Subject/Verb Agreement - Language Notes


Key: red = subject, purple = verb


RULES

  • A singular subject takes a singular verb.
eg. Shaun washes the car with a sponge.
eg. Shaun, despite being told not to do so, washes the car with a sponge.


  • A singular indefinite pronoun [used as a subject] takes a singular verb.
eg. Someone washes their car with a sponge everyday around the world.


  • The following singular indefinite pronouns [all / any / most / none / some] are plural, when the items they refer to can be counted, and  therefore take a plural verb.
eg. None of the men wash their cars on the weekend.


  • The following singular indefinite pronouns [all, any, most, none, some] are singular when the items they refer to are difficult to count, or considered to be a quantity.
eg. None of the school is undeveloped. 


  • A compound subject [2 or more subjects joined by a conjunction] is plural and takes a plural verb.
eg. The car and the house belong to Shaun.  


  • A compound subject that is joined by OR or NOR is singular if both parts of the subject are singular. Therefore, it takes a singular verb.
eg. Neither the car or the house belongs to Shaun.


  • A compound subject that is joined by OR or NOR is plural if both parts of the subject are plural. Therefore, it takes a plural verb.
eg. Neither the cars nor the houses belong to Shaun.


  • If one part of a compound sentence, joined by OR or NOR, is plural while the other is singular, the verb must agree with the subject that is closest to it.
eg. Neither the (car) nor the houses belong to Shaun. 
eg. Neither the (houses) nor the car belongs to Shaun. 


  • If a group acts together, the noun (acting as the subject) is considered to be singular and takes a singular verb.
eg. The complex plans to host a car wash extravaganza.


  • If the members of a group act separately, the noun (acting as the subject) is considered to be plural and takes a plural verb. 
eg. The complex wash their car separately. 


  • Words that state amounts are singular and take a singular verb.
eg. Five pounds of rice is too much.


Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas

Cox N, Pettegrew B, McBain R. Grammar and Composition bk.1. Columbus, Ohio: SRA / McGraw-Hill
Schachter, N, Schneiter Williams K. Basic English Review: English the Easy Way. (8th ed.) United States: Thompson South-Western, 2005.


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