Rules Directing Subject Verb Agreement
Like we all know, there are 7 parts of speech. But today we will be focusing on verb-subject agreement. We will be looking at the use of “is” or “are”, “come” and “comes”… name them. In short, we will be looking at the rules that govern verb-subject agreement. Here are the rules:
1. If an uncountable noun (such as water, paint, air… name them) follows an indefinite pronoun, use a singular verb.
Example: – All the air (has, have) risen up. Answer: Has
– All the paint (is, are) dry. Answer: is
2. If a countable noun follows an indefinite pronoun, use a plural verb
Example: – All the beans (are, is) well cooked. Answer: are
– All potholes (were, was) completely filled with water. Answer: were
3. If two compound subjects are connected by an “and”, use a plural verb.
Example: The cow and the goat (are, is) eating grass. Answer: are
Example: Dogs and cats (are, is) among the most favored domestic animals. Answer: are
4. If a singular subject is connected to a plural subject using “nor” or “or”, you can either use a plural verb or a singular verb depending on the on the subject that’s close to the verb.
Example: Either a drum or buckets (are, is) suitable for storing water. Answer: are
Note: “Buckets” is plural, and so is “are.”
Example: Either buckets or a drum (are, is) suitable for drawing water. Answer: is
Note: “drum” is singular, and so is “is.”
5. For an inverted subject that includes a singular noun, use a singular verb.
Example: Why (is, are) the hat still outside in the rain? Answer: is
6. Inverted subjects that include plural nouns, use plural verbs.
Example: Several hats (is, are) being rained on outside. Answer: are
7. For designation of organizations, nations, entities or composition, like films or books, use singular verbs.
Example: The United Nations (have, has) headquarters in New York. Answer: has
8. For subjects that have a singular meaning but a plural form, use singular verbs.
Example: Physics (is, are) the hardest subject in school. Answer: is
9. For a subject plural in both form and meaning, use a plural verb.
Example: Tweezers (are, is) usually kept in the cupboard. Answer: are
10. For constructions that contain, “one of those…who…” use plural verbs
Example: I am one of those people who (are, is) well informed on the subject matter. Answer: are
11. For constructions that contain, “the only one of those…who…” use singular verbs.
Example: She (is, are) the only one in a family of ten not interested in the family business. Answer: is
12. For constructions that contain, “the number of…” use singular verbs.
Example: The total number of participants (has, have) been increasing annually. Answer: has
13. For constructions that contain, “a number of…” use plural verbs.
Example: A number of students (have, has) been seen loitering around. Answer: have
14. For sentences that contain “every” or “many a,” use singular verbs.
Example: Every student who joins our schools (is, are) destined for greatness. Answer: is
Many a true word (have, has) been said. Answer: has
15. When a singular verb and plural subjects are connected using “either… or”, or “neither… nor,” place the plural subject last, and then use a plural verb.
Example: Either her or the others (have, has) to come. Answer: have
16. When a subject is separated from a verb using words like, “as well as,” “along with,” “besides,” “or not,” ignore the expressions when deciding whether to use a plural or a singular verb.
Example: The dog, along with the cat, (is, are) to move in with us. Answer: are
The teacher, as well as the nurse, (was, were) to visit us today. Answer: was
17. For periods of time or sums of years, use singular verbs.
Example: Thirty thousand dollars (is, are) enough for the car. Answer: is
10 years (are, is) the maximum time the tree takes to grow. Answer: is
18. Titles of movies, books or novels always take singular verbs.
Example: Expendables (are, is) my favorite movie. Answer: is
19. Collective nouns (like class, herd, senate, or crowd) generally take singular verbs.
Example: The herd (were, was) stampeding. Answer: was.
20. The verbs for few, several, many, both, some or all usually take a plural form.
Example: Some of the students (was, were) actually late today. Answer: were
Both me and her (is, are) participants in the game. Answer: are
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