subject verb agreement indefinite pronouns and compound subjects

Subject Verb Subject Verb AgreementAgreement

Indefinite Pronouns and Indefinite Pronouns and Compound SubjectsCompound Subjects

Indefinite PronounsIndefinite Pronouns

Certain pronouns do not refer to a Certain pronouns do not refer to a definite person, place, thing, or idea definite person, place, thing, or idea and, therefore, are called and, therefore, are called indefinite indefinite pronounspronouns..

You should learn the number of all You should learn the number of all the indefinite pronouns so that you the indefinite pronouns so that you will not make an error in agreement will not make an error in agreement when an indefinite pronoun is the when an indefinite pronoun is the subject of the sentence.subject of the sentence.


The following common pronouns are The following common pronouns are singular and take singular verbs:singular and take singular verbs:– each, either, neither, one, everyone, each, either, neither, one, everyone,

everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody.anybody, someone, somebody. If a word contains “body” or “one”, it is If a word contains “body” or “one”, it is

singular.singular.


As the examples below indicate, pronouns As the examples below indicate, pronouns like like eacheach and and oneone are frequently followed by are frequently followed by prepositional phrases. Remember that the prepositional phrases. Remember that the verb agrees with the subject of the verb agrees with the subject of the sentence, not a word in prepositional phrasesentence, not a word in prepositional phrase– OneOne of the chairs of the chairs lookslooks comfortable comfortable– EitherEither of the answers of the answers is is correctcorrect– EveryoneEveryone with passports with passports waswas accepted. accepted.– Neither Neither of these of these satisfiessatisfies me. me.– Someone Someone in the stands in the stands has been wavinghas been waving at at

us. us.


The following common pronouns are The following common pronouns are plural and take plural verbs: plural and take plural verbs: – both, few, several, many.both, few, several, many.


The words The words some, any, none, all, some, any, none, all, and and mostmost may be either singular or plural. may be either singular or plural.– This rule is an exception to the This rule is an exception to the

prepositional phrase rule because the prepositional phrase rule because the number of the subjects number of the subjects some, any, none, some, any, none, all, all, and and most most is determined by a word in is determined by a word in the prepositional phrase that follows the the prepositional phrase that follows the subject. If the word the subject refers to is subject. If the word the subject refers to is singular, the subject is singular; if the singular, the subject is singular; if the word is plural, the subject is plural.word is plural, the subject is plural.


Examples:Examples:

All All of my fans of my fans rushrush home. home.

All All of my work of my work is is finished.finished.

Some Some of the birdsof the birds have have gone south. gone south.

Some Some of the glare of the glare hashas disappeared. disappeared.

Indefinite PronounsIndefinite Pronouns Practice examplesPractice examples

– All of the flags (is, are) on displayAll of the flags (is, are) on display– Each of the flags (has, have) a special design.Each of the flags (has, have) a special design.– Someone in this group (is, are) a jogger.Someone in this group (is, are) a jogger.– Some of our artists (uses, use) strange Some of our artists (uses, use) strange

materials.materials.– One of our modern painters (places, place) real One of our modern painters (places, place) real

buttons on the canvas where the buttons on buttons on the canvas where the buttons on clothes would be. clothes would be.

– Many of them (works, work) with sawdust, Many of them (works, work) with sawdust, nails, and sand.nails, and sand.

– One of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings (shows, One of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings (shows, show) an animal’s skull. show) an animal’s skull.

Compound SubjectsCompound Subjects

Most compound subjects which are Most compound subjects which are joined by joined by andand name more than one name more than one person or thing; therefore, they are person or thing; therefore, they are plural and require a plural verb.plural and require a plural verb.


Subjects joined by Subjects joined by andand are plural and are plural and take a plural verb.take a plural verb.– Antonia BricoAntonia Brico and and Sarah CladwellSarah Cladwell are are

famous conductors.famous conductors.– Last year a Last year a librarylibrary and a and a museum museum

werewere built in our town. built in our town.


If the items in a compound subject If the items in a compound subject actually refer to only one person or actually refer to only one person or are thought of as one thing, the verb are thought of as one thing, the verb is singular. is singular. – The The captaincaptain and and quarterbackquarterback of the of the

team team is is the speaker. the speaker. – ChickenChicken and and dumplingsdumplings is is a favorite a favorite

Southern dish. Southern dish.

Compound SubjectCompound Subject

Practice Practice – March and April (is, are) windy months.March and April (is, are) windy months.– My mother and the mechanic (is, are) My mother and the mechanic (is, are)

discussing the bill.discussing the bill.– Virginia Wade and Tracy Austin (plays, Virginia Wade and Tracy Austin (plays,

play) today. play) today. – Cake and ice cream (is, are) my favorite Cake and ice cream (is, are) my favorite

dessert. dessert. – (Does, Do) Carla and Jean take dancing (Does, Do) Carla and Jean take dancing

lessons?lessons?


When a singular subject and a plural When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by subject are joined by or or oror nor nor, the , the verb agrees with the nearer subject.verb agrees with the nearer subject.– Either Joan or her Either Joan or her friends arefriends are mistaken. mistaken.– Neither the players nor the Neither the players nor the directordirector

waswas on time to rehearsal. on time to rehearsal.


PracticePractice– Either the mayor or the city treasurer (is, Either the mayor or the city treasurer (is,

are) scheduled to speak at the ceremony.are) scheduled to speak at the ceremony.– Teresa and her sister (has, have) a Teresa and her sister (has, have) a

valuable record collection.valuable record collection.– The Weinbergs or their cousin (owns, The Weinbergs or their cousin (owns,

own) the new house on Elm Street. own) the new house on Elm Street. – Neither John nor Herbert (has, have) the Neither John nor Herbert (has, have) the

slightest interest in table manners. slightest interest in table manners.

subject verb agreement indefinite pronouns and compound subjects

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