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Questions and Answers
What verb form should be used with the gerund phrase 'Dancing and singing'?
What verb form should be used with the gerund phrase 'Dancing and singing'?
Which of the following subjects requires a singular verb when preceded by 'every'?
Which of the following subjects requires a singular verb when preceded by 'every'?
Which indefinite pronoun requires a singular verb?
Which indefinite pronoun requires a singular verb?
What is the correct verb form for the subject 'a few'?
What is the correct verb form for the subject 'a few'?
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When the subject is 'all', how is the verb determined?
When the subject is 'all', how is the verb determined?
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Which verb correctly completes the sentence: 'The committee _____ making its final decision tomorrow.'?
Which verb correctly completes the sentence: 'The committee _____ making its final decision tomorrow.'?
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In the sentence 'Either the cat or the dogs _____ causing trouble in the garden.', which verb is correct?
In the sentence 'Either the cat or the dogs _____ causing trouble in the garden.', which verb is correct?
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Identify the correct verb in the sentence: 'There _____ many options available for the project.'
Identify the correct verb in the sentence: 'There _____ many options available for the project.'
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Which sentence uses the correct subject and verb agreement?
Which sentence uses the correct subject and verb agreement?
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Choose the correct verb for this situation: 'Ten dollars _____ not enough for the concert ticket.'
Choose the correct verb for this situation: 'Ten dollars _____ not enough for the concert ticket.'
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Identify the correct verb form in the following: 'The pack of wolves _____ howling at the moon.'
Identify the correct verb form in the following: 'The pack of wolves _____ howling at the moon.'
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What is the correct verb for this sentence: 'The book on the shelf _____ covered in dust.'?
What is the correct verb for this sentence: 'The book on the shelf _____ covered in dust.'?
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Select the correct verb to complete the sentence: 'Cookies or brownies _____- the best desserts at the party.'
Select the correct verb to complete the sentence: 'Cookies or brownies _____- the best desserts at the party.'
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Study Notes
Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
- Subjects and verbs must agree in number: singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.
- Words between the subject and the verb do not confuse the agreement: e.g., "The detective who was called to the case is very good."
- Prepositional phrases do not affect subject-verb agreement: e.g., "The biker in this race is very competitive."
- In sentences starting with "there" or "here," the subject follows the verb: e.g., "There is a meeting today."
- In questions, subjects can come after the verb: e.g., "Does Betty always play with dolls?"
- When two subjects are joined by "and," a plural verb is typically used: e.g., "The puppy and the lady are friends."
- If two subjects refer to the same entity (joined by "and"), use a singular verb: e.g., "Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite dish."
- For singular subjects connected by "or," "nor," "neither/nor," "either/or," and "not only/but also," use a singular verb: e.g., "Sally or Bubba has stolen the scarecrow."
- For plural subjects connected by the same conjunctions, use a plural verb: e.g., "Cookies or brownies are nice treats."
- When one subject is singular and the other plural, use the nearest subject for verb agreement: e.g., "Either my sisters or my mom has sent me a present."
- Units of measurement typically use a singular verb: e.g., "Six gallons of paint was used."
- Collective nouns generally take a singular verb: e.g., "The herd is stampeding."
- Titles of books and movies are treated as singular: e.g., "Holes was one of my favorite books."
- Two infinitives joined by "and" require a plural verb: e.g., "To run and to read are my favorite activities."
- A gerund alone takes a singular verb, but gerunds linked by "and" take a plural verb: e.g., "Dancing and singing come naturally to me."
- When "each," "every," or "no" precedes the subject, a singular verb is used: e.g., "Each boy and girl has to take the test."
- Most indefinite pronouns take singular verbs, such as "anyone," "no one," and "everyone": e.g., "Everybody is happy."
- Plural expressions such as "both," "few," "many," "others," and "several" take a plural verb: e.g., "Several need to finish the race."
- The words "all," "any," "more," "most," "none," or "some" require attention to the object of the prepositional phrase to determine singular or plural agreement: e.g., "All of the chickens have laid eggs."
- The subject alone influences the verb; focus only on the subject for accurate agreement.
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Description
Test your knowledge of subject-verb agreement rules with this quiz. You'll explore how to correctly match subjects and verbs in various sentence structures. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their grammar skills!