Subject-Verb Agreement: Collective Nouns and Indefinite Pronouns

Subject-Verb Agreement
Collective Nouns, Indefinite Pronouns, and Words That Express and Amount

I can write sentences containing collective nouns and use the correct verb forms.
I can write sentences containing indefinite pronouns and use the correct verb forms.
I can write sentences containing words that express an amount and use the correct verb forms.




You will need your grammar book.

Poll

Select the option that you agree with the most.

• I do not know what a collective noun is.

• I think I know what a collective noun is.

• I know what a collective noun is.

• I know what a collective noun is and I can provide an example.

Poll

Select the option that you agree with the most.

• I do not know what an indefinite pronoun is.

• I think I know what an indefinite pronoun is.

• I know what an indefinite pronoun is.

• I know what an indefinite pronoun is and I can provide an example.

Collective Nouns

What is a collective noun?

A collective noun is a word that names a group.

Committee and family are collective nouns.

Word Cloud

Can you think of a collective noun?

Singular or Plural?
Collective nouns take the singular verb when it refers to the group as a single unit.
Collective nouns take the plural verb when it refers to the group's individual members.

The family have arrived to the reunion in small groups.

The individual members of the family arrived.

Plural

The committee has made its decision.

The committee as one unit has decided.

Singular

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

The team [argues or argue] about the best strategy for the game.

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

The orchestra [performs or perform] a new symphony at the concert hall tonight.

Fill in the Blanks

Individual Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

The flock [scatter or scatters] as the dog runs toward them

Fill in the Blanks

Individual Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

The team [practice or practices] every afternoon for the big game.

Poll

How confident do you feel about correctly matching verbs with collective nouns?

• 1. Not confident at all

• 2. Somewhat confident

• 3. Mostly confident

• 4.Very Confident

Indefinite Pronouns

What is an indefinite pronoun?

An indefinite pronouns is a pronoun that does not refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea.

Someone, everybody, and anywhere are indefinite pronouns.

Word Cloud

Can you think of an indefinite pronoun?

Singular or Plural?
Some indefinite pronouns are always singular or always plural.

Both of the girls are here.
Few of the rooms are open.

Other examples:

Plural

• Both

• Few

• Many

• Several

Singular

Neither of us is late.
Has either of them arrived?

Other examples:

• Anybody

• Everyone

• Either

• No one

• Somebody

Singular or Plural?
The indefinite pronouns all, any, most, and some, can be singular or plural.
Use the object of the preposition following the pronoun to determine if it is

Some of my friends are here.


Some refers to the plural word friends.

Plural

Singular

Some of the music seems too loud.

Some refers to the singular word music.

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Any of the information [are or is] helpful for the project.

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Most of the pencils [have or has] been sharpened.

Fill in the Blanks

Individual Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Most of the books [belong or belongs] to the library.

Fill in the Blanks

Individual Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Some of the cake [are or is] left on the plate.

Poll

How confident do you feel about correctly matching verbs with indefinite pronouns?

• 1. Not confident at all

• 2. Somewhat confident

• 3. Mostly confident

• 4.Very Confident

Words and phrases that express an amount can be singular or plural.
They are singular when they refer to a single unit.
They are plural when they refer to a number as individual units.

My four dollars are in the box.

Individual units

Plural

Singular

Four dollars is the cost.

Single unit

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

Ten miles [are or is] the distance to the next town..

Fill in the Blanks

Class Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

The first half [are or is] what I've read so far.

Fill in the Blanks

Individual Practice

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

My ten miles [are or is] recorded on the tracker.

Poll

How confident do you feel about correctly matching verbs with words or phrases that express an amount?

• 1. Not confident at all

• 2. Somewhat confident

• 3. Mostly confident

• 4.Very Confident