The Correct Use of Singular & Plural Verbs

Choosing the correct singular or plural verb can be daunting at first, but knowledge of a few basic rules can help English learners maneuver confidently through this fascinating area of grammar.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Singular subjects constituting one person or thing match with singular verbs, while plural or compound subjects take plural verbs.

Forming Plural Verbs

Most regular verbs transform from singular to plural by removing the "s," while subjects often do the opposite. For example, one cat purrs, but two cats purr. Irregular verbs, such as "to be," have their own spelling. The dog is friendly; the dogs are friendly.

When to Use Singular Verbs

Choose singular verbs in the following cases:

when single subjects are connected by "or" or "nor"
with indefinite pronouns such as "each," "everyone," "either," "neither" or "anyone"
with words such as "mathematics," "measles," "news" and "dollars"
with collective nouns such as "team," "group," "class" and "family"

When to Use Plural Verbs

Choose plural verbs in the following cases:

with compound subjects joined by "and"
with indefinite pronouns such as "both," "few," "several," and "others"
with words such as "scissors," "tweezers," "binoculars," and "trousers"

Special Cases

When a phrase divides the subject and verb, the verb still agrees with the subject.

--One of the bags is open.

When a compound subject contains both a singular and plural subject, the verb matches the subject closest to the verb

--The actor or the actresses perform last.

References

• Towson University: Usage - Subject-Verb Agreement
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
• GrammarBook.com: Subject and Verb Agreement

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish