Subject – Verb
Agreement
Why do subjects and verbs have to
agree? After all, they are only words!
Rules in Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Every verb must agree with its subject.
Singular Plural
Subject Subject
Singular Plural
Verb Verb
To be correct, subjects and verbs must
agree… Do not be confused!
To make a noun plural, we add –s
Singular: girl
Plural: girls
To make a verb plural, we take away the –s.
Singular:he talks
Plural: they talk
Watch the verb endings!
Singular Plural
• I walk • We walk
• You walk • You walk
• He/She/It walk s • They walk
– Joe walks. – Joe and Maria walk.
– The girl walks. – The girls walk.
Rule Number 1
1. Generally, if the subject doesn’t
end in –S, the verb will.
If the subject does end in –S, the verb
won’t.
No –S on
subject -S on
verb
The girl dances.
–S
–S on
on No -S
subject
subject on verb
The girls dance.
Let’s Practice:
1. He (talk, talks) quietly.
2. They (read, reads) their assigned
books.
3. Kim (go, goes) to the coffee shop
every weekend.
4. We (write, writes) letters for our friend
abroad.
5. Ian (sing, sings) well.
Rule Number 2: Compound subjects
joined by “and”
If there are two or more subjects joined
by and, the subject must be plural, so the
verb will not get an “s”.
No –S on
For example: verb
The boy and the girl dance.
Let’s Practice:
1. A car and a bike (is, are) my means of transportation
2. The dog and the cat (run, runs) around the house.
3. Kim and I (spend, spends) our free time reading
books.
4. The teacher and the students (was, were) able to
present something last Nutrition Month Celebration.
5. The Math book and the notebook (provide,
provides) information about the lesson.
3. Do not forget that some common English
words have irregular plurals.
The child is doing the assignment.
The children are doing the
assignment.
The ox is important to the farmers.
The oxen are important to the
farmers.
Let’s Practice
1. Cacti (is, are) important for the
travelers in the desert.
2. Bacterium (affect, affects) our
immune system.
3. Parentheses (tell, tells) the readers
something.
4. The criteria for judging (show, shows)
that the contest is a tough one.
5. The alumnus of the school usually
(visit, visits) during summer
vacation.
Rule Number 4: “There” and “Here”
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.
There is a problem with the balance
sheet.
There are problems with the balance
sheet.
Let’s Practice
1. There (is, are) four coins on top of the
fridge.
2. Here (is, are) the bag that you
want to borrow.
3. Here (is, are) your things needed for
your field trip.
4. There (is, are) three problems that he
cannot solve right now.
5. Here (is, are) your Math book.
Rule 5: Compound subjects joined by
“or” / “nor”
When the compound subjects are
joined by “or” / “nor” , the subject
closest to the verb determines the
agreement.
Either my father or my siblings are going
to the birthday party
Either my siblings or my father is going to
the birthday party .
Let’s Practice
1. Neither the players nor the coach
(is, are) joining.
2. Either the conductor or the
singers (is, are) attending the
concert.
3. The kids or Jenny (drink, drinks)
the milk.