Subject-Verb Agreement Basics

Neither the plates nor the serving bowl ______ on that shelf.

A bouquet of yellow roses ______ color and fragrance to the room.

Neither she, my friends, nor I ______ going to the festival.

The first person pronoun I takes a plural verb (I ______, I drive).

Being able to ______ the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb agreement. Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb. Example: The list of items is/are on the desk. If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

A ______ subject (she, Bill, car) takes a ______ verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb. Example: The list of items is/are on the desk. If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

Rule 1. A subject will ______ before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes. Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence: Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room. Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends. (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb ______. Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence: Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room. Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends. (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

This rule can ______ to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more) subjects, it could ______ to this odd sentence: Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.