Subject-Verb Agreement
NOTE
We will use the standard
of underlining subjects once and verbs twice.
Being able to find the
right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb agreement.
Basic Rule. A
singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines),
whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Example: The list of
items is/are on the desk.
If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose isfor the verb.
If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose isfor the verb.
Rule 1. A
subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule
for understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many,
perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes.
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:
Incorrect: A bouquet
of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of
yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)
Rule 2. Two
singular subjects connected by or, either/or, orneither/nor require
a singular verb.
Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3. The
verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees
with the noun or pronoun closest to it.
Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
This rule can lead to
bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more)
subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:
Awkward: Neither she,
my friends, nor I am going to the festival.
If possible, it's best to
reword such grammatically correct but awkward sentences.
Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Rule 4. As
a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are
connected by and.
Example: A car and
a bike are my means of transportation.
But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, breaking
and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.
Rule 5a. Sometimes
the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as
well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the
subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 5b. Parentheses
are not part of the subject.
Example: Joe (and his
trusty mutt) was always welcome.
If this seems awkward, try
rewriting the sentence.
Rule 6. In
sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject
follows the verb.
Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
NOTE:The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal sentences like There's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say "there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with a plural subject.
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
NOTE:The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal sentences like There's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say "there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with a plural subject.
Rule 7. Use
a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when
considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Rule 8. With
words that indicate portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1
given earlier in this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun
after of. If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb.
If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
NOTE
In recent years, the SAT
testing service has considered none to be strictly singular. However,
according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage:
"Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old
English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown
origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems
like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a plural, use a
plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism." When none is
clearly intended to mean "not one," it is followed by a singular
verb.
Rule 9. With collective
nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population,
the verb might be singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.
Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
NOTE
Anyone who uses a plural
verb with a collective noun must take care to be accurate—and also consistent.
It must not be done carelessly. The following is the sort of flawed sentence
one sees and hears a lot these days:
The staff is deciding how
they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular isand the plural they to staff in the same sentence.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular isand the plural they to staff in the same sentence.
Consistent: The
staff are deciding how they want to vote.
Rewriting such sentences
is recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence would read even better
as:
The staff members are
deciding how they want to vote.
Rule 10. The
word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or
are contrary to fact:
Example: If Joe were here,
you'd be sorry.
Shouldn't Joe be
followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But
Joe isn't actually here, so we say were, not was. The sentence
demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is used to express things that
are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory. The subjunctive
mood pairs singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.
Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
In the first example, a
wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were, which
we usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular it. (Technically, it is
the singular subject of the object clause in the subjunctive mood: it were
Friday.)
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.
