Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

1. If the subject is singular (one), use a singular verb.  (Generally, a singular verb ends in "s" or "es")

2. If the subject is plural, use a plural verb.

3. If the subject is compound joined by "and," always use plural verb.

4. If the subject is compound joined by "or" or "nor," look at the subject closest to the verb and follow rules #1 and #2.  Examples:

  • The book or pencils are on the desk.
  • Neither the children nor Dad knows where the bank is located.
 
Practice:

1. A kitten (was, were) for sale.      Rule #_____

2. Kittens (is, are) playful animals.     Rule # _____

3. Ollie (is, are) black and white.     Rule # _____

4. His paws (is, are) tiny.     Rule # _____

5. Once Ollie (was, were) up on the roof.     Rule # _____

6. He (was, were) scared.     Rule # ______

7. The goats and the cow (eats, eat) hay.     Rule # _____

8. A truck and a car (stops, stop) by the barn.     Rule # _____

9. Neither Peter nor Maria (hears, hear) a noise.     Rule # ______

10. Either Nickoll or the other children (hears, hear) the noise.     Rule # _____

11. Neither the tomatoes or the cucumbers (was, were) ripe.     Rule # ______

12. The man or the children (erases, erase) the blackboard.     Rule # ______


Check Your Answers

Indefinite Pronouns
 
Singular Indefinites: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, other, one, somebody, someone, something
 
Plural Indefinites: both, few, many, ones, others, several
 
The following indefinites can be either singular or plural, depending on what the pronoun refers to in the sentence: all, any, most, none, some

Examples:

  • Most of the food - most is singular
  • Most of the passengers - most is plural


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