1. Subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb.

a) Paul and Jim both like football.
b) Ken and Paul play football well.

2. Singular subjects joined by “or” or “nor” take a singular verb.

a) Neither John nor I work(s) well together.
b) John or Sue read(s) well.

3. When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the closer subject.

a) Neither John nor his friends care about football.
b) Neither his or John care.

4. Don’t and doesn’t agree with their subjects.

a) I (do, don’t), you (do, don’t), he (does, doesn’t), they (do, don’t).

5. Collective nouns can be singular or plural as determined by their meaning.

a) Jury, herd, team, audience, family.

b) When considered as a unit, the subject is singular. When considered as individuals, the subject is plural.

aa) The jury has reached a decision.
bb) The jury are arguing among themselves.
cc) The team plays well together.
dd) The team loves to argue with each other.

6. A verb agrees with the subject, not its predicate nominative.

a) Traffic jams are one problem of commuters.
b) One problem of commuters is traffic jams.

7. When the subject allows the verb “often,” “here,” “there,” or “after” questions, the verb agrees with its subject that allows the verb.

a) Here are the boys.
b) Here is the girl.
c) Where is Sheri.
d) Where are Sheri and John.
e) There are the plates.
f) There is the police.

8. Words stating amount are usually singular.

a) Ten dollars is a high price.
b) Two thirds of the cake was eaten.

9. The title of a word of art, literature, or music plural in form take a singular verb.

a) Great expectation is my favorite book.
b) Porky and Bess is my favorite operas.
c) Every or many before the subject takes a singular verb.
d) Many a worker (at general motors) is ill prepared in the current economy.
e) Every member of the squad is physically ready.

10. A few nouns, although plural in form take a singular verb.

a) Views, news.
b) Diseases, such as measles, chicken pox, mumps, rickets.
c) Words ending in “ics” ie; mathematics, physics, civics, economics,
politics, ethics, athletics.

11. Words indicating “time,” “money,”  “amount,” “measure,” “weight,” “volume,” or “fractions,” are usually considered singular and singular verb.

12. “It,” used as an introductory word is always followed by a singular. Remember, that the word “it” is not the subject in such a sentence.

13. When the word “there” introduces a sentence, the subject may be either singular or plural.

14. The words “several,” “few,” “both,” and “many,” are always plural and take a plural verb.

15. When the word “every” precedes the subject, it is used as an adjective, not as a pronoun. The subject takes a plural verb.

16. Remember that the antecedent of a pronoun names the person or thing to which the pronoun refers. A pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number and gender.

Singular Pronouns – I, you, he, she, it, my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, me, him.

Plural Pronouns - We, you, they, our, ours, your, yours, their, theirs, us, them.

Note – There are four genders: masculine, feminine, common, and neutral. The pronoun must be the same.

17. Tense denotes the time and action took place.

a) Present tense (I fly, I run)
b) Past tense (I flew, I ran)
c) Future tense (I will fly, I will run)

18. Present perfect denotes habitual action.

a) I have flown, He has flown.

19. Past perfect denotes an action that was completed before another past action.

a) I had flown.

20. Future perfect (I will have flown, I shall have studied for ten minutes when you arrive).

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