Subject/Verb Agreement

We all know that sentences show a complete thought and are made up of a subject and a verb.  What makes composing a sentence even more difficult than just picking the right ideas to formulate a complete thought is the fact that the subject must agree with the verb in number.  In other words...

If the subject is singular, then it must have a singular verb.

• The boy runs everywhere.

If the subject is plural, then it must have a plural verb.

• The boys run everywhere.  

**Notice that in the first sentence, boy is singular, and so is the verb that agrees with it (runs is indeed singular.  Normally, subjects end in "s" when plural.  When dealing with verbs; however, you switch that idea around.  Singular verbs normally end in "s").

When dealing with pronouns, things get a little funkier, but check out the chart below.

Check out how the only time the verb needs to change in order to agree with the subject (when dealing with pronouns) is when you are in "he/she/it" mode.

I read a book each weekend.
You read a lot.
He reads* comic books on the train.
We read to each other.
You all read your homework together?
They read the paper in the morning.

*again, check our he/she/it...it's the only time the verb needs to match the pronoun!

Troublesome verbs...Refer to page 61 in Scarry.  This is a really great page, and you should have it specially marked with a post-it for use on the Exit Essay anyway, so check it out.  Email me with specific questions on these special verbs.


Collective nouns (click here, and make sure to scroll down to find "Collective Nouns."  This is a pretty good sight, yet it is different than the notes we took in class and the practice we did in the book).

From OWL: Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, and family.

The team runs during practice.

The committee decides how to proceed.

The family has a long history.

My family has never been able to agree.

In some cases in American English, a sentence may call for the use of a plural verb when using a collective noun.

The crew are preparing to dock the ship.

This sentence is referring to the individual efforts of each crew member.