Welcome to this week's writing lesson from

 MyEnglishTeacher.net

Are there any problems with these sentences? Of course there are! What is the subject of the first sentence? A subject is the noun or pronoun (or person, place, or thing) that the sentence is about.  It is sometimes called the performer.  In other words, the subject is also the thing that is performing.  Therefore, the subject of the first sentence is I. What is the verb (action word) that goes with the subject? You're right! It is are (a form of the verb to be). Is are the correct verb? Should we use are with I. No. 

When a subject is with its correct verb, we called this subject-verb agreement. Consequently, the above 2 sentences have problems with subject-verb agreement. 

If we assume the verb tense is correct, to fix the above 2 sentences' subject-verb agreement problems, we would have to write

We know that these 2 sentences are correct because we have learned the following grammatical rules:

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Rule #1

Use a singular verb after each, neither, everyone, everybody, nobody, and someone. 

Nobody is here. Everybody helps when there is a crisis. Somebody wants to speak to you.

Rule #2

If you use either-or, look at the subject closest to the verb.  If the subject closest to the verb is singular, use a singular verb; likewise, if the subject is plural, use a plural verb.

This also applies to not only. . .but also, and neither. . .nor.  The subject closest to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural.

Rule #3

When using as well as, except, in addition to, no less than, and with, the noun before these phrases determines the number.

Rule #4

Measurements of money, time, and distance usually require a singular verb.

One hundred dollars is a lot of money for a bottle of wine. Two hours is a long time to wait to see a doctor. 93,000,000 miles is the distance from the sun to the earth.

Rule #5

The following words almost always use the plural form of verbs: all, both, few, many, several, and some.

Some people in my office are very annoying Few mountain climbers have successfully reached the peak of Mt. Everest.

Rule #6

The word none needs special attention. Sometimes it uses a singular verb, and at other times, it uses a plural verb. When none means no one or not one, use the singular form of the verb. 

None of them is able to do that job.

When none means or suggests more than one thing or person, use the plural form of the verb.

None are helpless because they can always try.

Rule #7

Here and there canNOT be subjects. Therefore, if a sentence begins with here or there, look for the subject and write the correct form of the verb.

Here is my jacket. (jacket is singular) Here are my shoes. (shoes is plural)

Rule #8

When the word number is preceded with the word a, use a plural verb.  When the word number is preceded with the word the, use a singular verb.

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Quiz time

Directions: Select the correct form of the verb in the sentence.

1.  Some people  is/are/am  very good at math.

2.  Somebody   have/has    the winning lottery ticket.

3.  The doctor who has visited dozens of countries and has helped thousands of patients all around the world   is/are/am   over there.

4.  There   is/are/am   two sides to every argument.

5.  5,280 feet   is/are/am   a mile. 

6.  Jill as well as Jack   is/are/am   up the hill.

7.  Either Heather or I   go/goes  .

8.  A:  There   is/are/am   a lot of people here.

     B:  Yeah.  Everybody   is/are/am   here for you.  All of them   is/are/am   waiting to listen to your speech.

9.  Ten dollars   is/are/am   a nice raise.  I need the extra money.  

10.  Rice   is/are/am   a common food all over the world.  It   is/are/am   very cheap.  Two bags of rice   cost/costs  only £7. 

11.  Either the bus driver or the motorcycle rider is/are/am responsible for the accident.

12.  Neither the 23 children in the class nor Tony seem/seems to be upset about failing the spelling bee.

13.  A large number of countries is/are/am members of the United Nations.

14.  Not only the fans but also the team's head coach was/were shocked to be in the championship game.

15.  The number of computer advances is/are/am increasing every year.

Non-count nouns require a singular verb.  

     Milk is important for healthy bones.

Milk is a non-count noun (you can't count it).  Therefore the verb is is singular.  However, if there is a container, and the container is plural, the verb must be plural.

     The two bottles of milk are in the refrigerator.  

In the above sentence, the subject is bottles.  Bottles, which is a container, is plural.  Therefore, the verb are is plural.  

     The actors who are from China are attending the awards ceremony tonight.

The adjective clause is who are from China; the subject is actors.  The word are must agree with actors.

For more information about adjective clauses, click here see our lesson on this subject.