grammar

1. SUBJECT-
VERB
AGREEMENT
RULES

2. Definition
• Subject-Verb Agreement
refers to the relationship
between the verb and its
subject.
• Every clause or sentence
must agree in number and
person with its subject.

3. Basic rule•Verb must be singular
if its subject is
singular; verb must be
plural if its subject is
plural.

4. subject
Tips/exampl
e
The first three weeks
of basic training is/are
the worst.
subject
are

5. 1. COLLECTIVE NOUNS1. COLLECTIVE NOUNS
singular verb
plural verb
or

6. 13

7. Our school
team has
won all its
game.
(the team(the team asas aa
whole)whole)
CLUE
(the individual team(the individual team
members)members)
(the individual team(the individual team
members)members)
Our school
team have
won all their
games.
clue

8. SOMESOME COMMONCOMMON
ANDAND PROPERPROPER
NOUNSNOUNS
ending in –s,ending in –s,
includingincluding –ics nouns–ics nouns
and certain diseasesand certain diseases
singular
verb

10. Must
consi
der
Must
consi
der
Refers to organized activity
Refers to individual activity

11. Common nouns, diseases
Common
nouns
diseases

12. NoNo newsnews isis good news.good news.
MeaslesMeasles isis a contagiousa contagious
disease.disease.
PhysicsPhysics isis a difficulta difficult
subject.subject.
example:

13. * TITLES OF* TITLES OF
BOOKS,BOOKS,
PLAYS,PLAYS,
OPERAS,OPERAS,
FILMS,FILMS,
AND SUCHAND SUCH
WORKS – EVENWORKS – EVEN
WHEN PLURALWHEN PLURAL
IN FORMIN FORM
singular verb

14. Plural
form
singular
singular
Plural
form

15. TransformersTransformers isis mymy
favorite movie.favorite movie.
The Perfect ChristmasThe Perfect Christmas
isis a good read.a good read.

16. A
THE
participantsparticipants
participantsparticipants

17. TheThe numbernumber ofof
students in this schoolstudents in this school
2,000.2,000.
AA numbernumber of studentsof students
droppeddropped thatthat
course.course.
Plural
form
havehave
is

18. The numberThe number
singular verb
AA
numbernumber
plural verb

19. Singular
verb
Plural verbPlural verb

20. fractionsfractions
percentagespercentages
singular verb
plural verb
modifying a
collective noun
or

21. 17. fractions17. fractions
percentagespercentages
singular verb
plural verb
modifying a mass noun
fractionsfractions
percentagespercentages
modifying a plural noun

22. Fifty percent of theFifty percent of the
liquefied gasliquefied gas hashas escapedescaped..
One half of theOne half of the toxic wastetoxic waste hashas
escapedescaped..
Mass noun
Singular verbSingular verb
Mass noun

23. Sixty-six percent of theSixty-six percent of the
studentsstudents areare satisfiedsatisfied
with the class.with the class.
Two thirds of theTwo thirds of the
studentsstudents areare satisfiedsatisfied
with the class.with the class.

24. One tenth of theOne tenth of the
population of Egyptpopulation of Egypt isis
Christian.Christian.
One tenth of theOne tenth of the
population of Egyptpopulation of Egypt areare
Christians.Christians.

25. 18. arithmetical18. arithmetical
operationsoperations
singular verb
Plural verbPlural verb

26. +_
÷x

27. One plus one is two.
One plus one equals two.
Ten divided by two is five.
Ten divided by two
equals five.

28. 18.18. Quantifiers all (of), a lot of,
lots of, and plenty of.
(determiners of content)
singular verbsingular verb
If the
subject
head
nounis a
mass
If the
subject
head
nounis a
mass
If the
subject
head
nounis
plural
plural
verb
plural
verb

29. A lot ofA lot of nonsense waswas
published about thatpublished about that
incident.incident.
A lot ofA lot of people werewere
present when itpresent when it
happened.happened.

30. 19.19. Ignore a predicate
nominative when
determining the number of
the verb to use with the
subject of a linking verb.

31. ComputersComputers areare aa
marvelmarvel of electronicof electronic
technology.technology.
subject
predicate nominative
plural

32. u

33. Focus on the subject of a sentence, and
ignore subordinate clause
SubjectSubject
is
are
is
19

34. Adjectives used as nouns
20

35. • Make linking verbs agree in number with their subjects not
their complements.
• A subject complement renames or describes the subject
and is, therefore sometimes confused with it.
Example:
His main interest is/are stamps.
Subject
complement
21

36. 22
Plural
form
Singular
verb
Plural
form
Singular
verb
Expression of timeExpression of time
Specific amount of money

37. Unit
money
time
Must consider
Refer to pieces of coins
Refer to pieces of 100 peso bills

38. Organization as a whole
Referring to membersReferring to members