AGREEMENT (subject-verb, pronoun-antecedent) study guide

English I
Subject-verb agreement study guide
Subject:
Verb:
The person/object who performs the action described by the verb in a sentence.
Words that represent physical or mental action in a sentence.
Ryan makes pumpkin pie blizzards like a champ.
Ryan = subject (not pumpkin pie blizzards)
makes = verb
Key ideas:
1. Subjects are either singular or plural
Singular – John SITS in the sun.
Plural – Alex and John SIT in the sun.
2. Singular subjects use singular verbs (see above)
Plural subjects use plural verbs (see above)
3. The number of the subject is NOT changed by a prepositional phrase.
The silence in the halls IS unusual.
The leaves on the tree ARE changing color.
4. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural
verb.
Brian and Ryan are at Dairy Queen
5. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular verb.
Heather or Krystal is going to turn in the assignment.
6. If one of the above subjects was plural and joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the part of the subject
that is nearer the verb.
Krystal or her friends run every day.
Her friends or Krystal runs every day.
7. Don’t be fooled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject.
The book, including all the chapters in the first section, is boring.
8. Each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no
one are singular and require a singular verb.
Each of these hot dogs is juicy.
9. All, any, most, none, and some may be singular or plural. When one of them is a subject in a sentence, its
number is determined by a word in the prepositional phrase following it.
Some of the typewriters are electric.
Some of the potato salad is bad.
All of the problems worry me.
All of the statement worries me.

Subject-verb agreement with compound subjects:
1. Use a plural verb when two singular subjects are joined by and (remember, plural verbs aren’t the ones that
end in “s”).
The playful lobster and the annoying crab are going to be dinner soon.
*If the items in a compound subject actually refer to the person/thing, use a singular verb.
Chicken and Dumplings is my favorite dish.
2. Use a singular verb when two singular subjects are joined by or or nor.
A pen or a pencil is needed for this test.
Niether Miami nor Jacksonville is the capital of Wisconsin.
3. Use a plural verb when two plural subjects are joined by and, or, or nor.
Rabbits or guinea pigs are great pets.
4. When both a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the
subject closest to the verb.
Either Dan or his friends are mistaken.
Niether the actors nor the director was on time.

English I
Pronoun-antecedent agreement study guide
1. A pronoun agrees with in number and gender with its antecedent (the word before it to which it refers).
Antecedent Pronoun
Gail lost HER book.
Each of the men puts on HIS hardhat.
Alex or Bill will bring HIS football.
Everyone must bring HER (or HIS – choose one or the other) book to class.
(Here, it’s best to pluralize the subject: All students must bring their books to class.)
singular pronouns:
anything anyone anybody
something someone somebody
nothing no one nobody
each one another
either neither much
plural pronouns:
both few many several
either singular or plural (depends on whether the object of the preposition is singular or plural):
all none some any most