Rules for subject verb agreement

Rules for subject verb agreement

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  RULES ONRULES ON SUBJECT-VERBSUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENTAGREEMENT Preparedby Abdul Malik MalikPrepared by Abdul Malik Malik Sukkur IBA NTHP E 2016Sukkur IBA NTHP E 2016
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  Rule 1:Rule 1:BasicBasic Principle - SingularPrinciple - Singular subjects needsubjects need singular verbs; pluralsingular verbs; plural subjects need pluralsubjects need plural verbs.verbs.  My brotherMy brother isis a nutritionist. My sistersa nutritionist. My sisters areare mathematicians.mathematicians.
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  Rule 2:Rule 2:The indefiniteThe indefinite pronounspronouns anyone,anyone, everyone, someone, noeveryone, someone, no one, nobodyone, nobody are alwaysare always singular and, therefore,singular and, therefore, require sigular verbs.require sigular verbs.  EveryoneEveryone has donehas done his or herhis or her homework.homework.  SomebodySomebody has lefthas left her purse.her purse.
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  Rule 3Rule 3: Some indefinite: Some indefinite pronouns — such aspronouns — such as all,all, somesome — are singular or— are singular or plural depending on whatplural depending on what they're referring to. (Is thethey're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countablething referred to countable or not?) Be carefulor not?) Be careful choosing a verb tochoosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.accompany such pronouns.  Some of the beadsSome of the beads areare missing.missing.  Some of the waterSome of the water isis gone.gone.
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  Rule 4Rule 4: On the other hand,: On the other hand, there isthere is one indefiniteone indefinite pronoun,pronoun, nonenone,, that can bethat can be either singular oreither singular or plural; itplural; it often doesn't matteroften doesn't matter whetherwhether you use a singular or ayou use a singular or a pluralplural verb — unless somethingverb — unless something else in the sentenceelse in the sentence determinesdetermines its number.its number.  None of youNone of you claimsclaims responsibility for thisresponsibility for this incident?incident?  None of youNone of you claimclaim responsibility for this incident?responsibility for this incident?  None of the studentsNone of the students have donehave done their homework.their homework.
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   TheThe mayormayoras well as his brothersas well as his brothers isis going togoing to prison.prison.  TheThe mayor and his brothersmayor and his brothers areare going to jail.going to jail. Rule 5Rule 5 : Phrases such as: Phrases such as together with, as well astogether with, as well as , and, and along withalong with are not the same asare not the same as andand. The phrase introduced by. The phrase introduced by as well asas well as oror along withalong with willwill modify the earlier word (modify the earlier word ( mayormayor in this case), but it does notin this case), but it does not compoundcompound the subjects (as thethe subjects (as the wordword andand would do).would do).
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  Rule 6Rule 6: The pronouns: The pronouns neitherneither andand eithereither areare singular and require singularsingular and require singular verbs even though they seemverbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, toto be referring, in a sense, to two things.two things.  Neither of the two traffic lightsNeither of the two traffic lights isis working.working.  Which shirt do you want for Christmas?Which shirt do you want for Christmas? EitherEither isis fine with me.fine with me.
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  Rule 7Rule 7: In informal writing,: In informal writing, neitherneither andand eithereither sometimessometimes take a plural verb when thesetake a plural verb when these pronouns are followed by apronouns are followed by a prepositional phrase beginningprepositional phrase beginning withwith of.of. This is particularly trueThis is particularly true of interrogative constructionsof interrogative constructions  HaveHave either of you two clowns read theeither of you two clowns read the assignment?assignment?  AreAre either of you taking this seriously?either of you taking this seriously?
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  Rule 8Rule 8: The conjunction: The conjunction oror doesdoes not conjoin (asnot conjoin (as andand does). Whendoes). When nornor oror oror is used the subjectis used the subject closer to the verb determinescloser to the verb determines the number of the verb.the number of the verb.  Either my father or my brothersEither my father or my brothers areare going togoing to sell the house.sell the house.  Neither my brothers nor my fatherNeither my brothers nor my father isis going togoing to sell the house.sell the house.  AreAre either my brothers or my fathereither my brothers or my father responsible?responsible?  IsIs either my father or my brotherseither my father or my brothers responsible?responsible?
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  Rule 9Rule 9: The words: The words therethere andand herehere are neverare never subjects.subjects.  ThereThere areare two reasons [plural subject] fortwo reasons [plural subject] for this.this.  ThereThere isis no reason for this.no reason for this.  HereHere areare two apples.two apples.
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  Rule 10Rule 10: Verbs in the present: Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singulartense for third-person, singular subjects (subjects (he, she, ithe, she, it andand anything those words can standanything those words can stand for) havefor) have ss-endings. Other verbs-endings. Other verbs do not adddo not add ss-endings.-endings.  HeHe lovelovess and sheand she lovelovess and theyand they lovelove__ and . . . .and . . . .
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  Rule 11Rule 11: Sometimes modifiers: Sometimes modifiers will get between a subject andwill get between a subject and its verb, but these modifiersits verb, but these modifiers must not confuse themust not confuse the agreement between the subjectagreement between the subject and its verb.and its verb.  TheThe mayormayor,, who has been convictedwho has been convicted along with his four brothers on fouralong with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who alsocounts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have severalseems, like a cat, to have several political livespolitical lives,, isis finally going to jail.finally going to jail.
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  Rule 12Rule 12: Words such as glasses,: Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors arepants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and requireregarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they'replural verbs) unless they're preceded by the phrasepreceded by the phrase pair ofpair of (in which case the word(in which case the word pairpair becomes the subject).becomes the subject).  My glassesMy glasses werewere on the bed.on the bed.  My pantsMy pants werewere torn.torn.  A pair of plaid trousersA pair of plaid trousers isis in the closet.in the closet.
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  Rule 13Rule 13: Some words: Some words end inend in -s-s and appear toand appear to be plural but are reallybe plural but are really singular and requiresingular and require singular verbs.singular verbs.  The news from the frontThe news from the front isis bad.bad.  MeaslesMeasles isis a dangerous disease fora dangerous disease for pregnant women.pregnant women.
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  Rule 14Rule 14: On the other: On the other hand, some words endinghand, some words ending inin -s-s refer to a singlerefer to a single thing but are nonethelessthing but are nonetheless plural and require aplural and require a plural verb.plural verb.  My assets were wiped out in the depression.My assets were wiped out in the depression.  The average worker's earnings have goneThe average worker's earnings have gone up dramatically.up dramatically.  Our thanks go to the workers whoOur thanks go to the workers who supported the union.supported the union.
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  Rule 15Rule 15: Fractional: Fractional expressions such asexpressions such as half of, ahalf of, a part of, a percentage of, apart of, a percentage of, a majority ofmajority of are sometimesare sometimes singular and sometimes plural,singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning.depending on the meaning.  A large percentage of the older populationA large percentage of the older population isis voting against her.voting against her.  Two-fifths of the troopsTwo-fifths of the troops werewere lost in the battle.lost in the battle.  Two-fifths of the vineyardTwo-fifths of the vineyard waswas destroyed bydestroyed by fire.fire.  Forty percent of the studentsForty percent of the students areare in favor ofin favor of changing the policy.changing the policy.  Forty percent of the student bodyForty percent of the student body isis in favor ofin favor of changing the policychanging the policy
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  Rule 16Rule 16: Sums and products: Sums and products of mathematical processes areof mathematical processes are expressed as singular andexpressed as singular and require singular verbs. Therequire singular verbs. The expression "more than one"expression "more than one" (oddly enough) takes a(oddly enough) takes a singular verb.singular verb.  More than one studentMore than one student hashas tried this.tried this.  Two and twoTwo and two isis four.four.  Four times four divided by twoFour times four divided by two isis eight.eight.
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  Rule 17Rule 17: If your sentence: If your sentence compounds a positive and acompounds a positive and a negative subject and one isnegative subject and one is plural, the other singular, theplural, the other singular, the verb should agree with theverb should agree with the positive subject.positive subject.  The department members but not the chairThe department members but not the chair havehave decided not to teach on Valentine'sdecided not to teach on Valentine's Day.Day.  It is not the faculty members but theIt is not the faculty members but the president whopresident who decidesdecides this issue.this issue.  It was the speaker, not his ideas, thatIt was the speaker, not his ideas, that hashas provoked the students to riot.provoked the students to riot.