Subject Verb Agreement

• Subjects and verbs must agree in number, meaning a singular subject requires a singular verb and a plural subject requires a plural verb.
• Cow is singular, eats is singular.
• Ducks are plural, quack is plural.
• Some of the milk has spilled.
• When the subject is all, any, more, most, none, or some, this is the ONLY time you must look at the object of the prepositional phrase to determine whether it is singular or plural.
• All of the chickens have laid eggs.
• Singular verbs have an “S”, for example, the verb has an “S” in the sentence “The detective who was called to the case is usually very good”.
• Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect the agreement, for example, in the sentence “The biker in this race is very competitive”.
• If a sentence starts with “there” or “here”, the subject will always be placed after the verb, for example, in the sentences “There is a meeting today” and “Here are the results from this past month”.
• Subjects can come after the verb in questions, for example, in the sentences “Does Betty always play with dolls?” and “How are the Bosco sticks today?”.
• If two subjects are separated by “and” and they refer to the same thing, the verb is singular, for example, in the sentence “Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite pasta dish”.
• If both subjects are singular and connected by or, nor, neither/nor, either/or and not only/but also, the verb is singular, for example, in the sentences “Sally or Bubba has stolen the scarecrow” and “Not only the guitar player but also the drummer was soaked with sweat”.
• Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular.
• If two subjects are joined by “and”, they typically require a plural verb, for example, in the sentence “The puppy and the lady are friends”.
• When subjects are singular and plural and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, use the subject that is nearest the verb.
• Gerunds linked by and take a plural verb.
• Another Neither No one has a dime.
• Collective nouns usually take a singular verb.
• Two infinitives separated by and take a plural verb.
• Much Either Nothing was going to help.
• Each one body thing someone someone else something else no one nobody nothing everyone everybody everything.
• Units of measurement usually use a singular verb.
• If the words each, every or no come before the subject, the verb is singular.
• Little One Everybody is happy.
• Most indefinite pronouns take singular verbs.
• If both subjects are plural and connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural, for example, in the sentence “Cookies or brownies are nice treats for your teacher”.