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Subject – Verb Agreement

Subject – Verb Agreement. Why do subjects and verbs have to agree? After all, they are only words!. We agree. What’s wrong with these sentences?. There is too many pictures on the wall. Or this one? Everybody but Julio want to go home. Or this one?

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Subject – Verb Agreement

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  1. Subject – Verb Agreement Why do subjects and verbs have to agree? After all, they are only words! We agree

  2. What’s wrong with these sentences? • There is too many pictures on the wall. Or this one? • Everybody but Julio want to go home. Or this one? • All the people wants to win the lottery. The subjects and verbs don’t agree!

  3. How do we fix them? • There are too many pictures on the wall. A plural subject goes with a pluralverb. • Everybody but Julio wants to go home. A singular subject goes with a singular verb. • All the people plan to win the lottery. A plural subject goes with a pluralverb. Now the subjects and verbs agree!

  4. To be correct, subjects and verbs must agree… • They must agree in NUMBER: • Singularsubjects go with singularverbs. • Everyonewants to win the lottery. • Plural subjects go with pluralverbs. • All the players want to win the game. • Number is always about Singular & Plural Verb Subject

  5. One ‘S’ Rule When using present tense, there will only be one s between the subject and the predicate. Subject Predicate S Singular Plural S • The rateats on the subway track. (singular) • The ratseat on the subway track. (plural)

  6. What causes problems with S/V agreement? • Words between the subject and the verb: The shoes in the closet needs to be shined. In the closet is a prepositional phrase between the subject shoes and the verb need. To be correct, the verb should be: need with no “s” The shoes in the closet need to be shined. Common Prepositions

  7. Verb before the subject… • Inside the garage are the shovel. • Across the border isReynosa and Progresso. • Where is the instructions for the X-Box? Shouldn’t they be…? • Inside the garage is the shovel. • Across the border areReynosa and Progresso. • Where are the instructions for the X-Box?

  8. Indefinite Pronouns All, any, more, most, and somecan be singular or plural depending on the phrase that follows them.

  9. Compound Subjects • Subjects joined by and take a plural verb. • Diet andexerciseare ways to be healthy. • Ambitionand luckwere Juan’s keys to success. • When you have subjects joined by or ornor, you use the subject closest to the verb. • Theteacher or the students are walking loudly through the hall. • The students or the teacher is walking loudly through the hall.

  10. If they stand for singular words, who, which and that take singular verbs: Rebecca is a person who is very private. If they stand for plural words, who, which and that take plural verbs: Joel is one of those people who are very private. Who, Which and That

  11. General Rules for checking subject / verb agreement • When you are trying to see if the subject and verb agree, leave out the part you don’t need: Everyonein the contestwant to win. Everyonewant to win. [wrong!: should be wants] • Now put the part back: Everyonein the contestwants to win. • Say the sentence to yourself out loud, if it doesn’t sound right, there is a very good chance it is not right. Correct Information

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