10 10 RulesRules in in

Making Subjects and Verbs Making Subjects and Verbs AgreeAgree

What is

aagreementgreement ?• (in grammar) “likeness”• Agree in:

• Number• Gender• Case

AgreementAgreement also means…• Harmony• Unity• Cooperation …and not

• Chaos• Discord• disarray

Rule #1:Rule #1:A verb agrees with its subject

in number•singular S + singular V•plural S + plural V

Rule #2:Rule #2:The pronouns I and you

always need the plural form of the verb

Rule #3:Rule #3:Prepositional phrases do NOT

affect the number of the verb

Rule #4:Rule #4:A verb agrees with its

subject, NOT the noun(s) placed between S and V

Rule #5:Rule #5:a) Compound subjects joined

by and need a plural verb

b) If they refer to the same thing/ person, it takes a singular verb

Rule #6:Rule #6:Indefinite pronouns are

singular; they take the singular form of the verb

Examples of indefinite pronouns

Rule #7:Rule #7:For compound subjects

joined by either-or and neither-nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject

Rule #8:Rule #8:For fractions:•The verb agrees with the

noun in the prepositional phrase

•For mass nouns, use singular verbs

Rule #9:Rule #9:Use singular verbs for

nouns of quantity, distance, time and amount

Rule #10:Rule #10:For collective nouns:•One unit = use singular verb•Individuals in a group = use

plural verb