Subject Verb agreement

Final -s / -es: Use and Spelling
Use
Noun + -s: Friends are important. Noun + -es: I like my classes.	A final -s or -s is added to a noun to make the noun plural. Friend and class = singular nouns Friends and classes = plural nouns
Verb + -s: Mary works at the bank. Verb + -es: John watches birds.	A final -s or -s is added to a simple present verb when the subject is a singular noun (e.g., Mary, my father, the machine) or the third person singular pronoun (she, he, it). Mary works = singular She works = singular The students work = plural They work = plural

Spelling

• sing   sings
• song   songs

For most words (whether a verb or a noun), simply add a final -s to spell the word correctly.

• wash   washes
• watch   watches
• class   classes
• buzz   buzzes
• box   boxes

Final -es is added to the words that end in -sh, -ch, -s, -z and -x

• toy   toys
• buy   buys
• baby   babies
• cry   cries

For words that end in -y:

• If -y is preceded by a vowel, only -s is added.
• If -y is preceded by a consonant, the -y is changed to -ies

Add -s or -es.

1.	floor
2.	tax
3.	talk
4.	bush
5.	hat
6.	rise
7.	season
8.	develop
9.	touch

Grammar and pronunciation
Work with a partner. Take turns making sentences. Focus on the -s pronunciation.

1.	A teacher \ teach
2.	A freezer \ freeze
3.	A ball \ bounce
4.	A door\ close
5.	A boxer \ box
6.	A mosquito \ bite\ itch
7.	A boss \ manage
8.	A snake \ hiss
9.	A soldier \ march
10.	A coach \ coach

Basic Subject-Verb Agreement
Singular Verb	Plural Verb	Explanation
(a) My friend lives in Boston.	(b) My friends live in Boston.	verb + -s / -es = third person singular in the simple present tense noun + -s / -es = plural
	(c) My brother and sister live in Boston. (d) My brother, sister, and cousin livein Boston.	Two or more subjetcs connected by and require a plural verb.
(e) Every man, woman, and child needs love. (f) Everyone is here. (g) Everybody is here. (h) Each book and magazine is listed in the bibliography.		EXCEPTION: Expressions with every and each are always followed immediately by singular nouns even when there are two or more nouns connected by and the verb is singular, as in (h)
(i) That book on political parties is interesting. (k) The book that I got from my parents was very interesting.	(j) The ideas in that book are interseting. (l) The books I bought at the bookstore were expensive.	Sometimes a phrase or clause separates a subjrct from its verb. These interrupting structures do not affect basic agreement. For example, in (i) the interrupting prepositional phrase on political parties does not change the fact that the verb is must agree with the subject book. In (k) and (l): The subject and verb are separated by an adjective clause.
(m) Watching old movies is fun.		A gerund (e.g., watching) used as the subject of the sentence requires a singular verb.

Choose the correct form:

1.	My older brother and sister is / are fraternal twins.
2.	Everyone in my family was / were surprised when this happened.
3.	The subjects you will be studying in this course is / are in the syllabus.
4.	The extent of the knowledge we need to have by the end of the semester really surprises / surprise me.
5.	Almost every instructor and student at the university approves / approve of the new college president.
6.	Do / Does Professor Karl and her graduate researchers work closely together?
7.	Getting to know students from all over the world is / are one of the best parts of studying at an international university.
8.	Every man, woman, and child is / are protected under the law.
9.	Each man and woman in this country needs / need to pay taxes
10.	Every person who buys gas in this state needs / need to pay a gas tax.
11.	Where does / do your grandparents live?
12.	Why was / were your mom and dad at the retirement home?
13.	Is / Are taking care of the elderly the responsibility of the family or the government?
14.	Oranges, tomatoes, fresh strawberries, cabbage, and lettuce is / are rich in vitamin C.
15.	Tomatoes is / are easy to grow.
16.	Growing tomatoes is / are especially easy in hot climates.
17.	I like to do the grocery shopping. The produce my roommate buys isn't / aren't fresh.
18.	Lettuce is / are good for you.
19.	is / are the bag of vegetables still in the car?

Choose the correct form:

1.	My older brother and sister is / are fraternal twins.
2.	Everyone in my family was / were surprised when this happened.
3.	The subjects you will be studying in this course is / are in the syllabus.
4.	The extent of the knowledge we need to have by the end of the semester really surprises / surprise me.
5.	Almost every instructor and student at the university approves / approve of the new college president.
6.	Do / Does Professor Karl and her graduate researchers work closely together?
7.	Getting to know students from all over the world is / are one of the best parts of studying at an international university.
8.	Every man, woman, and child is / are protected under the law.
9.	Each man and woman in this country needs / need to pay taxes
10.	Every person who buys gas in this state needs / need to pay a gas tax.
11.	Where does / do your grandparents live?
12.	Why was / were your mom and dad at the retirement home?
13.	Is / Are taking care of the elderly the responsibility of the family or the government?
14.	Oranges, tomatoes, fresh strawberries, cabbage, and lettuce is / are rich in vitamin C.
15.	Tomatoes is / are easy to grow.
16.	Growing tomatoes is / are especially easy in hot climates.
17.	I like to do the grocery shopping. The produce my roommate buys isn't / aren't fresh.
18.	Lettuce is / are good for you.
19.	is / are the bag of vegetables still in the car?

Cllective Nouns
(a) The audience is clapping loudly. (b) The team practices at noon. (c) The faculty has chosen a new president. (d) The staff has been working overtime.	Collective nouns, as in (a) - (d), refer to more than one person. In American English, singular verbs are preferred with collective nouns. NOTE: British English prefers the plural verb: The faculty have chosen a new president. OR The staff have benn working overtime.
(e) The faculty are preparing for classes. (f) The staff have requested raises. (g) The staff members have requested raises. (h) The members of the staff have requested raises.	Aplural verb can be used to emphasize the individual members. Note the meaning: (e) = individual faculty members. (f) = individual staff members. Many speakers rephrase the idea with the word members, as in (g) and (h), if they want to emphasize the individual members of the group.
Common Collective Nouns
audience Choir class	committee crew crowd	faculty family government	group jury public	staff team

Put (c) if the sentence is correct and (f) if the sentence is incorrect:

1.	Members of the audience are leaving early.
2.	The audience sometimes boos the performers.
3.	The choir practices in the school basement.
4.	The choir members is happy with their progress.
5.	The team has talked with the coach about the game.
6.	The team is working hard to improve.
7.	Members of the team has spoken with the coach privately about their performance.

Add the word (members) in the space, otherwise leave blank:

1.	The ambulance crew has two paramedics.
2.	Paramedic staff have the highest level of emergency life-saving training.
3.	The crew is the first on the scene to an accident or disaster.
4.	The staff work 24-hour shifts.
5.	Family are accustomed to their absences.
6.	The public pays for ambulance services either privately or through taxes.

Subject-Verb Agreement: Using Expressions of Quantity
Singular Verb	Plural Verb	Explanation
(a) Some of the book is good. (c) A lot of the equipment is new. (e) Two-thirds of the money belongs to me. (g) Twenty percent of my income goes to rent. (i) Most of our homework looks easy. (k) All of the advice was useful.	(b) Some of the books are good. (d) A lot of the printers are new. (f) Two-thirds of the coins belong to me. (h) Twenty percent of my earnings go to rent. (j) Most of our assignments look easy. (l) All of the suggestions were useful.	With most expressions of quantity, the verb is determined by the noun (or pronoun) that follows of For example, in (a) and (b): some of + singular noun = singular verb some of + plural noun = plural verb
(m) One of my friends is here. (n) Each of my friends is here. (o) Every one of my friends is here.		EXCEPTIONS: One of, each of, every one of take singular verbs one of + plural noun = singular verb each of + plural noun = singular verb every one of + plural noun = singular verb
(p) None of the boys is here.	(q) None of the boys are here.	None of is used with a singular verb in formal English, but it is often used with a plural verb in informal spoken and written English.
(r) The number of the students in the class is fifteen.	(s) A number of the students are

late or absent today. COMPARE:

• In (r): The number is the subject.
• In (s): A number of is an expression of quantity meaning "alot of". It is followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

Write the word(s) in each sentence that determines subject-verb agreement:
At a Car Dealership

Every one of the cars on the lot is on sale.
(1)
A number of cars are pre-owned.
(2)
The number of pre-owned cars is increasing each week.
(3)
Financing for pre-owned cars is available.
(4)
Do all of the new cars come with a rear view camera?
(5)
None of the cars has more than a 5% markup.
(6)
Have some of the cars been in accidents?
(7)
One of the best reasons for shopping here is the
(8)

Click on the correct form of the verb.

1.	Most of the salespeople was / were friendly.
2.	Most of the discussion was / were about vehicle reliability.
3.	One of the salespeople was / were pushy.
4.	Each car has / have a vehicle history report.
5.	Each of the models we looked at has / have a good safety record.
6.	A lot of the safety equipment is / are standard in the new models.
7.	A lot of the safety features isn't / aren't available in the older cars.

Read the story and choose the correct answer.

King Midas, an exceedingly greedy king, live / lives (1) a life of great luxury, but his wealth and fortune is / are (2) not enough to satisfy him. Even the company of his lovely daughter is / are (3) less important to him than money. Acquiring more riches is / are (4) what occupies his thoughts all day long. One day the king call / calls (5) upon a magician and order / orders (6) him to find more treasures. The magician, however, has something better to offer and give / gives (7) him the power to tum everything he touches / touch (8) into gold. The king, overjoyed with this gift, go / goes (9) out into the forest. Each object he puts / put (l0) his finger on turns / turn (11) to gold: a tree, a flower, even a stone in the river. King Midas cannot believe his good fortune.

In the evening the king, alone with his new pieces of gold, sits / sit (12) down to an elaborate feast. To his dismay, the first piece of food he touches / touch (13) turns to gold. He tries a slice of bread, and the same thing happens / happen (14). Slowly it dawns / dawn (15) on him that none of the food is / are (16) edible. The next morning, his beloved daughter runs / run (17) up to him for a kiss, but the king's embrace turns / turn (18) her into gold. A great sorrow overcomes / overcome (19) him, and he pleads / plead (20) with the magician for help. King Midas tells him that his love for his daughter is / are (21) greater than anything else in the world. He promises to never be greedy again. The magician waves his wand and the spell disappears / disappear (22). Full of remorse, the king shares his riches and becomes / become (23) a humble and generous ruler. Everyone in the kingdom loves / love (24) him, and he lives a longand contented life among his people.

Subject-Verb Agreement: Using There + Be
(a) There is a fly in the room. (b) There are three windows in the room.	There + be introduces the idea that something exists in a particular place. There + be + subject + expression of place The subject follows be when there is used. In (a): The subject is a fly. (singular) In (b): The subject is three windows. (plural)
(c) There is water on the table.	In (c): The subject is water. (an uncountable noun)

Complete the sentences with is / isn't / are / aren't. Take turns sharing your opinions with a classmate.
What do you think?

are   ·  is   ·  aren't   ·  isn't  

answers may vary

1.	There / a good reason for everything that happens to us.
2.	There / people or beings on other planets.
3.	There / enough resources (food, water, etc.) in the world for everyone right now.
4.	There / a lot of problems in the world due to climate change.
5.	There / too much gun violence in the world.
6.	There / going to be cures for diseases like cancer and AIDs in the next decade.
7.	With enough money, there / a solution for every problem in the world.

Choose the correct form of the verb.

What is the difference?

1. Rain Vs Showers

Many people treats / treat these words as having the same meaning. For people who follow the weather, however, there is / are a difference. Rain is steady and covers / cover a larger area. Showers tends / tend to be more scattered and does not last / do not last as long. There is / are an easy way to remember the difference: think about taking a bath vs. taking a shower. Most of us gets / get wetter when we take a bath than when we stands / stand in the shower. Now, which expression do you think is /are correct: It's raining out or It's showering out? If you chose the first one, you are right. We use only rain, not shower, as a verb to talk about the weather.

2. Thief vs. Robber vs. Burglar

Another set of words with distinct differences is / are thief, robber, and burglar. A thief takes / take physical property like TVs, computers, or money, but there is no violence or force. Robbers also takes / take property, but the robber uses / use force or the threat of force, as with a gun. A burglar illegally enters / enter a structure with the intent to commit a crime. If some of this seems / seem confusing, you are in good company. Many native speakers of English has / have never learned these subtleties and doesn't make / don't make distinctions among these words.

Subject-Verb Agreement: Some Irregularities
Singular Verb
(a) The United Sates is big. (b) The Philippines consists of more than 7000 islands. (c) The United Nations has its headquarters in New York. (d) Harrods is a department store.		Sometimes a proper noun that ends in -s is singular. In the examples, if the noun is changed to pronoun, the singular pronoun it is used because the noun is singular. In (a): The United States = it not (They)
(e) The news is interseting.		News is a noncount (uncountable) noun and takes a singular verb.
(f) Mathematics is easy for her. Physics is easy for her, too.		Fields of study that end in -ics require singular verb.
(g) Diabetes is an illness.		Certain illnesses that end in -s are singular: diabetes, measles, mumps, rabies, rickets, shingles.
(h) Eight hours of sleep is enough. (i) Ten dollars is too much to pay. (j) Five thousand miles is too far to travel.		Expressions of time, money, and distance usually require a singular verb.
(k) Two and two is four. Two and two equals four. (l) Five times five is twenty-five.		Arithmetic expressions require singular verbs.
Plural Verb
(m) Those people arefrom Canada. (n) The police have beencalled. (o) Cattle are domestic animals. (p) Fish live under water.		People, Police, Cattle, and Fish do not end in -s, but they are plural nouns in the examples and require plural verbs.
Singular Verb	Plural verb
(q) English is spoken in many counries. (s) Chinese is his native language.	(r)The English drink tea. (t)The Chinese have an interesting history.	In (q): English = Language In (r): The English = people from England. Some nouns of nationality that end in -sh, -ese, and -ch can mean either language or people, e.g., English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, French.
	(u) The poor have many problems. (v) The rich get richer.	A few adjectives can be preceded by the and used as a plural noun (without final -s) to refer to people who have that quality. Other examples: the young, the elderly, the living, the dead, the blind, the deaf, the disabled.

Combine the phrases in the left column with phrases on the right. Add
punctuation.

1.	All the people in the exercise class			a	affect the muscles differently.
2.	One of the best ways to prevent injury			b	need to wear athletic shoes.
3.	Recent fitness news			c	suggests that exercising with a buddy improves motivation.
4.	Exercise in the water			d	the elderly use the gym?
5.	Unfortunately, a lot of people			e	is easy on knee and hip joints.
6.	Does			f	is dangerous.
7.	Different types of exercise			g	30 minutes of exercise a day enough?
8.	Is			h	needs to wear appropriate clothing.
9.	Every person at the gym			i	the exercise routine feel comfortable?
10.	Do			j	don’t exercise.
11.	Exercising too much			k	is to warm up first.

source: Understanding and using English Grammar. Fifth edition | Betty S. Azar & Stacy A. Hagen

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