Tricky Subject/Verb Agreement part 1

​SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT WITH COLLECTIVE NOUNS

​A collective noun takes a plural verb when the speaker is thinking of the individual members of the group.

The staff have gone their separate ways for the holidays.

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A collective noun takes a singular verb when the speaker is thinking of the group as a unit.

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​The team is winning the game.

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Multiple Choice

The audience _____entering the theater. (The speaker is thinking of the individuals in the audience.)

• Was

• Were

Multiple Choice

The audience _____one of the best. (The speaker is thinking of the audience as a whole, a single unit.)

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

The team _____ eighteen to three to buy new uniforms.

• has voted

• have voted

Multiple Choice

The team _____the semifinals.

• has won

• have won

Multiple Choice

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentence:

Whenever they hear the ice cream truck's music, my sister and her friend ___ out the door.

• sprint

• sprints

Multiple Choice

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentence:

While their owner is at work, the cats and dog _____ all day.

• sleep

• sleeps

Multiple Choice

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentence:

Neither the teacher nor the students ______ the principal knocking on the door.

• hear

• hears

Multiple Choice

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentence:

My nephew or nieces ____ me Napoleon Dynamite memes at least once a week.

• send

• sends

Multiple Choice

Choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentence:

My nieces or nephew ____ me Napoleon Dynamite memes at least once a week.

• send

• sends

Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects

​Singular	​Plural	​Depends on noun following
​another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something	​both, few, many, others, several	​all, any, most, none, some

Multiple Choice

Few of the parents (was, were) as proud as my stepfather.

• was

• were

Multiple Choice

All of us (is, are) ready for summer vacation.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

Many of the books (discusses, discuss) the space program.

• discusses

• discuss

Multiple Choice

Everyone in the family ________ these tomatoes in a salad.

• eats

• eat

Multiple Choice

Anyone (is, are) eligible for the computer course.

• is

• are