1.

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.

Exceptions to the Basic rule:

2. 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:

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)

3. Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/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.

4. 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.

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.

5. 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.
In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

6. 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.

7. 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.
Here are the keys.

8. 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.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.

9. 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.
Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.

10. 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.

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.

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.

11. Indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, no one, anybody, somebody, nobody, one, either, neither) usually take a
singular verb.

No one likes to fail at university.

12. Nouns used with a quantifier (some, any, all, most) can be singular or plural. This depends on whether the noun
is countable or uncountable.

Some of the policies (They) were rejected whilst others were approved. (policies = plural countable noun)

Some of the research (It) was conducted at the University of Melbourne. (research = uncountable noun)

13. The words and phrases "each," "each one," "either," "neither," "everyone," "everybody," "anyone," "anybody,"
"nobody," "somebody," "someone," and "no one" are singular and require a singular verb.

Example: Each of the participants was willing to be recorded.

Example: Neither alternative hypothesis was accepted.

Example: I will offer a $5 gift card to everybody who participates in the study.

Example: No one was available to meet with me at the preferred times.

14. Some countable nouns in English such as earnings, goods, odds, surroundings, proceeds,
contents, and valuables only have a plural form and take a plural verb.

Example: The earnings for this quarter exceed expectations.

Example: The proceeds from the sale go to support the homeless population in the city.

Example: Locally produced goods have the advantage of shorter supply chains.

15. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular verb.

The book or the pen is in the drawer.