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Walkup's Way Home   Subject & Verb Agreement   

               

Familiarize yourself with the  following charts, and you will feel comfortable with subject/verb agreement:

 

1.  Memorize the following list of 16 prepositions:

above
about
after
at
below
beside
between
by
for
from
in
into
to
of
under
 

with

 

 

  1. When matching a subject with the verb, delete the prepositional phrase.
  • One (of the girls) is going.
  • The samples (on the table) need to be put away.
  • The killing (of protected animals) is illegal

 

 

3.  Treat indefinite pronouns as singular

Anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, none, no one, somebody, someone, something

  • Everyone (in this room) believes college should be free.
  • Each (of those children) needs to complete his homework.
  • Everybody (in the church) was caught up in a fellowship of love.

 

 

4.Connected Subjects

Subjects connected by and are nearly always plural

  • John and Ann are going to college now.

 

Subjects connected by or, nor, either/or, & neither/nor agree with subject nearest the verb

  • Money or a credit card is required for membership.
  • If young boys or little girls are going, please let me know.
  • Neither John nor his friends were able to make the game.
  • Neither John nor Mary is in class tonight.

 

 

 

5.  Tidbit for the day:

Always use the object form at the end of the prepositional phrase

  • between you and me
  • with John and him
  • after Nancy and me