SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENTUnit 2 Language Arts

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT Subjects and verbs must always agree

in number. Number refers to whether a word is singular or plural.

A word that refers to a person, place, thing, idea, action, or condition is singular.

A word that refers to more than one is plural.

SINGULAR AND PLURAL SUBJECTS Singular subject = singular verb

Each musicianmusician listenslistens to the others.

Plural subject = plural verbThe musicians playmusicians play without sheet

music.

SINGULAR VERBS Singular Verbs usually end in “s” or “eses”.

For Example: Jumpss – singular form of verb Jump – plural form of verb

SINGULAR IRREGULAR VERBS IsIs, waswas, doesdoes, and hashas are singular

irregular verbs.

For Example: Louise isis my best friend. Jade waswas at the mall last week.

PLURAL IRREGULAR VERBS AreAre, werewere, havehave, and dodo are plural irregular

verbs.

For Example: The players areare meeting today. Many people dodo enjoy movies.

DOESN’T AND DON’T Use doesn’tdoesn’t with all singular subjectssingular subjects except

“II” and “youyou”. My dog doesn’tdoesn’t bark at night.

Use don’tdon’t with all plural subjectsplural subjects and the pronouns “II” and “youyou”. Twenty players don’tdon’t know the time of the

meeting. I don’tdon’t work with the t.v. on.

VERB PHRASES In a verb phraseverb phrase, the first helping verbfirst helping verb must

agree with the subjectsubject. The first verbfirst verb of the verb phrase is called the

helping verbhelping verb.

Miles DavisMiles Davis has ledhas led groups in performance. His music music is becomingis becoming legendary.

COMMON HELPING VERBS Be been did might Am has can may Is have could Are had shall Was does should Were do will Been did would

GUIDED PRACTICE PROBLEMS Today, instrument makers (coils, coil) the

tubes of metal.

They (handles, handle) these instruments more easily than the earlier hours.

French horns (has, have) three or more valves.

PRACTICE CONTINUED Friends (have admired, has admired) her

interesting collection.

Each part (is, are) made of wood, except the strings.

Samuel (doesn’t, don’t) use computer clip art.

OR AND NOR Use a singular verbsingular verb with singular subjects

joined by “oror” or “nornor”.

The basketball oror the football isis used at P.E. everyday.

Neither Eric nornor David playsplays the piano.

SUBJECTS JOINED BY ANDAND Use a plural verb with subjects joined by

“and”.

For Example:Cats andand horses runrun all over the fields at

our farm.A firefighter andand a paramedic helphelp save

lives.

OR AND NOR, AGAIN!! Use a plural verbplural verb with plural subjects joined

by “or” or “nor”.

For Example:Books oror computer games taketake up most of

my time on the weekends.Neither ghosts nornor goblins scarescare Julia very

much.

SUBJECTS JOINED BY OROR AND NORNOR

When the parts of a compound subject are joined by oror or nornor, the verb shouldverb should agreeagree with the part closestclosest to it.

For Example: A professional oror volunteers servevolunteers serve on

emergency teams.

Volunteers oror a professionalprofessional servesserves on emergency teams.

Guided Practice Problems Arts and crafts (is, are) often hard to tell

apart.

Even forks and spoons (appear, appears) in museum collections.

Either Mrs. Gomez or Mr. Ming (delivers, deliver) the welcome speech on the first day of school.

Practice Problems Continued Either Sylvia or her brothers (washes, wash)

the kitchen floor each Saturday morning.

The heavy rainclouds and the powerful winds (indicates, indicate) that a hurricane is approaching.

Neither the sea lion nor the clowns (catches, catch) the ball that the monkey throws into the circus ring.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Some pronouns do not refer to a definite, or

specific, person, place, thing, or idea. These pronouns are called indefinite pronounsindefinite pronouns.

When used as subjects, some indefinite pronouns are always singular. Some are always plural. Others can be singular or plural depending on how they are used.

SINGULAR INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs.

Everyone knowsEveryone knows about camels in desert caravans.

EverythingEverything about them seemsseems strange and exotic.

SINGULAR INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Another anybody anyone Anything each either Everybody everyone everything Neither nobody no one Nothing one

somebody Someone something

PLURAL INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Plural indefinite pronouns take plural verbs.

FewFew of us realizerealize their importance to desert people.

Many relyMany rely on the camel for everyday living. BothBoth of the camels in this photo areare Bactrian

camels.

PLURAL INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Both

Few

Many

Several

SINGULAR OR PLURAL INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

All

Any

Most

None

Some

Guided Practice Problems Everyone at the party (likes, like) the cottage

cheese and vegetable dip.

Everyone (is, are) touched by pictures that capture human suffering.

Nobody in the beginning painting class (displays, display) work in the annual art show.

Practice Problems Continued Both of Fred’s brothers (celebrates,

celebrate) their birthdays in July.

Several of those colors (appeals, appeal) to me.

Most of the appetizers on the restaurant menu (tastes, taste) delicious.

PREPOSITIONS The simple subjectsimple subject of a sentence is NEVERNEVER

part of a prepositional phraseprepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase begins with a prepositionpreposition, ends with the next nounnoun or pronounpronoun, and includes all of the words inall of the words in betweenbetween.

For Example:The cars in my drivewayin my driveway belong to my

dad’s boss.

COMMON PREPOSITIONS About among for by According to insidepast to Around since until

upon Before toward underlike Across between within

without During onto except

despite There is a better list on page 152 of your

Language Network book.

Guided Practice Problems The launch of a space shuttle (attracts,

attract) the interest of people throughout the world.

The thermos bottle in the picnic basket (is, are) filled with apple juice.

The chimes in the tower (plays, play) every hour.

The cucumbers in my garden (grows, grow) very quickly.