Name: ______Date:______
Subject -Verb Agreement
The verb of a sentence must always agree with its subject. The trick, again, is to isolate the subject. In other words, put mental parentheses around all of the words between the subject and the verb.
Examples:
Incorrect: The best answer of the many good answers were Susie’s.
Correct: The best answer of the many good answers was Susie’s.
*The subject of the sentence is the best answer, which is singular, and therefore calls for a singular verb. If you took out the rest of the words, the correct answer is easy to spot.
The best answer was Susie’s.
Now you try! Read the sentences below and choose a word to make the subject-verb agreement correct.
1. Someone from the Humane Society (is, are) here to see you.
2. The issue of war, peace, and nuclear holocaust (was, were) of great
importance at the conference.
3. Everyone visiting Tanzania and Kenya (want, wants) to see a African Elephants.
4. All of the teachers at my school (is, are) in favor of the new schedule.
5. Mr. Draper, as well as his oldest son, (is, are) in the plumbing business.
Pronoun -Verb Agreement
The same rules apply here; you just need to remind yourself of those singular indefinite pronouns.
Examples:
Incorrect: Each of these moments have played over again in my mind.
Correct: Each of these moments has played over again in my mind.
*Each (one) is a singular indefinite pronoun and needs a singular verb.
Now you try! Read the sentences below and choose a word to make the pronoun-verb agreement correct.
1. He (put, puts) on his mask.
2. She (sew, sews) her Halloween costume.
3. They (make, makes) a horse costume.
4. She (spray, sprays) a cardboard box with silver paint.
5. He (glue, glues) on his mustache.