Helping English

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

A verb agrees with its subject in number.

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs.                  The dog sleeps.
2. Plural subjects take plural verbs.                           The dogs sleep.
3. Compound subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

The dog and the puppy are sleeping.

4. When compound subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb.

The dogs or the puppy is sleeping.  The dog or the puppies are sleeping.

 The number of a subject is not changed by a phrase following (modifying) the subject.

The dogs in the pack are hunting. 

Indefinite pronouns such as anybody, anyone, everybody, everyone, each, either, neither, no one, nobody, one, someone, somebody always agree with a singular verb.

Each of the dog is hunting.

Some indefinite pronouns are plural and agree with plural verb. both, few, many and several

Few dogs are good for hunting.

Indefinite pronouns such as all, any, most, none, and some may agree with singular or plural verb.

If the pronoun refers to a plural noun, the verb will be plural. Most of the dogs are not good for hunting.

If the pronoun refers to a singular noun, the verb will be singular. Most of their food is gone.