Subject and Verb Agreement Flashcards

Question 1

Q

What is the basic rule of subject and verb agreement?

Answer

A

Basic rule: The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Note: The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next rick is recognizing a singular or plural verb.

Question 2

Q

How to determine which verb is singular and which one is plural?

Answer

A

Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to determine which verb is singular and which one is plural, think of which verb you would use with he or she and which verb you would use with they.

talks, talk

Which one is the singular form?

Which word would you use with he?

We say, “He talks.” Therefore, talks is singular. We say, “They talk.” Therefore, talk is plural.

Question 3

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural in the following sentence:

My aunt or my uncle ^{is/are arriving} by train today.

Answer

A

Rule 1: Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

*My aunt or my uncle ^{is arriving} by train today. *

Question 4

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural in the following sentences:

Neither Juan nor Carmen ^{is/are available.}

Either Kiana or Casey ^{is/are helping} today with stage decorations.

Answer

A

Rule 2: Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb as in Rule 1.

Neither Juan nor Carmen ^{is available}.

Either Kiana or Casey ^{is helping} today with stage decorations.

Question 5

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

Neither she nor I ^{am/are going} to the festival.

Answer

A

Rule 3: When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.

Neither she nor I ^{am going} to the festival.

Question 6

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

The serving bowl or the plates ^{g}**^{o/goes} on that shelf.

Answer

A

Rule 4: When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

The serving bowl or the plates ^{go} on that shelf.

Question 7

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

Neither Jenny nor the others ^{is/are} available.

Answer

A

Rule 5. When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

Neither Jenny nor the others ^{are} available.

Question 8

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

A car and a bike ^{is/are }my means of transportation.

Answer

A

Rule 6. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

A car and a bike ^{are} my means of transportation.

Question 9

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

The politician, along with the newsmen, ^{is/are} ^{expected} shortly.

Excitement, as well as nervousness, ^{is/are }the cause of her shaking.

Answer

A

Rule 7. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.

The politician, along with the newsmen,^{ }^{is expected }shortly.

*Excitement, as well as nervousness, ^{is} the cause of her shaking. *

Question 10

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

Each of the girls ^{sings/sing} well.

Every one of the cakes ^{is/are} gone.

Answer

A

Rule 8. The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.

Each of the girls ^{sings} well.

Every one of the cakes ^{is} gone.

_Note: _

Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one.

Question 11

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

Fifty percent of the pie ^{has/have} disappeared.

Fifty percent of the pies ^{has/have} disappeared.

Answer

A

Rule 9: With words that indicate portions - percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth - look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

Fifty percent of the pie ^{has} disappeared.

Pie is the object of the preposition of.

Fifty percent of the pies ^{have} disappeared.

Pies is the object of the preposition.

Question 12

Q

Determine whether the verb is singular or plural:

One-third of the city ^{is/are} unemployed.

One-third of the people ^{is/are} unemployed.

Answer

A

Rule 9:

One-third of the city ^{is }unemployed.

One-third of the people ^{are }unemployed.

Note: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.

Question 13

Q

All of the pie ^{is/are} gone.

All of the pies ^{is/are} gone.

Answer

A

Rule 9:

All of the pie ^{is} gone.

All of the pies ^{are} gone.

Question 14

Q

Some of the pie ^{is/are missing}.

Some of the pies ^{is/are missing.}

Answer

A

Rule 9:

Some of the pie ^{is missing}.

Some of the pies ^{are missing}.

Question 15

Q

None of the garbage ^{was/were picked} up.

None of the sentences ^{was/were punctuated} correctly.

Of all her books, none ^{has/have sold} as well as the first one.

Answer

A

Rule 9:

None of the garbage ^{was picked} up.

None of the sentences ^{were punctuated} correctly.

Of all her books, none ^{have sold} as well as the first one.

Question 16

Q

Neither of them ^{is/are} available to speak right now.

Either of us ^{is/are }capable of doing the job.

Answer

A

Rule 10. When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.

Neither of them ^{is }avaible to speak right now.

Either of us ^{is} capable of doing the job.

Question 17

Q

Find the subject and verb in each sentence below:

There are four hurdles to jump.*
There is a high hurdle to jump.*

Answer

A

Rule 11. The words here and there have generally been labeled as adverbs even though they indicate place. In sentences beginning with here or there, the subject follows the verb.

There ^{are} four hurdles to jump.*
There ^{is} a high hurdle to jump.*

Question 18

Q

Ten dollars ^{is/are} a high price to pay.*
Five years ^{is/are} the maximum sentence for the offense.*

Answer

A

Rule 12. Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.

Ten dollars ^{is }a high price to pay.*
Five years ^{is }the maximum sentence for that offense. *

Question 19

Q

Salma is the scientist who ^{writes/write} the reports.*
He is one of the men who ^{does/do} the work.*

Answer

A

Rule 13. Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of the verb in the middle of the sentence. The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. So, if that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.

Salma is the scientist who ^{writes} the reports.

The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular.

Therefore, use the singular verb writes.

He is one of the men who ^{do} the work.

The word in front of who is men, which is plural.

Therefore, use the plural verb do.

Question 20

Q

The staff ^{is/are} in a meeting.*
The staff members ^{is/are} in disagreement about the findings.*

Answer

A

Rule 14. Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.

The staff ^{is} in a meeting.

Staff is acting as a unit here.

The staff members ^{are} in disagreement about the findings.

The staff members are acting as separate individuals in this.

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Subject and Verb Agreement Flashcards

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