a singular verb.

homework, furniture, knowledge prose, gravel, information, chalk, jewelry, machinery, dust,
blood, equipment, accommodation, music, dirt, scenery, progress, advice, poetry

e.g. Dust is blown into the room through the window.

B. Nouns that are always plural take a plural verb.

scissors, trousers, clothes, wages, goods, eyeglasses, refreshments, overalls, tights, forceps, pliers,
wages, wages, wares, customs, goods, wits, savings, congratulations, shorts, leggings, shears,
steps, fireworks, bellows, socks, spectacles

e.g. His trousers were heavy.

C. Nouns that are generally singular require a singular verb.

sugar, milk, sand blood, butter, hair

e.g. She keeps her jewelry in a silver box.

D. Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb.
news, mumps, measles, molasses, confetti, rickets, checkers, neuritis, colitis, billiards, shambles,
darts, gallows, branches of science ending in –ics

e.g. The gallows was very busy during those days.

 E. Collective Nouns

army assembly band troop

class choir club committee

crowd faculty family flock

group herd jury majority

number public series squad

staff swarm team audience

1. When regarded as one unit, it requires a singular verb.

e.g. U.S. Congress has passed an act discriminating Filipinos.

2. When the individuals in the group act separately, it takes a plural verb.
e.g. U.S. Congress debate on issues of global concerns.

II.Pronouns

A. Indefinite Pronouns
1. Always singular
-one -body -thing

Each ----- ----- -----

Every Everyone Every body Everything

One ----- ----- -----

Some Someone Somebody Something

Any Anyone Anybody Anything

Either ----- ----- -----

Neither ----- ----- -----

Others: little, much, another, other

e.g. No one leaves early.

Everybody likes her fashion statement.

2. Always plural
(Both, many, several, some, few, others)

e.g. Both are as bright as buttons.

 3. Can be singular or plural
(all, most, much, more, any, most, none, such, etc. are used with plural verbs, if they refer to plural
nouns; they are used with singular verbs, if they refer to singular nouns.)

e.g. There is no more hope; all is lost.

The girls are in the room, all are asleep.

B. Relative Pronouns referring to a plural antecedent use plural verb, when the
antecedent is singular, the verb should also be singular. (who, that, which)

e.g. He is one of the students who are always reciting.

She is the only one who was present.

C. Personal Pronouns (I, You)

I is singular, but it requires a plural verb except for the linking verbs; am and was, which
are singular. You is always followed by a plural verb whether it is used in singular or plural form.

e.g. You are a member of the organization.

You are members of the organization.

D. What
When a clause is introduced by what functioning as the subject of an independent clause, use
the third person singular verb form in the independent clause.

e.g. What they are saying affects us all.

When the verb is followed by the linking verb be and a plural complement, a plural verb form
is used.

e.g. What I need are notebooks.

III.Adjectives
Adjectives that are preceded by the article the, and used as nouns, are followed by plural verbs.

e.g. The poor are fortunate.

The good are often rewarded.

IV.Compound Subjects
Connected by:

A. And
1. When the nouns are considered as one, the singular form of the verb is used.
e.g. Bread and butter was all I ad for breakfast.

2. When referring to the same person, the singular form of the verb is used.
e.g. The pianist and composer is having a concert.

3. When two or more subjects are joined, the plural form of the verb is used.
e.g. James and Ryan are present.

B. Or, Nor, But

The verb agrees with the nearer subject.

e.g. Mike and his brothers are coming.

C. Either/Or, Neither/Nor
The verb ordinarily agrees with the noun nearer the verb.

e.g. either you or I am the winner.

V.Intervening Words between subject and verb do not affect the number of the subject.
e.g. Te welfare of this young Filipino –Americans remains the joint responsibility of both
countries.

VI.Plural Phrases of Quantity

Time, distance, measurement, amount of money, fractions, and mathematical operations may be
singular or plural depending on the nouns to which they refer to. It takes a singular verb when it
refers to totals, and plural if they refer to units.

A. Time
e.g. Ten years is too long to wait.

Three working days are required to repair a car.

B. Distance
e.g. Five kilometers is a short distance for mountain folks.

Five kilometers have been covered by the marchers.

C. Measurement
e.g. Three feet is equivalent to one yard.
 D. Fractions
e.g. Two-thirds of the cassettes are satisfactory.

One-half of her work is done.

E. Money
e.g. Ten pesos is more than I can afford.

Fifty pesos are on the table.

F. Mathematical operations
e.g. Ten times ten is one hundred.

VII.Negative Explanatory Phrase

The verb agrees with the positive phrase, not with the negative.

e.g. Money, not power and privilege, is the root cause.

It was the speaker, not his ideas that has provoked the students to riot.

VIII. Delayed Subjects/ Inverted Order

The general rule about singular subjects taking plural verbs holds true for subjects, which come
after the verb in inverted order. The verb agrees with its subject not with its predicate noun.

e.g. Behind those laughing eyes is a lonely heart.

IX.Titles, Proverbs, Sayings

The title of any work of art, literature or music, a company name, as well as proverbs and sayings
take a singular verb.

e.g. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is my favorite fairy tale.

X.Expressions like together with, as well as, in addition to, other than, and not, no less than,
with, but not, plus, including, and accompanied by do not change the number of the subject.
e.g. The priceless book as well as other valuable documents was lost.

The students together with their adviser are attending the symposium.

XI.The number & A number

The expression a number is a counter which means some and makes a subject plural, while the
number is the subject itself which makes it singular. A number takes a singular verb while the
number takes a plural verb.
 XII. Many a
The expression many a requires a singular verb.

e.g. Many a people wants to go to Boracay.

XIII.Complement of the verb To be

A singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject require a plural verb.

e.g. To be loved is an achievement.

XIV.Error of Attraction
Words used to describe the subject have no effect upon the number of the verb.

e.g. The reason for bankruptcy is poor investment.

The best part of the program is the last part.

XV.Expletives
A. After the expletive it is a singular verb.
e.g. It is repeated failures that made him sick.

B. There is/ Here is are used when referring to a singular subject.

e.g. Here is your change.

C. There are/ Here are are used when referring to plural subjects.
e.g. Here are the newly acquired books.

XVI.Branches of Science ending in –ics

A. When used for definition, it requires a singular verb.
e.g. Athletics is a form of recreation.

B. For general usage, it requires the plural form of the verb.

e.g. Your statistics are quite alarming.

XVII.Don’t and Doesn’t

A. Use don’t (contraction of do not) with the subjects I and You and with plural subjects.
e.g. I don’t have any paper.

You don’t need special permission.

B.Use doesn’t with singular subjects.

e.g. The tire doesn’t have enough air.