Singular versus Plural

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Singular versus Plural
Singular versus Plural
Along With Subject/Verb Agreement
2
Noun Rules

• Nouns USUALLY add an S to make themselves plural
• Nouns without an S are USUALLY Singular
• There are a few exceptions to the rule.
• Examples The dog runs. singular
• The dogs run. plural
• The book is good. singular
• The books are good. plural
• The kids like to read. plural
• The kid likes to read. singular
• Abby drives to the store. singular
• The students ride to the store. plural

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Noun Exceptions

• The deer ate berries from the tree.
• Singular or plural
• The deer both ate berries from the tree.
• Plural
• The scissors are in the basket on the shelf.
• Singular or plural
• The scissors are sharp.
• Plural or singular
• The pants fit great.
• Singular or plural
• The pants are all hung in the closet.
• Plural or singular

Each example are interchangeable. They can be
singular and plural in each of these example
sentences.
4
Verb Rules

• Verbs add an S to make themselves singular
  (opposite of nouns)
• Verbs without an S are plural
• Examples He drives the bus. singular
• We drive to school. plural
• Annie watches TV. singular
• The students watch the movie. plural
• He runs after school. singular
• Susie and Tommy run after school. plural

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Verb Exceptions

• Susie and Tommy eat lunch. plural
• I eat lunch. singular

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Tricky Verbs

• Am, Is, Are, Was, Were Which are singular and
  which are plural?
• Am, Is, Was singular
• Are Were plural

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Subject/Verb Agreement

• A sentence with a singular subject must have a
  singular verb
• Singular subject one person, one place, or one
  thing
• Example The boy is here.
• A sentence with a plural subject must have a
  plural verb.
• Plural subject two or more
• Example the boys are here

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 1
• A compound subject joined by and is always
  plural (requires a plural verb).
• Example Johnny and Sally (play, plays) together.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 2
• In a sentence with a compound subject joined by
  or or nor- the verb must agree with the
  subject closest to the verb.
• Examples
• Sarah or Sam (drive, drives) to school everyday.
• Subject
• Verb
• The teacher or the students (need, needs) to
  present that information to the school board.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 3
• The subject of a sentence can NEVER be part of a
  prepositional phrase.
• Examples
• The group of students (ride, rides) together.
• Subject
• Verb
• At the store, he (buy, buys) food.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 4
• The subject of a sentence is NEVER part of a
  phrase starting with with, including, as
  well as, together with, in addition,
  which, who, or along with.
• Examples
• He, as well as she, (like, likes) to go to the
  movies.
• Subject
• Verb
• The kids, along with their parents, (go, goes) on
  vacation.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 5
• The following indefinite pronouns used in
  subjects of sentences are SINGULAR everyone,
  anyone, everybody, each, one, either, neither, no
  one, nobody, anything, another, anybody.
• Example
• Everyone (go, goes) to the game.
• Subject
• Verb
• Each of us (like, likes) something different.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 6
• The following indefinite pronouns used as
  subjects in sentences are PLURAL several, few,
  both, many.
• Example Both of the boys (is, are) here.
• Subject
• Verb
• Many of the students (drive, drives) to school.
• Subject
• Verb

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The Gatza/Goodman Rules

• Rule 7
• The following indefinite pronouns in the subject
  can be either SINGULAR or PLURAL
• some, any, none, all, most.
• They are singular when they refer to one thing.
• They are plural when they refer to several
  things.
• Example All of this paper (is, are) mine.
• Subject
• Verb
• Example All of the stores (is, are) open.
• Subject
• Verb