Subject-Verb Agreement

Let's Practice

Choose the form of the verb in parentheses that agrees with the given subject.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. This-

• costs

• cost

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Chinese lanterns

• glows

• glow

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. the swimmer

• dives

• dive

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. We-

• considers

• consider

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. The men-

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

6. She-

• asks

• ask

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

7. These-

• needs

• need

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

8. Those tacos-

• tastes

• taste

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

9. That music-

• sound

• sounds

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

10. Lessons-

• takes

• take

Let's Practice

Identify the subject in each sentence. Then, choose the form of the verb in the parentheses that agrees with the subject.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. The launch of a space shuttle___ the interest of people throughout the world.

• attracts

• attract

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Our thermos, which is in the picnic basket, ___ filled with apple juice.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. That collection of poems ___ 'Where the Sidewalk Ends.'

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. People in some countries ___ Friendship Day at the beginning of August.

• observes

• observe

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. The children of the world ___ food and medicine.

• needs

• need

Let's Practice

Identify the subject in each of the following sentences. Then, choose the form of the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. All of my friends ___ had the chickenpox.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Everyone at the party ___ the hummus dip.

• likes

• like

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. Both of Fred’s older brothers ___ their birthdays in July.

• celebrates

• celebrate

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Some of the story ___ funny.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. None of those rosebushes in my mother’s garden

ever ___ in February.

• blooms

• bloom

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

6. Several of those colors ___not appeal to me.

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

7. Many of Mrs. Taniguchi’s students ___

fluent Japanese.

• speaks

• speak

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

8. Nobody in these beginning painting classes ___ displayed work in the annual art show.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

9. Most of the food here ___ delicious.

• tastes

• taste

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

10. One of the Georgia O’ Keeffe’s paintings ___ a ram’s skull.

• shows

• show

Let's Practice

Identify the compound subject in each of the following sentences as singular or plural. Then, choose the form of the verb that agrees with the compound subject.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. March and April ___ windy months.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. The mechanic and shop owner ___ preparing his

estimate.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. Martina Hingis and Venus Williams ___ in the

finals today.

• plays

• play

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Red beans and rice ___ my favorite Cajun dish.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. Carla and Jean ___ dancing lessons.

• takes

• take

Let's Practice

Choose the form of the verb in parentheses that agrees with the compound subject in each of the following sentences.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. Either Mrs. Gomez or Mr. Ming ___

the welcome speech on the first day of school.

• delivers

• deliver

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Neither our guava tree nor our mango tree

___ fruit if we experience a drought.

• bears

• bear

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. Tuskegee Institute or Harvard University ___ the best courses in Francine’s field.

• offers

• offer

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Do armadillos or anteaters ___ tubular

mouths and long, sticky tongues for catching

insects?

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. Either the president or the vice-president of the

class ___ we should have a paper drive.

• thinks

• think

Let's Practice

Choose the form of the verb in parentheses that agrees with the compound subject in each of the following sentences.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. Either Sylvia or her brothers ___ the

kitchen floor.

• scrubs

• scrub

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. This bread or those muffins ___ no

preservatives.

• contains

• contain

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. Either the students or the teacher ___

aloud during the last ten minutes of each class

period.

• reads

• read

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Heavy rain clouds or a powerful wind ___ that a typhoon is approaching.

• shows

• show

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. Neither the seal nor the clowns ___ the ball the monkey throws into the circus ring.

• catches

• catch

Let's Practice

For each of the following sentences, choose the word or word group in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. According to this map, ___ seven

countries in Central America.

• there's

• there are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Where ___ the rough draft you were

proofreading for me?

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3.___ they returned from the cafeteria yet?

• Has

• Have

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. There ___ been fewer rainy days this month

than last month.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. ___ the team’s new uniforms.

• Here's

• Here are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

6. In the back of the room (sit, sits) the next speaker.

• sit

• sits

Let's Practice

Complete each sentence by inserting the correct contraction, doesn’t or don’t.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. ___ anyone in the class know any interesting

facts about Susan B. Anthony?

• Doesn't

• Don't

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Bill Bradley ___ play professional basketball

anymore.

• doesn't

• don't

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. They ________ have enough people to form a

softball team.

• doesn't

• don't

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. You ______ need to change your schedule.

• doesn't

• don't

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. It _________ hurt very much.

• doesn't

• don't

Let's Practice

Most of the following sentences contain errors in subject-verb agreement. If a sentence contains an error in agreement, choose the correct form of the verb. If a sentence is already correct, choose 'Correct as is'.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. Leilani and Yoshi doesn’t know how to swim.

• don't

• Correct as is

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. Here are the vegetables for the stir-fry.

• Here's

• Correct as is

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. The Ifugaos in the Cordillera region are known for

spectacular rice terraces.

• is

• Correct as is

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Here’s the sweaters I knitted for you.

• Here are

• Correct as is

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. Each of these ten-speed bicycles cost more than

two hundred dollars.

• costs

• Correct as is

Let's Practice

Most of the following sentences contain errors in subject-verb agreement. If a sentence contains an error in agreement, choose the correct form of the verb. If a sentence is already correct, choose 'Correct as is'.

​Each of these ten-speed bicycles cost more than two hundred dollars.

Let's Practice

Choose the form of the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject in each of the following sentences.

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

1. The audience ___ the mime performance.

• loves

• love

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

2. The story “Flowers for Algernon” ___ me

appreciate what I have.

• makes

• make

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

3. Eight dollars ___ too much for that baseball

card.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

4. Andy’s gift to Janelle ___ two roses.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

[Multiple-choice]

5. Here ___ the letters I have been expecting.

• is

• are