English 9 / Unit 9: Grammar and Usage
9.5 Subject-Verb Agreement
Notes
A verb must agree with its subject in number: singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs.
- Ignore prepositional phrases between subject and verb: "The box of crayons is on the desk."
- Subjects joined by and are usually plural: "Ana and Ben are here."
- With or/nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject: "Neither the players nor the coach is ready."
- Indefinite pronouns each, everyone, someone, nobody, either, neither are singular: "Everyone has a book."
- In questions and "there is/are" sentences, find the subject after the verb: "There are three dogs."
Practice
Choose the correct verb: "The list of chores ___ on the fridge."
The subject is "list" (singular), not "chores."
Choose the correct verb: "Each of the students ___ a locker."
"Each" is singular.
Choose the correct verb: "Neither my sisters nor my brother ___ coming."
The verb agrees with the closer subject, "brother."
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