Agreement of Subject and Verb

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Agreement of Subject and Verb
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Index
Agreement in PersonAgreement in NumberPlural
Nouns and Singular VerbEither, neither, each,
none, everyEither or Neither nor
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Agreement in Person

• The verb agrees with its subject in person.

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Agreement in Number

• A singular/plural subjects are followed by
  singular/plural verbs.
• E.g. There is an apple on the table.
• E.g. There are three apples on the table.

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Agreement in Number

• (b) A compound subject takes a plural verb.
• E.g. Peter and I are going for a walk.
• (c) A Subject plural in form but singular in
  meaning takes a singular verb.
• E.g. Electronics is a science.
• E.g. Also, news, mathematics take a singular verb.

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Agreement in Number

• (d) A collective noun takes a singular or a
  plural verb, depending on the way is understood.
• E.g. A black and a white horses have been offered
  for sale.
• It means that there are two horses for sale.
• E.g. A black and white horse has been offered for
  sale.
• It means that there is only one horse for sale.

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Plural Nouns and Singular Verb

• The title of books and the name of countries are
  always followed by a singular verb.
• E.g. Skills Building is my English textbook.
• E.g. Australia is a great country.

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Plural Nouns and Singular Verb

• The expressions in the following sentences are
  regarded as a unit, a single quantity, and is
  therefore followed by singular verb.
• E.g. Three months is the maximum time we can
  allow you for this work.
• E.g. Three-quarters of his talent lies in sport.

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Either, neither, each, none, every

• Either, neither and each used as pronouns take a
  singular verb.
• E.g. Either of these methods is satisfactory.
• E.g. Neither of workmen has any reason for
  complaint.

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Either, neither, each, none, every

• (b) None may be followed either by a singular
  verb or by a plural verb according to the sense.
• E.g. Of all the days in the week none is more
  pleasant to me than Sunday.
• (Here none is equivalent to no oneof the days.)

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Either, neither, each, none, every

• (c) Either, neither, each, every
• When the subject is one of these four words
  followed by a noun(i.e. when they are used as
  adjectives), the verb is in the singular.
• E.g. Each boy is responsible for himself alone.
• E.g. Neither program gives me much pleasure.
• E.g. Every boy and every girl was tested for
  physical fitness.

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Either or Neither nor

• When two singular subjects are joined by either
  or or by neither nor , the verb is in the
  singular. When there are two plural subjects, the
  verb is in the plural.
• E.g. Either Peter or I am knocking at the door.
• E.g. Neither the manufacturers nor the
  wholesalers have explained for the reason for the
  delay.

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Either or Neither nor

• (b)When the two subjects are not of the same
  person, the verb agrees in person and number with
  the second subject.
• E.g. Either you or Mary is listening.
• E.g. Neither John nor I am listening.

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End