SUBJECT AND VERB

AGREEMENT
Prepared by:
Ms. Kithleen A. David
ACTIVITY 3
Underline the correct verb.
1. The prices of these jeans (is/are) reasonable.
2. The books borrowed from the library (is/are)
on my desk.
3. The boy who won the medal (is/are) a friend
of mine.
4. Rice and fish (is/are) our daily breakfast.
5. My best friend and brother (has/have)
arrived.
6. Collecting stamps (is/are) one of his
favorite hobbies.
7. The brand of the milk (is/are) poor.
8. Neither his father nor his mother
(play/plays) solitaire.
9. Ten tons (is/are) heavy load.
10. Twenty years of his life (was/were) spent
in exile.
11. The poor (suffer/suffers).
12. The boss, as well as his colleagues
(has/have) been robbed.
13. Fifty miles (is/are) a long distance.
14. You should decide which of the choices
best (answer/answers) the question.
15. A number of teachers (arrive/arrives) at
the convention center.
16. One-third of the population (is/are)
immigrants from other countries.
17. In the movie, everything in the museum
(come/comes) back to life at night.
18. Not Edison but his friends (is/are) wrong.
19. Here (is/are) the criteria for judging.
20. “Romeo and Juliet”
(exemplify/exemplifies) true love.
 AGREEMENT OF
SUBJECT AND VERB
 1. A singular
subject in third
person takes singular verb.
Example:
The teacher monitor/monitors her
students’ attendance.
Ms. David is/are bringing her pet.
 2. A plural
subject takes a
plural verb.
Example:
The teachers monitor/monitors her
students’ attendance.
Misses David is/are bringing their
pets.
 3. Intervening
words or phrases that
come after the subject do not affect the
number of the subject.
Example:
The teacher, as well as the class president,
monitor/monitors her students’ attendance.
Miss David, together with the class officers,
is/are bringing her attendance sheet.
 4. Anof phrase immediately following
the subject does not affect the number
of the subject.
Example:
The price of the jeans is/are
reasonable.
The quality of the candies is/are poor.
 5. Compound nouns joined by and take
singular verb if they are taken as one.
Example:
The famous singer and composer
has/have arrived.
Bread and butter is/are our daily
breakfast.
 6. Compound nouns joined by and take
plural verb if they are taken separately.
Example:
My adviser and my teacher is/are talking
about my failing grade.
The doctor and the nurse
entertain/entertains the patient’s questions
about his illness.
 7. Theexpression The number takes a
singular verb; the expression A number
takes a plural verb.
Example:
The number of failing students is/are
decreasing.
A number of students stay/stays in the
canteen.
8. When the verb is preceded by the
expletive “Here” or “There”, it agrees
with subject that follows it.
Example:
Here is/are your book.
There is/are many students lined up in
front of the gate.
9. Singularindefinite pronouns such as
each, either, neither, everyone, everybody,
everything, anyone, anybody, nobody, and
nothing take singular verbs.
Example:
Everyone is/are allowed to take a nap.
Something is/are missing.
10.Indefinite pronouns such as
both, few, several, some and many
take plural verbs.
Example:
Both is/are taken as one.
Many has/have planted vegetables.
 11.If one of the words each, every,
or no comes before the subject,
the verb is singular.
Example:
No smoking or drinking is/are allowed.
Every man and woman is/are required to
check in.
12. When two subject are connected by or,
nor, either…or, neither…nor, the verb
agrees with the second subject which is
closer to the verb.
Example:
Either William or his twin brothers
work/works in Jocson College as a teacher.
My parent or my brother expect/expects my
boyfriend to come.
13. When the subject is an amount of
money, a unit of measurement, or a space
of time, the verb is always singular.

Example:
Five hundred pesos seem/seems enough to
buy good shoes.
Two kilometers is/are a walking distance.
Three hours is/are too long to wait for you.
14. When the subject is a fraction and the
object of the of phrase is singular, the verb must
be singular. However, when the fraction is
followed by an of phrase with a plural, the verb
must be plural.
Example:
Two-thirds of the cake was/were served to the
guests.
Half of the students has/have come to school.
 15.Titles of books and movies used
as subjects take singular verbs.
Example:
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”
tell/tells a magical story.
“Romeo and Juliet” exemplify/exemplifies
true love.
 16.All and Some take a singular verb if
they stand for mass or uncountable
nouns; they take plural verbs if they
stand for countable nouns.
Example:
All of the rice was/were wasted.
Some of the information has/have been
exaggerated.
All of the candidates was/were disqualified.
 17. The verb agrees with the
affirmative subject, not the negative
subject of the sentence.
Example:
The president, not the senators, is/are
expected to come.
The members of the group, not the leader,
is/are contributing for their project.
 18.When the subject is an
adjective, the verb is
always plural.
Example:
The rich has/have to pay more taxes.
The brave face/faces many
challenges.
YOU ARE BLESSED!
Prepared by:
Mr. Charles Joshua Lapuz