Subject Verb Agreement
Subject Verb Agreement
Subject Verb Agreement
Kinds of VERB
ACTION VERBS
LINKING VERBS
HELPING VERBS
ACTION VERB
• Also known as MAIN VERB.
• Action verbs are words that express action
(give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have,
own, etc.).
• Action verbs can be either transitive (with
object) or intransitive (without object).
Example:
1. Laurissa raises her hand. (kkt)
2. Abdus gave Becky the pencil. (kkt)
3. Laurissa rises slowly from her seat. (kki)
4. He was pontificating about art and history. (kki)
LINKING VERBS
A linking verb connects the subject of a
sentence to a noun or adjective that
renames or describes the subject.
Examples:
1. Tejo is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.
2. The trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.
3. Tanya could learn to fly helicopters. (Could helps the main
verb, learn.)
4. Janine will drive to Idaho tomorrow. (Will helps the main
verb, drive.)
MAIN RULE OF
“Subject Verb Agreement”
Examples:
The dog growls when it is angry.
The dogs growl when they are angry.
RULE 2
Examples:
The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually
very good.
RULE 3
Examples:
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.
RULE 4
When sentences start with “there” or
“here,” the subject will always be placed
after the verb, so care needs to be taken to
identify it correctly.
Examples:
There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here
are the papers you requested.
RULE 5
Examples:
The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
RULE 6
Examples:
Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.
RULE 7
Examples:
No smoking or drinking is allowed.
Every man and woman is required to check in.
RULE 8
If the subjects are both singular and are
connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also the verb is singular.
Examples:
Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.
RULE 9
The only time when the object of the preposition decides
plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun
subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed
by a prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object
of the preposition determines the form of the verb.
Examples:
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens are gone.
RULE 10
Examples:
Four quarts of oil was required to get the car
running.
RULE 11
If the subjects are both plural and are
connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but
also, the verb is plural.
Examples:
Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.
RULE 12
If one subject is singular and one plural and the
words are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, you
use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the
verb.
Examples:
1. Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
2. Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the
zoo.
RULE 13
Examples:
Everybody wants to be loved.
Everything is gonna be alright.
RULE 14
Examples:
Few were left alive after the flood.
Several students understand the material.
RULE 15
Examples:
To walk and to chew gum require great skill.
RULE 16
When gerunds are used as the subject of a
sentence, they take the singular verb
form of the verb; but, when they are linked
by and, they take the plural form.
Examples:
1. Standing in the water was a bad idea.
2. Swimming in the ocean and playing drums
are my hobbies.
RULE 17