Complete Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Number

• In subject-verb agreement, a plural subject always goes with a plural verb form, and a singular subject always goes with a singular verb form.

Verb Endings

• Singular, third-person conjugations of most present-tense verbs end in "s" (i.e. "he runs"), while plural conjugations do not (i.e. "they run").

"Or" and "Nor" (Singular)

• If two singular subjects in a sentence are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb conjugation is singular. Example: "Neither Bill nor I go there very often."

"Or" and "Nor" (Plural)

• If one of two subjects connected by "or" or "nor" is plural, the verb should agree with the closest subject. Example: "Neither Shelley nor her boys know how to swim."

"And" and Like Expressions

• The rule for singular subjects joined by "and" differ from those joined by "as well as," "including" and "along with," Subjects joined with "and" take the plural verb form, while the others take the singular.

Non-Standard Pronouns

• The pronoun subjects anybody, anyone, everyone, every one, each and everybody always take singular verb forms. The subject "none," if used to mean "not any," generally takes the plural verb form, but if used as "not one," it takes the singular.