Subject Verb Agreement

1. Use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

1.1. “A car and a bike are” my means of transportation.

2. Parentheses are not part of the subject

2.1. Joe (and his trusty mutt) “was” always welcome

3. If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb If it is plural, use a plural verb

3.1. A lot of the pie has disappeared.

3.2. A lot of the pies have disappeared.

4. Either / or Neither / nor Or

4.1. Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.

4.1.1. Either my mother or my father “is” going to work today.

4.1.2. Neither the pizza nor the ice-cream “is” here

4.2. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/ nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.

4.2.1. Either Rita or her friends are going to eat all the cupcakes. Either Rita’s friends or she is going to eat all the muffins.

4.2.2. Either Rita’s friends or “she is” going to eat all the muffins.

5. If a sentence begins with there or here, the verb becomes the subject

5.1. Here is your car key

5.2. There are your packages.

6. The verb might be singular or plural with collective nouns

6.1. Most of the jury is here OR are here.

6.2. All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.

7. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with ‘of’

7.1. A “bouquet” of red roses lends color and fragrance to the room.

8. A singular subject takes a singular verb A plural subject takes a plural verb

8.1. “She is” washing her car. “We are” discussing about our project.

9. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact

9.1. I wish it were Friday

10. Ignore words such as along with, as well as, besides, etc Use a singular verb if it’s a singular subject

10.1. The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly

10.2. Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

11. Use a singular verb when the subject is considered as a unit

11.1. “Three miles” is too far to walk.

11.2. “Five years” is the maximum sentence for that offense.