Subject verb agreement is where the subject and the verb in the sentence go well with each other to where the sentence makes sense. For example: Sally runs on the street.
The subject is sally and the verb is run. They agree with each other.
_____
In addition: In the sentence "The girls runs in the playground" the subject and the verb do not agree in number. girls is a plural word, and runs is a singular form of the verb. For the subject and verb to agree, you would have to say "The girls run in the playground" or The girl runs in the playground. The subject and verb must agree in number and in person (see next paragraph).
Sometimes the relationship is a little trickier to find. In the question "How do the president enact laws?" changing the question into a statement will help. "The president do enact laws". President is third person singular, and 'do' is not third person singular. You would have to say "The president does enact laws" or The presidents do enact laws". Subjects and verbs must also agree in person. In question form, it becomes "How does the president enact laws?"
To run
Singular:
I run
You run
He, she, it, or Sally runs
Plural:
We run
You run
They, or the girls run
To do
Singular:
I do
You do
He, she, it, or the president does
Plural:
We do
You do
They, or the presidents do
The subject is sally and the verb is run. They agree with each other.
_____
In addition: In the sentence "The girls runs in the playground" the subject and the verb do not agree in number. girls is a plural word, and runs is a singular form of the verb. For the subject and verb to agree, you would have to say "The girls run in the playground" or The girl runs in the playground. The subject and verb must agree in number and in person (see next paragraph).
Sometimes the relationship is a little trickier to find. In the question "How do the president enact laws?" changing the question into a statement will help. "The president do enact laws". President is third person singular, and 'do' is not third person singular. You would have to say "The president does enact laws" or The presidents do enact laws". Subjects and verbs must also agree in person. In question form, it becomes "How does the president enact laws?"
To run
Singular:
I run
You run
He, she, it, or Sally runs
Plural:
We run
You run
They, or the girls run
To do
Singular:
I do
You do
He, she, it, or the president does
Plural:
We do
You do
They, or the presidents do
In a sentence, the subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that is being talked about. The verb describes what the subject is doing. For a sentence to be grammatically correct, its subject and verb must agree in number. if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. if the subject plural, the verb must be plural.
Examples : The mother questions her son. [The subject, mother, and the verb, question, are both singular]
The hounds were sick. [The subject, hounds, and the verb, were, are both plural]
The plural of most English nouns is formed by adding -s or -es to the end of the noun-raven, ravens; field,fields;dress,dresses. Some nouns from their plurals in an irregular way-knife,knives;man,men;sheep,sheep. There is more than one way of formating the plural of some nounds-for instance, bear or bears is the plural of bear; and hippopatamuses or hippopotami is the plural of hippopotamus. if you are confused, consult a dictionary for the plural and singular forms or words.
A verb ending in -s or -es is singular. if a verb has a helping verb (a form of the verb to be), the helping verb will agree with the subject. Here are some helping verbs and the pronouns they are with :
Singular : Iam; he (she,it) is; I (he,she,it) was; he (she,it) has been
Plural : we are, they are; we (they) were; they have been
Two or more subjects joined by and take a plural verb, even if each subject is singular. Singular subject joined by or nor take a singular verb. if a singular and a pular subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
Examples : The lady and the maidens cry for the slain knight. [plural]
The lady or the maiden cries for the slain knight. [singular]
The lady or the maindens cry for the slain knight. [plural]
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea that is not specifically named. Indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural and take a singular or plural verb. The following chart provider simple rules for indefinite pronoun-verb agreement.
Collection nouns can also be singular or plural and take a singular or plural verb. A collective noun is singular in form but names a group of persons or things. Following are examples of collective nouns
assembly audience band class
couple crowd family group
number pack public team
If a collective noun refers to an entire group as a unit, it is singular. if a collective noun refers to the parts or individual members of a group, it is plural.
Singular : The band of pilgrims is headed toward Canterbury
[Band refers to the entire group]
Plural : The band disagree about purchasing a relic
[Band refers to individuals in the group]
EXAMPLE :
1. Everyone who heard the speech was not impressed by it.
2. Every bud, stalk, flower, a nd seed reveals a workmanship our power.
2. Every bud, stalk, flower, a nd seed reveals a workmanship our power.
3. Every one of these men (plays, play) golf.
4. Neither Martin nor Harry (is, are) going to be in camp next summer.
5. There (was, were) seve ral reasons for his failure to be elected.
6. The wearing quality of different kinds of furs (varies, vary) greatly from item to
item.
item.
7. Some of the students (thinks, think) more logically than others.
8. Neither wealth nor fame always (bri ngs, bring) the happiness that you might
expect.
expect.
9. There (is, are) comparatively few poisonous plants in Alaska.
10. A dictionary and an atlas (b elongs, belong) in every library.
11. Neither of these envelopes (is, ar e) the correct size for my letter.
12. Judith and Pete (has, have) trouble with essay exams.
13. Either of you (is, are) welcome to the ticket for the concert.
14. Each student (has) answered the first three question.
15. Either John or his wife (makes) breakfast each morning.
16. After she had perused the material, the secretary decided that everything (was) in order.
17. The crowd at the basketball game (was) wild with excitement.
15. Either John or his wife (makes) breakfast each morning.
16. After she had perused the material, the secretary decided that everything (was) in order.
17. The crowd at the basketball game (was) wild with excitement.
