SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

Subject verb agreement is where the subject and the verb in the sentence go well with each other to where the sentence makes sense. The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. For example: Sally runs on the street.
The subject is sally and the verb is run. They agree with each other.

Although you are probably already familiar with basic subject-verb agreement, this chapter begins with a quick review of basic agreement rules.

Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one another in number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.

In the present tense, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways: nouns ADD an s to the singular form; verbs REMOVE the s from the singular form.

These agreement rules do not apply to verbs used in the simple past tense without any helping verbs.



The agreement rules do, however, apply to the following helping verbs when they are used with a main verb: is-are, was-were, has-have, does-do.

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


EXAMPLE :

Rule1.

Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

Example:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

Rule 2.
Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb as in Rule 1.

Examples:
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.

Rule 3

When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.

Example:
Neither she nor I am going to the festival.

Rule 4

When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

Example:
The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf.

Rule 5

When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

Example:
Neither Jenny nor the others are available.

Rule 6

As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

Example:
A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

Rule 7

Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.

Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 8

The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.

Examples:
Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.

NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one.

Rule 9

The expression the number is followed by a singular verb while the expression a number is followed by a plural verb.

Examples:
The number of people we need to hire is thirteen.
A number of people have written in about this subject.

Rule 10

When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.

Examples:
Neither of them is available to speak right now.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.

Sources :

http://www.towson.edu/ows/moduleSVAGR.htm

http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp