Agreement with Or & Nor

Agreement with Or/Nor & Parts of a Whole

Coordinating Conjunctions - OR & NOR

• Use "or" when you can choose only one option

• You can eat cookies or cake for dessert.

• Use "nor" when neither option is a possibility

• Neither cookies nor brownies are healthy options for dessert.

2 Singular Subjects

• Use a singular verb when using "or" or "nor" to connect 2 singular subjects.

• EX: Scott nor Susan expects me to be in class.

• EX: Scott or Susan wants me to be in class today.

• REMEMBER: A singular verb ends in "s

Multiple Choice

Neither Jack nor Ralph _______ a great leader.

• make

• makes

Multiple Choice

Either pig meat or fruit ______ on the menu for tonight's dinner.

• is

• are

2 Plural Subjects

• Use a plural verb when using "or" or "nor" to connect 2 plural subjects.

• EX: My teachers nor classmates expect me to be in class.

• EX: Either the dentists or writers bake cookies for Candice every Thursday.

• REMEMBER: A plural verb DOESN'T end in "s

Multiple Choice

Neither crabs nor fish ______ the boys a lot of meat.

• offer

• offers

Multiple Choice

Neither the hunters nor the littluns _____ to build the shelters.

• help

• helps

Parts of a Whole - Singular Subject

• When a subject refers to a portion (i.e. fifty percent, one-third, the majority of, part of, some, or all) the verb matches the object of the preposition rather than the subject.

• EX: Two thirds of Dave's cake is already gone.

Multiple Choice

is or are?

Most of the island _____ covered in jungle.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Fifty percent of the day _____ a sweltering bath of heat.

• is

• are

Parts of a Whole - Plural Subject

• When a subject refers to a portion (i.e. fifty percent, one-third, the majority of, part of, some, or all) the verb matches the object of the preposition rather than the subject.

• EX: Two thirds of Dave's brownies are already gone.

Multiple Choice

The majority of the boys ______ joined Jack's tribe.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

Most of the shelters _______ not very sturdy.

• is

• are