Subject-verb agreement

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• 1. The subject and verb might have many words between them.

  The subject still controls the verb:

  • This university (singular), which is made up of many students, teachers, and others, is (singular subject) large.
  • The colours (plural) of a gas spectrum tell  (plural form) of its chemical composition.
  • The effect (singular) which these reactions caused during the last three weeks is (singular form) insignificant.

• 2. Subjects with two or more parts joined by ‘and’ usually require a plural verb.

  • Krypton and neon (they – plural) are noble gases.
  • Salt and pepper (they – plural) are always on the table.

  However, if two subjects are thought of as a single thing, then use a singular verb. For example:

  • Fish and chips (considered one item i.e. singular) is my favourite dish.

• 3. When subjects are joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘neither…nor’, ‘either…or’ or ‘not only…but also’, the verb should agree with the noun closest to it.

  • Salt (singular) or pepper (singular) is (singular form) always on the table.
  • Real estate (singular) or securities (plural) are (plural form as 2 items) a suitable investment at this time.
  • Neither stocks (plural) nor real estate (singular) is (singular form) a good investment at the moment.

• 4. In sentences that begin with 'Here' or 'There', the subject is after the verb, and determines the verb.

  • There are (plural) four students (plural) in my presentation group and we will discuss the marketing plan.
  • There is (singular) a single main idea (singular) in my first paragraph.

• 5. Certain groups of words look plural, but are singular.

  This is especially true for subjects and disciplines, and for illnesses.

  • Physics (singular) is the science of matter and energy.
  • Diabetes (singular) is a terrible disease.
  • Other singular words in these categories include economics, electronics, mathematics, measles, mumps and shingles.

• 6. When writing about measurements, the singular verb is usually used.

  • Four grams of magnesium was used in the chemical experiment.

• 7. The indefinite pronouns ('everybody', 'everyone', 'everything') take singular verbs.

  • Everything in chemistry is explainable in atomic terms and widely explored in the literature.

• 8. Plural determiners (e.g. 'few', 'many', 'several', 'both', 'all', 'some') take plural verbs.

  • Many of my fellow students are ready for their presentations today.
  • Few things at university are more valuable than making good friends.

• 9. Collective nouns often take singular verbs.

  • My family is very supportive of my studies here.

  However, they may also take plural verbs. For example:

  • My family are very supportive of my studies here.

  Which is correct? 

  Often it depends on how you think of the group: ‘My family’ as a single unit, or ‘My’ family as several individuals. Other collective nouns like this include team, class, cohort, government, crowd and orchestra.

• 10. 'All of', 'any of', 'enough of', 'more of', 'most of', 'none of', 'some of', 'a quantity of' and similar subjects can take a singular or plural noun.

  The best guide is to look at the object of the preposition:

  • None of this material (singular) is suitable for industrial applications.
  • None of these materials (plural) are suitable for industrial applications.

• 11. Titles take singular verbs.

  This is for books, movies, songs, stories, and the like:

  • The Regulations of the Senate (singular) is a very important document in Australian politics and has a distinguished history.
  • The Annals of the Australian Historical Society (singular) is edited by Dr Proctor.