7: Subject and Verb Agreement

Verbs: Singular or Plural

(I, you, we, they) see (I, you, we, they) have seen (you, we, they) are (you, we, they) were

Verbs: Always Singular

(he, Jane) sees (he, Jane) has seen (I) am (he, Jane) is (I, he, Jane) was

Example 4

A 1:lantern and a 1:candle 2:are used to see into the pyramid's burial chamber. 1:Candles and 1:lanterns 2:are used to see into the pyramid's burial chamber. 1:Candles and a 1:lantern 2:are used to see into the pyramid's burial chamber.

Plural Subjects Joined by Or or Nor

A compound consisting of two plural subjects requires a plural verb. Two or more plural subjects joined by or or nor must have a plural verb.

Key Concept

A phrase or clause that interrupts a subject and its verb does not affect subject-verb agreement.

Subjects Joined by And

A single rule applies to most situations in which and joins two or more subjects. A compound subject joined by and is generally plural and must have a plural verb. Whether the parts of the compound subject are all singular, all plural, or mixed in number, the conjunction and usually acts as a plus sign and indicates the need for a plural verb.

Compound Subjects

Different rules of agreement apply when the words or, nor, or and are used to join two or more subjects . Two or more singular subjects joined by or or nor must have a singular verb. Two or more plural subjects joined by or or nor must have a plural verb. If one or more singular subjects are joined by or or nor to one or more plural subjects, the subject closest to the verb determines agreement. A compound subject joined by and is generally plural and must have a plural verb.

Example 3.75

Either a 1:lantern or 2:candles are used to see into the pyramid's burial chamber. Either 1:candles or a 1:lantern 2:is used to see into the pyramid's burial chamber. Neither the 1:candles nor the 1:lantern 2:was very helpful.

Example 3

Either the Step Pyramid or the Bent Pyramid is open to tourists. Remember that the coordinating conjunctions that are most frequently used to join subjects are or, nor, and and.

Example 4.25

Exceptions occur when the parts of the compound subject equal one thing or when the word each or every is used before a compound subject. Each of these situations requires a singular verb. 1:Bread and butter 2:was all they were fed. Every 1:chart and diagram 2:was precise. You can check the logic of agreement by adding words to help clarify meaning. See how the examples above become more clear by adding extra words: 1:A meal:1 of bread and butter was all they were fed. Every 1:single1: chart and diagram was precise.

Personal Pronouns Singular

I he, she, it, you

Subjects of Mixed Number Joined by Or or Nor

If a compound subject consists of a singular subject and a plural subject, determining the number of the verb is more difficult. If one or more singular subjects are joined to one or more plural subjects by or or nor, the subject closest to the verb determines agreement.

Recognizing the Number of Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs 1

In grammar, number indicates whether a word is singular or plural Only three parts of speech have different forms to indicate number: nouns, pronouns, and verbs. Recognizing the number of most nouns is seldom a problem. The plural of most nouns is formed by adding -s or -es.

Example 3.25

Neither the 2:pyramids at Giza nor the 1:pyramids at Dashur 3:have escaped the ravages of weather. Subject and verb agreement depends upon recognizing nouns and verbs as singular or plural. Once you have identified this, you are able to apply the rules you are learning to select the correct form of the verb.

Recognizing the Number of Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs 2

Some, such as mouse or ox, form their plurals irregularly: mice,oxen. Many pronouns have different forms to indicate their number. Take a look at the chart to learn about the different forms of personal pronouns in the case used for subjects.

Subject and Verb Agreement

Take a look at the examples with the verb see to learn more about the treatment of singular and plural verbs. Notice how some verb forms of this verb are always singular while other times these verbs can be singular or plural, depending on the subject. A verb form will always be singular if it has had an -s or -es added to it or if it includes the words has, am, is, or was. The number of any other verb depends on its subject.

Example 2

That essay, which had several spelling errors, was not my best work. (The intervening phrase is which had several spelling errors.) That essay was not my best work. (There is no intervening phrase.)

Singular Subject and Verb

The 1:archaeologist 2:works in Egypt. !:She 2:was being mysterious about the dig's location.

Example 2.5

The 1:archaeologists, whose work is nearly completed, 2:require a bit more funding. The plural subject archaeologists agrees with the plural verb require despite the intervening clause, whose work is nearly completed.Intervening parenthetical expressions. Such as those beginning with as well as, in addition to,in spite of, or including—also have no effect on the agreement of the subject and its verb.

Example 2.25

The 1:discovery of mummies 2:interests many people .The singular subject discovery agrees with the singular verb interests despite the intervening prepositional phrase, of mummies, that contains a plural noun.

Study the underlined part of each sentence. In which sentence does the verb agree with the subject?

The archaeologist, with her assistants, has studied carvings.

Example 1

The grammatical number of verbs is sometimes more difficult to determine. The form of many verbs can be either singular or plural, depending on the number of the subject. Singular She sees. She has seen. Plural We see. We have seen.

Study the underlined part of each sentence. In which sentence does the verb agree with the subject?

The sides of an Egyptian pyramid are almost perfectly equal.

Example 1.5

The verb be in the present tense has special forms to agree with singular subjects. The pronoun I has its own singular form of be. So do he, she, it, and singular nouns Always Singular I am. He is. All singular subjects except you share the same past tense verb form of be.Always Singular I was. He was.

Plural Subject and Verb

These 1:archaeologists 2:work in Egypt. 1:They 2:were being mysterious about the dig's location.

Singular and Plural Subjects

Two general rules of subject and verb agreement cover all of the more specific rules: (1) A singular subject must have a singular verb. (2) A plural subject must have a plural verb.

Intervening Phrases and Clauses

When a sentence contains a phrase or clause that separates the subject from its verb, simply ignore the intervening group of words when you check for agreement.

Singular Subjects Joined by Or or Nor

When two singular subjects are joined by or or nor, use a singular verb. Two or more singular subjects joined by or or nor must have a singular verb.

Relative Pronouns as Subjects

When who, which, or that acts as a subject of a subordinate clause, its verb will be singular or plural depending on the number of the antecedent. The antecedent of a relative pronoun determines its agreement with a verb. Take a look at the examples. In the first example, the antecedent of who is one; therefore, the singular verb has is used. In the second example, the antecedent of who is archaeologists; therefore, the plural verb have is used.

Example 2.75

Your 1: information, in addition to the data gathered by those working on the site, 2: is helping to solve the mystery surrounding the pyramid.

Which highlighted verb in the passage from "Don Juan" by Lord Byron agrees with a plural subject?

are

A pick and shovel _____ to remove sand; then workers or a crane _____ the artifacts. Which pair of verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

are used, lifts

The tour guide _____ that either candles or a lantern _____ used to see into the tomb. Which verbs agree with the subjects in the sentence?

explains, is

Our team _____ from Egypt, but other researchers _____ on the site. Which verbs correctly complete the sentence?

has returned, are working

Alice is one of the archaeologists who _____ tombs that include a mummy. Which verb form correctly completes the sentence?

have found

Pyramids and tombs _____ inscriptions and statues; artifacts and writing _____ us about Egypt. Which pair of verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

have, tell

The inscriptions on the wall _____ important dates, and this discovery, in addition to the other artifacts, _____ new light on ancient Egypt. Which verbs agree with the subjects in the sentence?

include, sheds

Either the college or the village _____ for the labor that students or villagers _____ to the dig Which pair of verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

pays, supply

Neither he nor his students _____ Greek, so the assistants or the librarian _____ the ancient texts. Which pair of verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

read, translates

Tony _____ archaeology, and his teachers are very supportive. Which verb form is needed to complete the sentence correctly?

studies

Pencils and pens _____ decent notes, but a computer and calculator _____ needed to process data. Which verbs agree with the compound subjects in the sentence?

take, are

The students_____ to see the Great Sphinx of Giza, which _____ very popular with tourists. Which verbs agree with the subjects in the sentence?

want, is

At the dig, bread and butter _____ served, and every man and woman _____ hungry. Which pair of verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

was, was

Personal Pronouns Plural

we, they, you