It is usually pretty easy to match the verb with the subject in English. Only in the present tense does the verb have more than one form. And except for one verb, only the third person singular is different. Besides, the third person singular present tense always ends in an s. We understand this most of the time.

Verb: To read

I/you/we/they read

he/she/it reads

Verb: To do

I/you/we/they do

he/she/it does

Verb: To be

I am

you/ we /they are

he/ she/ it is

Verb: To be, past

I/ he/ she/ it was

you/ we/ they were

Examples:

Incorrect: The actor in both movies are the same.

Correct: The actor in both movies is the same.
(Actor is the subject, not places. It takes the verb is.)

Collective noun: A group of teachers was gathering in the schoolyard.

Singular pronoun: One of the many students was punished because he cheated on the test.

Correct: Neither Jessica nor Kowsar knows the answer.

Two or more plural subjects joined by any conjunction (including and, or, but, or nor) take a plural verb.

Correct: Both girls and boys are allowed to enter competition.

If one or more singular subject is joined to one or more plural subject by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to the verb.

Incorrect: Neither Ebru nor her friends goes to clubs.
(Friends is closer to the verb and is plural; the verb should agree with friends).

Correct: Neither Ebru nor her friends go to clubs.

Correct: Neither her friends nor Ebru goes to clubs.

Correct: Jose and his sister go to ITHS.

Correct: Every boy and girl has to take the test.

Using Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are words which replace nouns without specifying which noun they replace.

Singular: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, little, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something

Plural: both, few, many, others, several

Singular or Plural: all, any, more, most, none, some

Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs or singular personal pronouns.

Correct: Each of the students has the right to vote.
(The subject, each, is singular. Use has.)

Incorrect: One of the men gave up their lunch break.

Correct: One of the men gave up his lunch break.
(His refers to one, which is singular.)

Correct: A few of the students were playing with their Nintendos.
(Few is plural, so are were and their.)

Correct: All of the children at the park ate their lunch.
(All refers to people, which is plural.)

Correct: All of the newspaper was burned.
(Here all refers to newspaper, which is singular.)

The pronouns ending with -body or -one such as anybody, somebody, no one, or anyone are singular. So are pronouns like each and every.

Incorrect: Is everyone happy with their class?

Correct: Is everyone happy with his class?
(Everyone and is are singular. The possessive pronoun must be singular, too)

Correct: Is everyone happy with his or her class?

Correct: Are all the people happy with their classes?

Correct: Nobody comes to school on time anymore.

Correct: Somebody is coming to fix the problem.

Correct: Has anybody complained to the principal about this issue?

Correct: No one likes cheaters.

Now take a test

• Subect Verb Agreement Exercise 1