“Oh, I am waiting for someone and their friend. What about
you?”
“Me? One of my friends have class at noon and I am about to
meet up with him.”
“Cool, cool. Well, have a nice day.”
“Hey,” Mark asks, “what are you up to?”
“Oh, I am waiting for Maria and her friend. What about you?”
“Me? One of my friends has class at noon and I am about to
meet up with him.”
“Cool, cool. Well, have a nice day.”
Make the verb agree with its subject, not with the word that comes between the two.
Example: The tulips in the pot on the balcony need
watering.
Example: One of the players throws the ball
across the field. Treat compound subjects connected by and as plural.
Example: Jill’s natural ability to lead and her desire to help
others have led her to a career in counseling. {“Natural ability and her desire” form a compound subject. }
Example: In this simulation, employees and the manager
communicate to achieve similar goals.
{“employees” and “manager” form a compound
subject} When the parts of the subject form a single unit or when they refer to the same person or thing, treat the subject as singular.
Example: Sue’s friend and adviser was surprised by her
decision. When a compound subject is preceded by each or every, treat it as singular.
Every car, truck, and van is required to pass
inspection. With compound subjects connected by or or nor, make the verb agree with the subject nearer to it.
Example: A driver’s license or two credit cards are required.
Example: Two credit cards or a driver’s license is required.
Treat most indefinite pronouns as singular. Indefinite pronouns include: anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, none, no one, someone, something, etc. Example: Everybody who signed up for the ski trip was taking lessons.
Example: Each of the books has been read.
Example: Each of these volunteers was to represent an employee in an experimental business situation.
Example: Everyone must give up some freedom to be
accepted in society because if he or she does not, then society could not exist. Treat collective nouns as singular unless the meaning is clearly plural. Some collective nouns in the American English language are treated as singular: jury, committee, audience, crowd, class, troop, family, couple, etc. They describe a group of persons or things as a unit.
Example: The class respects the professor.
Example: The committee of senators meets weekly. Example: Our business team has submitted the report.
Example: A number of children are attending the show.
Some words that appear plural are usually treated as singular. Words such as athletics, economics, mathematics, physics, statistics, measles, news, etc. are usually singular.
Example: Language Arts is one of the most challenging
courses at this school. Titles of works and companies are singular.
Example: Holes is a book about Stanley Yelnats.
have 1. The piano as well as the pipe organ ____________ to be tuned for the big concert. A. has B. have are 2. The mayor together with his two brothers ____________ going to be indicted for accepting bribes. A. are B. is is 3. Neither of my two suitcases ____________ adequate for this trip. A. is B. are has 4. Everybody in the class ____________ done the homework well in advance. A. has B. have takes 5. The jury ____________ their seats in the courtroom. A. take B. takes seems 6. Neither the teacher nor the students ____________ to understand this assignment. A. seem B. seems is 7. Hartford is one of those cities that ____________ working hard to reclaim a riverfront. A. is B. are is 8. John or his brother ____________ going to be responsible for this. A. are B. is are 9. A few of the students ____________ doing so well they can skip the next course. A. are B. is has 10. One of my instructors ____________ written a letter of recommendation for me. A. have B. has