Subject

Verb
Agreement
 THINK-PAIR-SHARE

DISSCUSSION IDENTIFYING S-V-A

POINTS
ERRORS

FIVE BASIC RULES OF

S-V-A

IMPORTANCE OF S-V-A
1. I goes to work on weekdays

2. My aunt or my uncle are arriving by train today.

3. Neither the plates nor the serving bowl go on that

shelf.

4. A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

5. The politician, along with the newsmen, are

expected shortly.
 A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a
RULE #1 singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a

plural subject takes a plural verb.

SS + SV
PS + PV

I go to work on weekdays

The list of items ____ on the desk.

A bouquet of yellow roses ____ color

and fragrance to the room.

 Two singular subjects connected
RULE #2 by or, either/or, or neither/nor
require a singular verb.

My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train

today.

Neither Juan nor Carmen ____ available.

Either Kiana or Casey ____ helping today

with stage decorations.

 The verb in an or, either/or, or
RULE #3 neither/nor sentence agrees with the

noun or pronoun closest to it.

Neither the plates nor the serving bowl

goes on that shelf.

Neither the serving bowl nor the plates

_____ on that shelf.

 As a general rule, use a plural
RULE #4 verb with two or more subjects

when they are connected by

and.

A car and a bike are my means of

transportation

Neither Juan nor Carmen ____ available.

Either Kiana or Casey ____ helping today

with stage decorations.

 Sometimes the subject is separated from
RULE #5 the verb by such words as along with, as

well as, besides, not, etc. These words

and phrases are not part of the subject.

Ignore them and use a singular verb when

the subject is singular.

The politician, along with the newsmen, is

expected shortly.

Excitement, as well as nervousness, _____

the cause of her shaking.

Mr. Ram, accompanied by his wife Sita

and his brother, ______to the forest.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER
ABOUT THE RULES OF S-V-A?
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO APPLY

S-V-A IN OUR DAILY ENGLISH

CONVERSATIONS?