Learning English Grammar

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT: IS THE SUBJECT SINGULAR OR PLURAL?

A verb describes the action of a sentence or expresses a state of being.

• Predicting violent weather is difficult.
• The wind increases.

A subject names what or whom a sentence is about. The subject ordinarily performs the action described by the verb in a sentence.

• A squall line approaches. 
• Much turbulent weather threatens the high plains every year.

A verb may change its form, depending upon whether its subject is singular or plural. The verb is then said to agree in number with its subject. With verbs in the present tense, agreement in number is relatively simple: most subjects take the base form of the verb. The base form is the word produced when to is placed before the verb: to wait; to go.

• First person, singular, present tense.
• I wait.
• Second person, singular, present tense.
• You wait.
• First person, plural, present tense.
• We wait.
• Second person, plural, present tense.
• You go.
• Third person, plural, present tense.
• They go.

The single notable exception to this pattern occurs with third person singular subjects. A regular verb in the present tense needs an -s or -es ending.

• Third person, singular, present tense.
• Irene waits.
• He waits.
• She goes.

So to choose a correct verb form in the third person you must know whether the subject of a sentence is singular or plural. Sometimes it isn't easy to tell, especially with constructions that seem to form compound subjects-which usually are plural.

An editor will usually indicate a problem with agreement by placing the abbreviation agr near a faulty verb.

• Hail and a rotating wall cloud indicates the possibility of a tornado.

Pay attention only to the subject itself when a subject is linked to another noun by expressions such as along with, as well as or together with.

The verb agrees with the subject, not with the second noun. In the following sentence, for example, a singular subject, The National Weather Service, is tied to another possible subject, police officers, by the expression as well as. Despite the nearness of the plural noun officers, the subject remain singular.

• The National Weather Service, as well as many police officers, wishes amateurs wouldn't chase severe storms in their cars.

The same principle holds when a plural subject (amateurs) is linked to a singular noun (press). 

• Many amateurs, along with the press, chase storms in the American heartland.

In most cases, treat subjects joined by and as plural. Joining two subjects this way creates a compound subject.

• Storm chasers and news-people alike want great pictures of tornadoes.
• The press and storm alike risk their lives in the hazardous weather.
• Meteorologist and the police believe the storm chasers often don't appreciate the magnitude of the great storms.

However, a few subject joined by and do describe a singular thing or idea. Treat such expressions as singular.

• Peace and quiet is rare on the plains in spring.
• Rock and roll is as noisy as a thunderclap.

Similarly, when a compound subject linked by and is modified by every or each, the verb takes a singular form.

• Every wall cloud and supercell holds the potential for a tornado.
• Each spring and each fall brings the danger of more storms.

However, when each follows a compound subject, usage varies. 

• The meteorologist and the storm chaser each have their reasons for studying the weather.
• The meteorologist and the storm chaser each has his or her story to tell.

when subjects are joined by or, neither.......nor, or either.........or, be sure the verb (or its auxiliary) agrees with the subject closer to it.

Study these examples to understand how this guideline works. The arrows point to the subjects nearer the verbs.

• Neither police officers nor the National Weather Service is able to prevent people from tracking dangerous storms.
• Either severe lightning or powerful bouts of hail are apt to accompany the development of a supercell. 
• Does the danger or the thrills of storm chasing attract people to the "sport"?
• Do the thrill of storm chasing or  the danger attract people to the "sport"? 
• Heavy rains or strong winds cause much damage.
• Heavy rain or baseball-size hail causes the most damage.

The rule holds when one or both of the subjects joined by or, either.....or, or neither......nor are pronouns: the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

• Neither she nor we admit to an opinion about the weather.
• Neither we nor she admits to an opinion about the weather.
• Neither Jimail nor I have any weather predictions today.
• Neither I nor Jimail has any weather predictions today.

Notice that when both subjects are singular, the verb may change to reflect a shift from a first person subject (I) to a third person subject (Jimail). If a construction seems especially awkward, it can be revised usually by making the verb plural or rewriting the sentence.

• Awkward:       Neither you nor I am bothered by thunder.
• Better     :        Neither I nor you are bothered by thunder.
• Better     :        We are not bothered by thunder.

When subjects linked to expressions such as as well as, along with, or together with sound awkward with a singular verb, consider joining the subject with and instead.

• Slightly awkward:   The National Weather Service, as well as local storm chasers, considers tornadoes unlikely today.
• Better                  :    The National Weather Service and local storm chasers considers tornadoes unlikely today.

🔺Chosen from "HANDBOOK FOR WRITERS," Fourth Edition; by Maxine Hairstom & John J. Ruszkiewicz. 

SOPHEA SIM, English Tutor.