Subject and Predicate Agreement
Rule 1. A subject will come before a
phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding
subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most,
subject-verb mistakes.
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:
Rule 5. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
Rule 7. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.
Rule 9. With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:
Incorrect: A
bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A
bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends,
not roses lend)
Rule 2. Two singular subjects
connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular
verb.
Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Karina or Casey is helping today with stage decorations
Rule 3. The verb in an or,
either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or
pronoun closest to it.My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Karina or Casey is helping today with stage decorations
Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one
of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am
going to the festival.
If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward
sentences.
Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Rule 4. As a general rule, use a
plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Example: A
car and a bike are my means of transportation.
But note these exceptions:
Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast
are compound nouns.Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
Rule 5. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 6. In sentences beginning with here
or there, the true subject follows the verb.The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
NOTE:
The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad
habits in informal sentences like There's a lot of people here today,
because it's easier to say "there's" than "there are." Take
care never to use there's with a plural subject.Rule 7. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Rule 8. With words that indicate
portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1 given earlier in
this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of. If
the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use
a plural verb.Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
NOTE
In recent years, the SAT testing service has considered none to be
strictly singular. However, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of
English Usage: "Clearly none has been both singular and
plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a
myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in
context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like
a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious
criticism." When none is clearly intended to mean "not
one," it is followed by a singular verb.Rule 9. With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.
Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
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