Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Foundations: Grammar, Sentences and Punctuation

Agreement in Tricky Sentences

B3.2About 45 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can find the true subject of a sentence, even when a phrase comes between the subject and the verb.
  • I can make verbs agree with indefinite pronouns, compound subjects and collective nouns.
  • I can make verbs agree in sentences that start with There or Here.
  • I can make pronouns agree with their antecedents.

Words to know

agreement
Matching forms: a singular subject takes a singular verb (the dog runs), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (the dogs run).
indefinite pronoun
A pronoun that doesn't name a specific person or thing: everyone, each, nobody, both, several, some, none.
compound subject
Two or more subjects joined by and, or or nor: Ana and Leo; either the cat or the dogs.
collective noun
A noun that names a group: team, class, band, family, committee, herd.
antecedent
The noun a pronoun refers to.

Which one sounds right?

  • The box of markers is on the shelf.
  • The box of markers are on the shelf.

Many people would say are, because markers is right next to the verb. But the subject is box (one box), so the verb is is. The markers are only in a phrase describing the box.

Agreement is easy in short sentences. In longer Grade 8 sentences, the subject can hide. This lesson gives you the tools to find it.

The boxof markersison the shelf.Cross out "of markers". What is on the shelf? The box (one) → is.The teacher,along with her students,isplanting trees.Cross out "along with her students". Who is planting? The teacher (one) → is.
The verb (yellow) agrees with the subject (green), not with the noun in the crossed-out phrase in between.

Rule 1: Ignore the phrase in between

Cross out phrases that come between the subject and the verb, especially prepositional phrases (of the..., with the..., in the...) and phrases like along with, as well as, together with.

  • The list ~~of chores~~ is on the fridge.
  • The teacher, ~~along with her students~~, is planting trees.

Rule 2: Know your indefinite pronouns

Always singularAlways pluralSingular or plural (check the noun after of)
each, either, neither, onebothall
everyone, everybody, everythingfewsome
someone, somebody, somethingmanymost
anyone, anybody, anythingseveralany
no one, nobody, nothingnone
Each of the players has a jersey. / Both have jerseys. / Some of the milk is gone. / Some of the cookies are gone.

Rule 3: Compound subjects

  • Joined by and → usually plural: Ana and Leo are here.
  • Joined by or or nor → the verb agrees with the nearer subject:
  • Neither the coach nor the players were ready.
  • Neither the players nor the coach was ready.

Tip: when one subject is plural, put it second so the verb sounds natural.

Rule 4: Collective nouns

In Canadian English, a collective noun acting as one group usually takes a singular verb: The team is practising tonight. The class has chosen a charity. (In British English you may see the team are.)

Rule 5: There and Here are never the subject

Look after the verb to find the subject.

  • There are two reasons. (subject: reasons)
  • Here comes the bus. / Here come the buses.

Rule 6: Amounts and some -s words

Amounts of time, money and distance treated as one amount are singular: Ten kilometres is a long walk. Some nouns end in -s but are singular: mathematics, news, physics: The news is good.

Pronoun–antecedent agreement

A pronoun must agree with the noun it refers to.

  • The team won its first game.
  • The students finished their posters.

With everyone or each student, many writers and style guides today accept the singular they: Everyone brought their lunch. Some formal writers rephrase to avoid the question: All the students brought their lunches.

Neitherthe coachnorthe playerswereready.The nearer subject is "the players" (plural), so the verb is were.Neitherthe playersnorthe coachwasready.Swap the order: now the nearer subject is "the coach" (one), so the verb is was.
With or and nor, the verb (yellow) looks only at the nearer subject (green). The dashed subject is too far away to count.
Worked example

Let's find a hidden subject

Choose: The quality of the photos in these old albums (is / are) amazing.

  1. Cross out the phrases: of the photos, in these old albums.
  2. What's left? The quality ... (is / are) amazing.
  3. Quality is singular.

The quality of the photos in these old albums is amazing.

Worked example

Let's handle *either...or*

Choose: Either my parents or my older sister (is / are) driving us to practice.

  1. The subjects are joined by or, so the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
  2. The nearer subject is my older sister (singular).
  3. Optional: rewrite with the plural subject second so it sounds smoother.

Either my parents or my older sister is driving us. Smoother: Either my older sister or my parents are driving us.

Just for fun

Grammar says: The pack of wolves is hungry. The wolves would like to point out that they are hungry, every single one of them.

Hands-on activity

Agreement detective

You need: a newspaper, flyer or library book, a pencil and paper.

  1. Find 8 sentences where a phrase comes between the subject and the verb, or that begin with There or Here, or that use each, everyone, neither or a collective noun.
  2. Copy each one. Draw an arrow from the verb back to its subject.
  3. If you find a sentence that seems to break a rule, bring it to a grown-up and talk about it. (Ads and headlines sometimes bend the rules on purpose.)
  4. Write 3 tricky sentences of your own for a family member to solve. Leave a blank for the verb: Each of the kittens ___ (has / have) a name.

What to look for: arrows always connect to the true subject, never to a noun in an of phrase.

Your turn

1

Choose: The bag of apples (was / were) heavy.

2

Choose: Everyone in the choir (sings / sing) the first verse.

3

Choose: Both of my cousins (live / lives) in Halifax.

4

Choose: Neither the dog nor the cats (wants / want) to go outside.

5

Choose: There (is / are) three hockey sticks in the garage.

6

Choose: Some of the snow (has / have) melted.

7

Fix the pronoun: The committee announced their decision. (Use formal agreement for a group acting as one.)

More practice: warm-up

1

Singular or plural: each?

2

Singular or plural: several?

3

Choose: My sister and I (am / are) on the same team.

4

Choose: The news (is / are) on at six.

5

Choose: The class (is / are) going to the museum.

More practice: on your own

1

Choose and explain: The principal, as well as the teachers, (was / were) at the assembly.

2

Choose and explain: Most of the pizza (was / were) eaten, but most of the carrots (was / were) left.

3

Fix: Here's the forms you need to sign.

4

Choose: Twenty dollars (is / are) too much for a T-shirt.

5

Find and fix the error: One of the players on the visiting teams have a broken skate.

Challenge

1

Choose both verbs: Each of the volunteers who (help / helps) at the food bank (receive / receives) a certificate.

2

Rewrite to avoid the agreement problem: Either the twins or Marcus are bringing the snacks.

3

Explain why both are correct: (a) The family is going on vacation. (b) The family are arguing about where to go.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

The stack of books ___ on my desk.

2.

Which sentence is correct?

3.

Neither my brothers nor my sister ___ hockey.

4.

Which sentence is correct?

5.

The jury ___ reached its verdict.

6.

Which indefinite pronoun is always plural?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson is about: subject–verb and pronoun–antecedent agreement in longer sentences, where the subject is separated from the verb or is an indefinite pronoun, compound subject or collective noun.

How to help at home:

  • Teach the "cross out the middle" trick: cover the of... phrase with a finger and read the sentence again.
  • Listen for There's + a plural noun in conversation (There's two...). It is very common in speech; in writing, use There are.

Common difficulties:

  • Agreeing with the nearest noun instead of the subject.
  • Each and everyone feel plural because they refer to many people, but they take singular verbs.
  • Singular they (Everyone brought their lunch) is widely accepted today; your child's teacher may have a preference for formal assignments.