Subject – Verb Agreement
- The verbs must agree with the subject
- Compound subjects and their verbs
- Subjects coming after the verbs
- More on subject-verb agreement
- Agreement and indefinite pronouns
We have no free choice over the verb to use when we construct a sentence. We have to look at the subject for it decides the verb that we can use. There are rules that govern the use of the verb in relation to the subject in a sentence. The rule of agreement calls for the matching of the subject and verb: singular subjects go with singular verbs; plural subjects go with plural verbs.
In the present tense, the rule of agreement states that the verb must have an added –s if the subject/noun is third person singular; the verb does not have an –s if the noun is plural. This means verbs have singular and plural forms only in the present tense (eat/eats, sit/sits). In the past tense, the verb does not change with the number of the subject/noun (He walked to school. / They walked to school.)
- The verb must agree with the subject
Singular subject and singular verb
- My uncle has bushy eyebrows.
- She eats a lot of Belgian chocolate.
Plural subject and plural verb
- They run down the road.
- The children have very loving parents
The verb agrees with the subject and NOT with the noun next to it.
Correct: Her bouquet of flowers is a birthday present.
Incorrect: Her bouquet of flowers are a birthday present.
(The subject here is bouquet, which is part of the noun phrase bouquet of flowers. Since bouquet is a singular item, and we are referring to it and not the flowers, a singular verb should be used.)
More examples
- Correct: The man with two briefcases is heading for the airport.
Incorrect: The man with two briefcases are heading for the airport.
- Correct: The instruction to the boys was not clear.
Incorrect: The instruction to the boys were not clear.
- Correct: The thieves who stole the money have escaped.
Incorrect: Thethieveswho stole the money has escaped.
- Correct: The cost of goods has gone up.
Incorrect: Thecost of goods have gone up.
- Correct: One of the leaders is a female.
Incorrect: One of the leaders are a female.
- Compound subjects and the verbs
A compound subject consists of two or more nouns (Adam and Eve, cowboy and cowgirl), pronouns (your and I, he and she), or noun phrases (a basket of rotten eggs, a layer of dirt). Together, they form the subject of a verb in a sentence.
If the subject has two or more nouns, it takes a plural verb
- Danny, Tom and Harry are triplets.
- He, his dog and I are best friends.
When two or more nouns are joined by ‘and’ to form a subject, the verb is in the plural form
- Forks and spoons have always been together during dinnertime.
- The grandfather, the father and the son all have beard.
If the nouns that make up a compound subject are joined by ‘or’ and both are singular, a singular verb is used
- His father or mother is a professor of insects.
- Chicken soup or duck soup makes no difference to me because I like all soups.
If the nouns that make up a compound subject are singular and plural, the verb agrees with the noun nearer to it
- The clock or the watch or both are not accurate; they tell different times.
- His killers or killer is still at large.
- Subjects coming after the Verbs
The subject usually comes before the verb, but there are sentences that have the subjects coming after the verbs. The verbs must still agree with the subjects.
- There is a fly on your forehead.
- There were three big men seated at the next table staring at me.
In questions, the subjects usually come after the verbs.
- Have you heard my new ghost story yet?
- More on subject-verb agreement
When two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the verb is in the singular form.
- My uncle and handyman is very useful.
Not: My uncle and handyman are very useful.
- The owner and manager of the store is very friendly.
Not: The owner and manager of the store are very friendly.
- My friend and neighbour has been a magician for many years.
Not: My friend and neighbour have been a magician for many years.
When two nouns refer to the same person, the article ‘the’ is used only once and the verb is in the singular.
- The nurse and sister of the patient cares deeply for him. (Nurse and sister are the same person, singular verb cares is used.)
Not: The nurse and sister of the patient care deeply for him.
- The nurse and sister of the patient was very caring.
Not: The nurse and sister of the patient were very caring.
- The owner and occupant of the haunted house was never seen again.
Not: The owner and occupant of the haunted house were never seen again.
When two different persons are referred to, the article ‘the’ is repeated and the verb is in the plural.
- The owner and the occupant of the house are very good friends.
- The teacher and the father of the student are talking about him.
Phrases beginning with ‘with’, ‘as well as’, ‘together with’, etc do not mean the same as ‘and’, and the verb is therefore in the singular.
- The woman with her daughter is selling flowers.
Not: The woman with her daughter are selling flowers.
- Bob as well as his brother is selected to play in the team.
Not: Bob as well as his brother are selected to play in the team.
- The box of milk chocolate together with the birthday cake makes a nice present for her.
Not: The box of milk chocolate together with the birthday cake make a nice present for her.
‘Each’ and ‘every’ joined by ‘and’ take a singular verb.
- Each and every participant has to undergo a medical examination.
Not: Each and every participant have to undergo a medical examination..
- Every girl and every boy here wants to participle.
Not: Every girl and every boy here want to participle.
When two nouns are treated as one entity, the verb is in the singular.
- Bread and butter was his daily breakfast. (Bread and butter stand for one item of food, so a singular verb is used.)
- Milk and fruit is a good diet.
- Time and tide waits for no man.
When a quantity or an amount is treated as a whole, the verb used is singular.
- The Tk.100.00 you lent me was not enough.
- Two hundred dollars nowadays is not a big sum.
- How many cents is equal to one dollar?
- She said seventy kilograms was her weight.
- Ten kilometers is a long distance to walk.
- Agreement and Indefinite Pronouns
There are indefinite pronouns that are always singular (anyone, nobody, somebody, etc) and there are also indefinite pronouns that are always plural (both, others, several, etc). A small number of indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, and some. Here are examples of how they are used.
- All he needs now is a Tk. 1,000 loan. (= The only thing he needs now is a Tk.1,000 loan. All is used as a singular.)
- All were arrested for fighting. (= Everyone {involved in the fighting} were arrested. All is a plural here.)
- Is there any of your home-made soup left?. (Any is singular as it is used with an uncountable noun.)
- Are any of you going to help find my missing car keys? (Any is plural, used with second person you.)
- Some people have volunteered for the rescue but more are needed.
- He accidentally spilled his coffee; more was spilled on my shirt.
- Most have joined the campaign after listening to his talk.
- Most of her money is spent on clothes.
- They have drunk all the orange juice, and there is none left for me.
- After what happened, none of her friends phone her anymore.
- Some of the wine we had after lunch was very good.
- Some of you have not understood what I said.