At a glance
- Start
- Are two subjects joined by and?YesPluralTom and Ann are here.
- Is it each, every, either, neither, everyone, nobody…?YesSingularEveryone is ready.
- Are the subjects joined by or, nor, either…or, neither…nor?YesAgree with the nearer subjectNeither Tom nor his friends are here.
- Is it "one of the" + plural noun?YesSingular: the subject is "one"One of my friends lives in Rome.
- Is it as well as, with, along with, together with?YesAgree with the first subjectThe teacher, with her students, is coming.
- Find the real subject and agree with itThe box of apples is heavy.
The basic rule
The boy runs.
The boys run.
A bird sings.
Birds sing.
Tricky subjects
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a number of + plural | plural | A number of students are absent. |
| the number of + plural | singular | The number of students is 40. |
| news, maths, physics | singular | The news is good. |
| money, time, distance as one amount | singular | Ten dollars is too much. |
| the + adjective (the rich, the poor) | plural | The rich are not always happy. |
| police, people, cattle | plural | The police are here. |
| family, team, class (as one group) | singular | My family is big. |
| the title of a book or film | singular | "Little Women" is a great book. |
| a pair of + noun | singular | A pair of shoes is under the bed. |
| there is / there are | the noun after it | There are two cats. There is a cat. |
| many a + singular | singular | Many a student has tried. |
| more than one + singular | singular | More than one person was hurt. |
| the + noun + of + noun | the first noun | The color of the leaves is red. |
Find the real subject
The box of apples is heavy.
The teacher, as well as the students, is happy.
Each of the players has a number.
Practice
Answer the questions. Get 7 out of 10 to finish this lesson.