Subject Verb Agreement

Rule #1

A "prepositional phrase" does not affect subject verb agreement. Example:

• The box next to the tables and the desks contain some books.

Be careful of these prepositions: as well as, in addition to, along with, together with, accompanied by.

• John and Mary are happy.
• John as well as Mary is happy.
• My friend Andrew along with his mother was at the shopping center.

Rule #2

A dependent clause sush as "a relative clause" or "a noun clause" does not affect subject verb agreement.

• The equipment, whish is in all of the classrooms, is new.
• The show where we bought the shoes and the clothes opens every day.

Rule #3

When we use "non-countable nouns" (uncountable), the verb is singular.

• The water is cold.
• Coffee is a great drink.

Rule #4

When we use indefinite pronouns¹ as subjects the verb is singular.

• Everybody in the teams has a uniform.
• No one on the police force is qualified to comment.

¹ someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything, everyone, everybody, everything, no one, nobody, and nothing

Rule #5

When we use "collective nouns" as a subject, the verb can be singular or plural.

• My team is/are good.
• The government is in control.

If we make the collective noun plural, we must also make the verb plural.

• The government are in a state of flux.

Rule #6

When the subject is a gerund, to infinitive or a noun clause the verb is singular.

• Reading books and magazines is important.
• That you should eat fruit and vegetables is important.
• To go surfing every day has been my dream for a long time.

Rule #7

When we use both singular and plural nouns, the verb must agree with the quantity.

• One fish is happy.
• Two fish are delicious.

Rule #8

When we use these correlative conjunctions¹, the verb agrees with the closer subject.

• Neither the techer nor the students understand the question.
• Not only the students but also the teacher eats at that restaurant.

¹ Neither...nor, either...or, not only...but also

Rule #9

When we use these two quantifiers are used as subjects, we must follow these rules:

1. Either + singular noun = singular verb.
   • Either ice cream is fine.
2. Either + of + determiner + plural noun = singular verb
   • Either of the ice creams is fine.
3. Neither + singular noun = singular verb
   • Neither child likes the movies.
4. Neither + of + determiner + plural noun = singular verb
   • Neither of the children likes the movie.

Rule #10

We sometimes use nouns, which can mean nationality or language.

Therefore, we use these rules:

1. Language singular verb. Chinese is difficult to learn.
2. Nationality plural verb. The Chinese are friendly.

Rule #11

When we use units of money, distance, weight or time, the verb is singular.

• 1000 meters is 1 kilometer.
• 100 kilograms is difficult to lift.

Rule #12

When we use these quantifiers some, all, a lot, or none as subject, the verb agrees with the noun.

• Some people are nice.
• Some food is disgusting.
• Not all the fish in the sea are edible.
• A lot more people like snowboarding that skiing.
• A lot of his skills come from his excellent knowledge of grammar.
• All of her writing is great.