Presents:

The Dirty DozenWorkshop Series

Subject/Verb

Agreement

Workshop Three:

Packing your own lunches save money.

Packing your own lunches saves money.

Which sentence is

correct?

Packing your own lunches save money.

Packing your own lunches saves money.

“Lunches” may look like the subject, but actually “Packing your own lunches” is what saves money, not the lunches themselves. Whenever such a verb phrase serves as the subject, consider it singular.

Why?

Why does knowing the subject to be singular or plural matter?

Rule of thumb: The subject and verb of each clause must agree in number.

When we talk about agreement, we mean making sure subjects and verbs agree in number— and in English, there are only two numbers: singular and plural.

What do we mean by

“agree” & “number”?

So, if you have a singular subject, you

will need a singular verb. If you have a

plural subject, you need a plural verb.

Let’s take a closer look at those two sentences…

Singular

Subject

Singular

VerbCorrect!

Plural

Subject

Plural

VerbCorrect!

The subject of each sentence is “Packing your own lunches.” This subject is singular; therefore, the verb must also be singular.

“Saves” is a singular verb — in the present tense. Most subject/verb agreement errors occur when dealing with these verbs. Why? Because we intuitively think of s and es as plural.

Packing your own lunches save money.

Packing your own lunches saves money.

Tip: To determine whether a verb is singular or plural, ask which form of the verb you

would use after the subject it and which form

you would use with the subject they.

Like this:It eats, sleeps, runs, wishes, has dreamed,

is loving

They eat, sleep, run, wish, have dreamed,

are loving

• “It” uses singular verbs.

• “They” uses plural verbs.

In other words…

There are many rules of

subject-verb agreement.

Let’s look at them, starting

with the most common.

Example: The flock of geese is flying south

for the winter.

The subject is “flock,” so the verb should be “is

flying.” Ignore the prepositional phrase “of geese” when determining verb number.

A subject and a verb must agree,

even when other words or phrases

come between them.

Exception: For phrases like “each girl and boy” or “every cat and bird,” where the subjects are considered individually, use a singular verb.

Each actor and actress has a

line in the play.

Subjects joined by “and”

usually take a plural verb.

Example: Dave and Bree are going on a date.

Collective nouns can either be

singular or plural, depending on

the context of the sentence.

Pssst! Collective nouns are words that

refer to groups of people or things

(e.g. class, family, jury, herd).

Rule of thumb:

If the context of the sentence makes you visualize the group doing

something together, as one unit,

then the noun is singular and takes a singular verb.

If you visualize different members

of the group performing different

actions, then the noun is plural and takes a plural verb.

The group agrees that new curtains

would improve the space.

(The group is acting as a unit, so the word group is singular.)

The old group have gone their

separate ways.

(The group members are acting individually, so the word group is plural.)

Examples:

The indefinite pronouns all, any,

more, most, none, and some can be

either singular or plural,

depending on whether the word

they refer to is singular or plural.

All of the cupcake batter is poured

into a greased pan. (Here, “all” refers to “batter,” which is singular.)

All of the cupcakes are topped with

cream cheese frosting.(Here, “all” refers to “cupcakes,” which is plural.)

Examples:

The indefinite pronouns each, either,

every, much, and neither require

singular verbs.

Example: Each of us has enormous

potential to succeed in life.

The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several take plural verbs.

Example: Both of us have enormous potential to succeed in life.

The verb must agree with its

subject even when the subject

follows the verb.

Questions, sentences beginning with here or there, and sometimes sentences beginning with a prepositional phrase place the subject afterthe verb.

Is success measured by people’s wealth or

their happiness?

Are wealth and happiness the same thing?

Out of the boat jumped the fish.

Here are my car keys.

There is my uncle’s house.

Examples:

Examples: The lens is broken.

Economics is a field of study.

Subjects that look plural (because

they end in s) but refer to only one

thing are singular.

Psst! Many nouns ending in –ics (economics, statistics, and politics)

take singular or plural verbs, depending on how they are used.

Some nouns (such as glasses, pliers,

scissors, and pants) are considered

plural unless they are preceded by the

phrase pair of.

Example: My pants require tailoring.

This pair of pants requires

tailoring.

Examples: Neither the principal nor the teachers like the new budget cuts.

Either her brothers or Tammy watersthe front lawn every day.

With subjects joined by or or nor, the verb

should agree with the subject closer to it.

Psst! For a more natural-sounding sentence, place the plural part of a compound subject second. Example: Either Tammy or her brothers water the front lawn every day.

The sale of apples and pears

(accounts/account) for a large

amount of the farmer’s income.

Which verb correctly completes

this sentence? Remember, watch

out for prepositional phrases

between subjects and verbs.

The sale of apples and pears accounts for

a large amount of the farmer’s income.

The sale of apples and pears account for

a large amount of the farmer’s income.

Remember rule #1: A subject and a verb must agree even when other words or phrases come between them. Frequently, prepositional phrases come between subjects and verbs. Ignore these prepositional phrases.

A) My collection of silver spoons and tea

sets often impresses others.

B) My collection of silver spoons and tea

sets often impress others.

In the following pairs, one

sentence is correct, and the

other sentence has a subject-

verb agreement error. Which

sentence is correct?

A) My collection of silver spoons

and tea sets often impresses others.

B) My collection of silver spoons

and tea sets often impress others.

The subject is collection, which is a singular noun, so the verb must be singular. The correct verb is impresses. Remember, the object of the preposition (silver spoons and tea sets) is never the subject of the sentence.

Why?

A) However, there is more luxurious

accommodations in this hotel.

B) However, there are more luxurious

accommodations in this hotel.

In the following pairs, one

sentence is correct, and the

other sentence has a subject-

verb agreement error. Which

sentence is correct?

A) However, there is more luxurious

accommodations in this hotel.

B) However, there are more luxurious

accommodations in this hotel.

Remember rule #7: The verb must agree with its subject even when the subject follows the verb. Questions, sentences beginning with here or there, and sometimes sentences beginning with a prepositional phrase, place the subject after the verb.

Example: Here are several ideas.

Why?

A) The pole and bait you need for

fishing is already on the dock.

B) The pole and bait you need for

fishing are already on the dock.

In the following pairs, one

sentence is correct, and the

other sentence has a subject-

verb agreement error. Which

sentence is correct?

A) The pole and bait you need for

fishing is already on the dock.

B) The pole and bait you need for

fishing are already on the dock.

Remember rule #2: Here the subject is compound (the pole and bait), which makes it plural. Therefore, the verb must also be plural.

Why?

These Dirty Dozen Workshops are

available online at the Writing Center’s

website in two exciting formats:

Workshop Presentation PDFsUnder “Handouts,” we have posted pdfs of the PowerPoint presentations we use in these workshops.

New! Quick & Dirty Dozen VideosWe have been making short videos that recap each workshop in five minutes or less.

For appointments, resources, handouts and more, visit:

www.methodist.edu/writing-center

Join us next time…Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Errors