<p> SENTENCE GRAMMAR: SENTENCE PARTS Understanding and Practicing Subject/Verb Agreement</p><p>Subjects and verbs must agree in number. Generally, when the subject is a singular noun, the verb must also be singular. When the subject is plural, the verb is also plural. Remember that adding an s to a noun makes it plural: dog + s = dogs. However, adding s to a present tense verb makes it singular: ask + s = asks. Here is the pattern:</p><p>Plural subject: Subject + s Singular subject: Verb + s The students ask questions. The student asks questions.</p><p>THINGS TO REMEMBER :</p><p>Make sure the subject and verb agree when there are words between them. </p><p>The rhythm of pounding waves is coming. The dogs in the neighborhood were barking.</p><p>Subjects joined by and are usually plural.</p><p>My friends and my mother like each other. The team and the band were on the field. Building a good marriage and building a good log fire are similar in many ways.</p><p>Exception to the rule: a compound subject (one joined by and) takes a singular verb when the subject is referring to a single person or unit.</p><p>My friend and co-worker is a native of Russia.</p><p>Singular subjects joined by or, either/or, neither/nor take a singular verb.</p><p>Either John or Doris writes to us regularly. Neither Patty nor Tom was asked to preside.</p><p>If one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.</p><p>Neither the basket nor the apples were expensive. Neither the apples nor the basket was expensive.</p><p>Collective nouns that refer to the group as a single unit take a singular verb.</p><p>The committee is meeting today. The jury convenes today. The number is very small.</p><p>Collective nouns that refer to individuals or parts of the group take a plural verb. The majority of us are in favor. The jury are arguing. Understanding Subject/Verb Agreement, continued: A number were absent.</p><p>PRACTICE EXERCISES</p><p>Directions: Use the rules above to choose the correct verb form.</p><p>1. Neither Karla nor Kayla (think/thinks) that the problem is solved.</p><p>2. Attitudes about responsibility, of course, (vary, varies).</p><p>3. A low wall and a high hedge (provide, provides) privacy for the entrance.</p><p>4. There (come, comes) to my mind now the names of the two or three people who were most influential in my life.</p><p>5. The grand prize (was, were) ten million dollars.</p><p>6. A drugstore, as well as a movie theater, (is, are) in the immediate neighborhood.</p><p>7. Such computers, which (stores, store) personal data, (jeopardizes, jeopardize) the privacy of millions.</p><p>Provided courtesy of the Tacoma Community College Writing and Tutoring Center 2</p>