Subject Verb Agreement Worksheets - Template Free Download ... - Free Printable

Let's go through each sentence in the Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheet 1 and identify:

- The subject (the person, place, thing, or idea performing the action)
- The verb (the action word)
- Ensure that the subject and verb agree in number (singular/plural)

We’ll underline the subject and verb that must agree. Then explain the agreement rule used.

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Example:

*Either cake or cookies are fine for dessert.*
✔ Underline: *cake* and *are*
✘ But wait — this is incorrect! "Either...or" requires the verb to agree with the closest subject, which is cookies (plural), so "are" is correct.
But "cake" is singular, so it doesn’t match.
Actually, the correct version should be:
👉 *"Either cake or cookies is fine..."* — but since the example says "are", we'll treat it as a teaching example showing incorrect agreement.

However, based on the instruction, we're to underline the subject and verb that must agree — not fix the sentence.

So for the example:
Underline: *cake* and *are* → but they don’t agree. This shows a common error.

Let’s now do each sentence correctly.

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1. Bob and Randy went to elementary school together.

- Subject: *Bob and Randy* (compound subject, plural)
- Verb: *went* (past tense, plural)
✔ Plural subject → plural verb

✔️ Underline: *Bob and Randy* and *went*

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2. Neither jogging nor swimming interests him.

- Subject: *jogging nor swimming* → “Neither...nor” connects two singular nouns
- Rule: Verb agrees with the closer subject → *swimming* (singular)
- Verb: *interests* (singular)
✔ Singular verb matches singular *swimming*

✔️ Underline: *swimming* and *interests*

> Note: "Neither jogging nor swimming" is a compound subject, but the verb agrees with the nearest one.

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3. Neither jogging nor racquet sports interest him.

- Subject: *jogging nor racquet sports*
- Closer subject: *racquet sports* (plural)
- Verb: *interest* (plural)
✔ Plural verb matches plural *sports*

✔️ Underline: *racquet sports* and *interest*

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4. Neither racquet sports nor jogging interests him.

- Subject: *racquet sports nor jogging*
- Closer subject: *jogging* (singular)
- Verb: *interests* (singular)
✔ Singular verb matches singular *jogging*

✔️ Underline: *jogging* and *interests*

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5. The dog that had barked for hours was finally quiet.

- Subject: *The dog* (singular)
- Verb: *was* (singular)
✔ Singular subject → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *dog* and *was*

> Note: "that had barked for hours" is a relative clause modifying *dog*, not part of the subject.

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6. The audience cheered the opening performance.

- Subject: *The audience* → collective noun, treated as singular here
- Verb: *cheered* (past tense, singular)
✔ Collective noun → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *audience* and *cheered*

> Note: "Audience" is singular even though it refers to many people.

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7. Economics is constantly faced by practical challenges.

- Subject: *Economics* (singular, abstract noun)
- Verb: *is* (singular)
✔ Singular subject → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *Economics* and *is*

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8. Everyone is writing a take-home exam.

- Subject: *Everyone* → indefinite pronoun, always singular
- Verb: *is* (singular)
✔ Singular pronoun → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *Everyone* and *is*

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9. There are hungry children right here in our community.

- Subject: *children* (plural)
- Verb: *are* (plural)
✔ Plural subject → plural verb

✔️ Underline: *children* and *are*

> Note: "There" is not the subject; it’s an expletive. The real subject is *children*.

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10. The hunter as well as the hounds is following the bear.

- Subject: *The hunter* (singular)
- Phrase: "as well as the hounds" → does not affect subject-verb agreement
- Verb: *is* (singular)
✔ Only *hunter* is the true subject

✔️ Underline: *hunter* and *is*

> Rule: Phrases like "as well as", "along with", etc., do not make the subject plural.

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11. The boss, together with the day shift, sent a card.

- Subject: *The boss* (singular)
- Phrase: "together with the day shift" → adds info, not part of subject
- Verb: *sent* (past tense, singular)
✔ Singular subject → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *boss* and *sent*

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12. The team, including both pitchers, is outstanding.

- Subject: *The team* (collective noun, treated as singular)
- Verb: *is* (singular)
✔ Singular verb

✔️ Underline: *team* and *is*

> Note: Even though it includes multiple players, "team" is singular.

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13. No one who knows the children believes the story.

- Subject: *No one* → indefinite pronoun, always singular
- Verb: *believes* (singular)
✔ Singular subject → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *No one* and *believes*

> "Who knows the children" is a relative clause modifying *no one*.

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14. Each of us is responsible for a different task.

- Subject: *Each* → singular pronoun meaning "every one"
- Verb: *is* (singular)
✔ Singular subject → singular verb

✔️ Underline: *Each* and *is*

> "Of us" is a prepositional phrase modifying *each*.

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15. Few of the wealthy are coming tonight.

- Subject: *Few* → means "a small number", plural
- Verb: *are* (plural)
✔ Plural subject → plural verb

✔️ Underline: *Few* and *are*

> Contrast with "Each" (singular) vs. "Few" (plural)

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✔ Final Answers (Underlined Subjects and Verbs):

1. Bob and Randy went
2. swimming interests
3. racquet sports interest
4. jogging interests
5. dog was
6. audience cheered
7. Economics is
8. Everyone is
9. children are
10. hunter is
11. boss sent
12. team is
13. No one believes
14. Each is
15. Few are

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🔍 Summary of Key Rules Used:

- Compound subjects joined by "and" → usually plural
- "Neither...nor" / "Either...or" → verb agrees with closest subject
- Collective nouns (*audience, team*) → usually singular unless emphasizing individuals
- Indefinite pronouns (*everyone, no one, each*) → singular
- "As well as", "together with" → do not change subject number
- "There is/are" → verb agrees with real subject after the verb
- "Few" = plural; "Each" = singular

Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable worksheet!