AGREEMENT: Subject and Verb



AGREEMENT: Subject and Verb

The subject and the verb of a sentence should agree in number; a plural subject takes a plural verb and a singular subject takes a singular verb.

1. When two singular subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb is singular.

a. Neither Jim nor Mary appreciates this music.

b. Violinists or guitarists appreciate this music.

2. When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb must agree with the subject immediately following or or nor.

a. The violinist and the guitarist appreciate this music.

b. Either Mrs. Anderson or her assistants have copies of the new catalog.

c. Neither the buyers nor the sales manager is in favor of the system.

3. Two or more subjects joined by and require a plural verb.

a. Gary and his brother are going to the sales convention.

4. Singular indefinite pronouns (each, nobody, someone, somebody, everyone, anyone) require a singular verb.

a. Everyone appreciates this music.

b. Nobody is going to stop me.

5. Collective nouns that represent a group of people or things (committee, board, faculty, staff, group, family) require q singular verb.

a. The faculty appreciates this music.

b. The committee has agreed to submit its report on Friday.

AGREEMENT: Pronoun and Antecedent

Pronouns should agree with their antecedents in person, gender, and number. Subject Case: I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they. Object Case: me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them.

1. Watch for prepositions; pronouns that are objects of prepositions are in the Object Case.

a. He will be with her.

b. Just between you and me, I don’t like her.

2. When using than or as, where the verb is omitted but implied, the pronoun takes the case required if the verb were expressed.

a. I liked it better than he. (than he liked it)

b. I am as competent as she. (as she is)

3. Pronouns immediately following the linking verb to be are considered to be in the Subject Case.

a. It is he who is going.

b. (answering the telephone) This is she. This is he.

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