Mini-lesson 1
What is subject verb agreement?
Subjects and Verbs Must Agree
A singular subject needs a singular verb.
A plural subject needs a plural verb.
Singular vs. Plural
Example Sentence
A good student knows the value of communication skills.
Subject-Verb Agreement
student knows
Example Sentence
Good students knows the value of communication skills.
Subject-Verb Disagreement
students knows
Some Common Rules
Mini-lesson 2
Agreement with Compound Subjects
Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of two or more nouns connected by and, use a plural verb.

She and her friends are…
Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of two or more singular nouns connected by or, use a singular verb.

The book or the pen is…
Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of singular and plural nouns connected by or, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is closer to it.
The president or his assistants run…
Special Agreement Rules
When the subject is made up of singular and plural nouns connected by or, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is closer to it.
His assistants or the president runs…
singular verb
Mini-lesson 3
Phrases that Confuse Things
Don’t Be Misled
Don’t be misled by phrases that come between the subject and the verb.
one of the boxes is
the people who read that report are
the team lead, as well as his developers, is
the manual, including all the chapters in the first section, is
the woman with all the answers sits
Mini-lesson 4
Singular or Plural?
Always Singular
The following words are always singular and require a singular verb:
each, each one
either, neither
everyone, anyone, someone, no one
everybody, anybody, nobody
Always Singular
Even though the following nouns end with an “s,” they are singular and require a singular verb:
civics
mathematics
dollars
news
Almost Always Singular
Collective nouns that refer to more than one person are usually treated as a single unit:
group
team
committee
class
family
Always Plural
Nouns like the following are always plural (because they are made of two parts):
scissors
tweezers
trousers
pants
shears
Mini-lesson 5
Neither “Here” nor “There”
“There” is Never the Subject
In sentences starting with the word “there,” the subject usually follows the verb.

There are many questions.
subject
verb
“There” is Never the Subject
In sentences starting with the word “there,” the subject usually follows the verb.

There is a question.
subject
verb
The Same is True for “Here”
In sentences starting with the word “here,” the subject usually follows the verb.

Here are your keys.
subject
verb
The Same is True for “Here”
In sentences starting with the word “here,” the subject usually follows the verb.

Here is your key.
subject
verb