Rules of Verb Agreement

Rules of Verb Agreement 1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.  Example: The dog barks. The dogs bark. 2. In compound subjects joined by "and," use a plural verb.  Example: The cat and the dog chase each other. 3. When the subject is made up of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.  Example: Neither the cat nor the dog is happy. 4. When the subject is a collective noun (a word that refers to a group of people or things), use a singular or plural verb depending on whether the emphasis is on the group as a whole or on the individuals within the group.  Example: The team is practicing. The team are arguing among themselves. 5. In sentences with indefinite pronouns (such as "anyone," "everyone," "someone," etc.), use a singular verb.  Example: Someone is coming to the party. 6. In sentences with a singular noun that ends in "‐s," use a singular verb unless the context indicates otherwise.  Example: Physics is his favorite subject. 7. When using words such as "each," "every," "either," or "neither," use a singular verb.  Example: Each of the students has completed the assignment. 8. When using phrases such as "one of," "a number of," or "a majority of," use a singular or plural verb depending on the noun that follows the preposition.  Example: One of the students is absent. A number of students are absent. 9. When using collective nouns that refer to a group of people, such as "committee" or "family," use a singular verb unless the members of the group are acting independently.  Example: The committee has made its decision. The family are arguing among themselves. 10. In sentences with "there is" or "there are," the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun that comes after the verb.  Example: There is a book on the table. There are two books on the table. 11. When using singular nouns that represent a group of people or things, such as "class," "team," or "audience," use a singular verb.  Example: The audience is enjoying the performance. 12. When using collective nouns that refer to things, such as "furniture" or "equipment," use a singular verb.  Example: The furniture is in good condition.