Lecture Notes
Proofreading for Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

Review of pp. 325-26:
THE RULE: In the present tense subjects and verbs must agree—singular with singular and plural with plural.

Explanation:
NOUNS AS SUBJECTS: In the present tense, plural nouns as subjects do not want an -s or -es ending on their verbs.  In the present tense, singular nouns as subjects do need verbs that end in -s or -es.

Singular example: That stupid dog barks every night.
Discussion: The singular subject dog needs the verb barks, which ends in s.
Plural example: Those stupid dogs bark every night.
Discussion: The plural subject dogs needs the verb bark, which does not end in s.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS AS SUBJECTS: In the present tense, if the subject of a clause is he, she, or it, make sure that the verb ends in -s or -es.  If any other personal pronoun is the subject, the verb does not have an -s or -es ending.
Examples:
I bark every night.
You bark every night.
He barks every night.
She barks every night.
It barks every night.		 We bark every night.
You (all) bark every night.
They bark every night.
Proofreading Tips:
I know of no other way to proofread for this grammatical structure except to look at each subject-verb combination one at a time.  If you are having difficulty finding subjects and verbs in your sentences, you may have to concentrate on ignoring all prepositional phrases, participle phrases, and adjective clauses, and on paying attention only to the other words left in your sentences.  Also, try asking yourself "Who exactly does what?"

Watch Out #1: Verbs Whose Final Letters Are ST
Be careful of verbs like cost, consist, contrast, and insist.  If you have difficulty pronouncing an extra s on the ends of these verbs, you may be less likely to spell these verbs with the extra s.

ERROR: His wife insist that he take out the garbage.
CORRECTION: His wife insists that he take out the garbage.
Watch Out #2: Compound Subjects joined by AND
Compound subjects joined by and are always plural; therefore the verb should never end in s.
ERROR: Simon and Peter lives downstairs.
DISCUSSION: Simon and Peter are two people.  They live downstairs.
CORRECTION: Simon and Peter live downstairs.
Watch Out #3: Subjects that Come After the Verbs
Watch out especially for sentences that are written as questions and for sentences that start with There.
ERROR: Why has the teachers gone on strike?
DISCUSSION: Ask yourself, "Who has gone on strike?"  Teachers is the subject.  Say to yourself, "Teachers have gone on strike."
CORRECTION: Why have the teachers gone on strike?

ERROR: There's many ducks floating in the lagoon.
DISCUSSION:There is not the subject.  Ask yourself, "What is floating in the lagoon?" Ducks is the subject.  Say to yourself, "Ducks are floating in the lagoon."
CORRECTION: There are many ducks floating in the lagoon.

Watch Out #4: Compound Subjects joined by OR or NOR
Pay attention to whichever half of the subject is closer to the verb.  You will find this half of the subject sandwiched between the verb and the word or (or nor).
ERROR: Neither the wind nor the rain bother me.
DISCUSSION: The rain is the half of the subject that falls between the verb bother and the word nor, so pay attention only to the rain to determine the form of the verb.
CORRECTION: Neither the wind nor the rain bothers me.
Watch Out #5: Words that Come Between the Subject and the Verb
It is easy to lose track of the subject when there are other descriptive words between the subject and the verb.  Be sure to ignore all words inside prepositional phrases, participle phrases, adjective clauses, and appositives.  Also, try asking yourself, "Who exactly does what?"
ERROR: The sight of bacon and eggs in the morning make me sick.
DISCUSSION: If you ignore the prepositional phrases (The sight of bacon and eggs in the morning make me sick), you are left with "The sight makes me sick."
ALTERNATE DISCUSSION:: Ask yourself, "What exactly makes me sick?"  Is it the bacon and eggs themselves or the sight of them?  Ah-ha!  It's the sight. Sight is the subject.
CORRECTION: The sight of bacon and eggs in the morning makes me sick.
Watch Out #6: Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects
Beware the indefinite pronouns!  Some are always singular; some are always plural; and some are sometimes singular but other times plural.  Here they are again:
The Singular Indefinite Pronouns
one (of them)
each (of them)
either (of them)
neither (of them)		 everyone
anyone
someone
no one		 everybody
anybody
somebody
nobody		 everything
anything
something
nothing
The Plural Indefinite Pronouns
both
few
several
many
two (or any other number greater than one)
The Sometimes Singular/Sometimes Plural Indefinite Pronouns
SINGULAR PLURAL
all (of it)
any (of it)
some (of it)
none (of it)
more (of it)
most (of it)		 all (of them)
any (of them)
some (of them)
none (of them)
more (of them)
most (of them)
ERROR: Neither of the two candidates support gun control.
DISCUSSION: Ignore the prepositional phrase: Neither of the two candidates support gun control.  Then remember that neither is always singular.  Saying neither is like saying one: "One supports gun control."
CORRECTION: Neither of the two candidates supports gun control.

CORRECT: None of the homework was difficult, so all of the students were relieved.
DISCUSSION:None and all are from the list of sometimes singular/sometimes plural indefinite pronouns.  Whenever you see these, you must pay attention to the objects in the prepositional phrases.  "None of the homework"— homework is an it; therefore, "none of it was difficult."  "All of the students"—students is a them; therefore, "all of them were relieved."

Answers to Exercises
Click HERE to check your answers for the exercises on identifying fragments and fixing them.
 

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