Here are a few things to remember for subject-verb agreement (2)

Each, Everyone, Everything (and similar words) as subjects

It is easy to get confused when words like each, everyone, and everything begin a sentence. However, these words are singular so they must be accompanied by a singular verb. We will look at more examples of these words below.

Either, Everybody, Anyone, Anybody, Somebody, Nobody, Someone, No one, Nothing, One, Another

Let us look at some example sentences

One of the girls has Judy’s bag.

Everybody likes Kwame.

Someone has eaten all the mangoes.

Sentences starting with There

Usually, when a sentence starts with there is, there was, there were or there are, the subject comes after the verb. The word there is NOT the subject so the verb must agree with the noun or pronoun which follows it.

There are two computers in that room.

There goes the girl who won the award.

There is a bird on the window sill.

Contractions

When a sentence contains the word

Don’t – this is a contraction of the words ‘do not’. Use it with a plural subject.

Doesn’t – this is a contraction of the words ‘does not’. Use it with a singular subject.

Example; Ofosua doesn’t like black cats = Ofosua does not like black cats.

They don’t like black cats. = They do not like black cats.

When writing or speaking in the first person (I) or second person (you), we use don’t and NOT doesn’t.

Example; I don’t like black cats.

You don’t have to come with me.

Here are a few more contractions that are used with singular subjects.

    Wasn’t                 Isn’t             Hasn’t             

Here are a few more contractions that are used with plural subjects

 Weren’t                Aren’t          Haven’t

Example; She hasn’t decided. (Singular subject)

They haven’t decided. (Plural subject)

Subjects that are collective nouns

Words that speak about more than one person, animal or thing but are thought of as singular are called collective nouns. When these words are the subject of a sentence, the verb must be singular too. Let us look at some collective nouns.

Group, Crowd, Team, Gang, Committee, Family, Class, Board, Herd, Pile, Bunch, Flock

Example;

The class was very attentive during show and tell.

The blue team has won the match.

The board is meeting today.