Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a rapprochement between the verb (a verb) with the subject line in terms of number, namely: singular (singular) or plural (plural). Subjects can be either a noun (noun), pronoun (pronoun), or other construction that acts as a noun, like gerund and infinitive. Basically, the singular subject (single subject) use the singular verb (singular verb), while plural subject (subject plural) using a plural verb (verb plural).

Subject-Verb Agreement (General)

Generally in the present tense, singular verb form of the base form (base form) of a verb with the added ending (suffix) -s. As for the plural verb with no added ending -s (otherwise, the subject plural ending -s added). These rules also apply verb on the subject in the form of a third person (third person, for example: Ricky, Anna) and all personal pronouns (they, we = plural; he, she, it = single), except I and you. Although the form of a single subject, I and you are paired with plural verbs (not including the verb "be" (was, am) on "I").

Subject-Verb Agreement Sentence [subject= bold; verb= italic]:

No	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
1	The sun rises. (Matahari terbit.)
2	The stars shine. (Bintang bersinar.)
3	Leo rarely eats white bread. (Leo jarang makan roti putih.)
4	You go straight ahead then turn left. (Kamu jalan lurus ke depan lalu belok kiri.)

But if there is a helping verb, then helping verb his turn while the main verb in the base form (base form verb). Picks helping verb in the singular-plural her is is-acre, does-do, and has-haves. Especially for has-haves, the agreement does not apply if the word is used a second helping verb or helping verb behind the other.

 

Subject-Verb Agreement Sentence [subject= bold; verb= italic; helping verb= underline]:

No	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
1	My boss always comes on time. (Bos saya selalu datang tepat waktu.)
2	They like eating out. (Mereka suka makan diluar.)
3	He is working. (Dia sedang bekerja.)
4	I do submit the task. (Saya harus mengirimkan tugas tersebut.)
5	The manager has checked the documents. (Manager telah mengecek dokumen-dokumen tersebut.)
6	I will have been sleeping for an hour when you arrive. (Saya akan sudah tidur selama satu jam ketika kamu tiba.) has-have NOT APPLICABLE

As for the past tense, there is no difference in the form of the verb in number (singular or plural) if there is no helping verb, namely: was-were.

Subject-Verb Agreement Sentence [subject= bold; helping verb=underline]:

No	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
1	The cat was sleeping. (Kucing itu sedang tidur.)
2	We were roasting corn. (Kita sedang membakar jagung.)
3	She drove fast. (Dia mengebut.) NOT APPLICABLE

While if the verb is used in the form of linking verb, then it is, am (especially I), was (past tense) used by the singular subject, whereas acre and were (past tense) by plural subject.

Subject-Verb Agreement Sentence [subject= bold; linking verb= italic]:

No	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
1	Ricky is smart. (Ricky pintar.)
2	The children are naughty. (Anak-anak itu nakal.)
3	I was a stamp collector. (Saya dulu pengoleksi prangko.)
4	My books were borrowed by him. (Buku-buku saya dipinjam dia.)

Problems on Subject-Verb Agreement Subject-verb agreement becomes confusing when faced with issues such as: the subject in the form of collective noun, compound subject, plural form with singular meaning, and the indefinite pronoun. In addition, there is also a phrase or clause that interrupts the subject and verb that can be confusing enough in determining its agreement.

Here's an explanation and some examples of subject-verb agreement. [Subject = bold; verb, linking = italic; helping verb = underline]

No	Subject-Verb Agreement	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
1	Collective Noun
	Collective noun is a noun that is used to represent a set name (consiting of more than one member). As a subject, the noun can be singular or plural depending context. If members do the same collection simultaneously, then the noun is regarded as a unified subject with a singular verb. Conversely, when a member of a group acting individually, it is considered as a plural subject with a plural verb anyway.	The team is going on holiday now. [Artinya: Para anggota team sedang pergi berlibur (bersama-sama) sekarang.]
		The team are going on holiday now. [Artinya: Para anggota tim sedang berlibur (masing-masing) sekarang.]

No	Subject-Verb Agreement	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
2	Compound Subject
	If two or more subject, whether singular or plural, are associated with coordinate conjuntion AND, then use a plural verb.	Ichel and her brother go to school by bus. (Ichel dan kakak laki-lakinya pergi ke sekolah dengan bus.)
		Atiek, Adon and I were at home. (Atiek, Adon, dan saya di rumah.)
	If two or more subjects connected with an OR or NOR, then use a singular verb. Opposite applies in plural subject.	To stay or to go is your prerogative. (Tinggal atau pergi adalah hakmu.) subjects such as infinitive (to + verb)
		The jackets or the shirts are in the cupboard. (Jaket-jaket dan kemeja-kemeja ada di dalam lemari.)
	If the subjects compound that uses OR or NOR consist of singular and plural noun or pronoun, the verb follows the subject closest to her position both before and after (the sentense question).	The woman or her friends eat lunch here every monday. (Wanita itu atau teman-temannya makan siang disini setiap hari minggu.) or Her friends or the woman eats lunch here every monday.
		Does the woman or her friends eat lunch here every monday? (Apakah wanita itu atau teman-temannya makan siang disini setiap hari minggu?) or Do her friends or the woman eat lunch here every monday?
	if compound subject consiting of the subject (singular or plural) of posotive and negative, then the verb following the positive.	The staffs but not the manager havereceived their salaries. (Para staff tapi tidak sang manager telah menerima gaji.)
		It is mine, not theirs, that has wore out. (Itu milikku, bukan milik mereka yang sudah aus.)
3	Subject with plural form (plural) but the meaning singular
	Some noun looked plural because it has the ending –s, but actually meaning is singular because it only refers to one thing. Thus, it requires a singular verb noun anyway.can be avidenced by noun substitution  with “it” that feels more make sense rather than “they”. Noun, among others: ·         news, dollars (when talking about the number of) ·         the name of disease, such as: measles, mumps ·         noun with ending -ics, such as: mathematics, statistics, physics but ending –ics can also can be a plural noun meaning if it is not regarded as a branch of science, but each part of a whole. Example: statistics= statistical data.	Measles is one of the most contagious diseases among young children. (Campak adalah satu dari penyakit paling menular diantara anak kecil.)
		Ten dollars a day is not enough for a wife and two children. (Sepuluh dillar sehari tidak cukup untuk istri dan dua anak.) Does not aplly: Dollars are widely used in private transactions. (Dollar digunakan secara luas dalam transaksi-transaksi pribadi.)
		Statistics is not same with math. (Statistika tidak sama dengan matermatika.) statistics = science Does not aplly: The statistics show that the abortion rate for women aged 30-34 years has increased dramatically. (Statistik menunjukkan bahwa tingkat aborsi wanita berumur 30-34 tahun telah meningkat secara drastis.) statistics = data

No	Subject-Verb Agreement	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
4	Subject with plural form (plural) in the form of two parts in one unit
	Noun like: ·         glasses ·         pants ·         scissors ·         shears ·         trousers ·         tweezers are two parts to a whole object. Noun requires a plural verb.	My glasses were broken into two pieces. (Kaca mataku pecah menjadi dua bagian.)
		The trousers are made from denim. (Celana panjang tersebut terbuat dari denim.)
5	Fractional expression and Mathematical Process
	A majority of, a part of, a percentage of, and half of are fractional expression be followed by singular verb or plural depending on th meaning. If followed by plural noun, then the subject becomes  plural so it must be paired with plural verb. Vice versa. Apllies to  all, some, and most when functioning as the subject followed by prepositional phrase, note the noun (as the object of the preposition) in the phrase page.	Fifty percentage of your water has beenused to wash plates. (Lima puluh persen dari airmu telah digunakan untuk mencuci piring.) water= uncountable noun or Fifty percentage of the visitors are from England. (Lima puluh persen dari pengunjung dari Inggris.) visitors= plural countable
		All of the staffs are dilligent. (Semua staf rajin.) or All of the audience is giving applause. (Semua hadirin sedang memberikan tepuk tangan.) audience = uncountable noun
	Mathematical process, such a addition, a singular verb is singular so require.	Ten and ten is twenty. (Sepuluh ditambah sepuluh adalah dua puluh.)
7	Sentence starting with there / here + is / are / was / were.
	There and here are not subject. Subject appear after verb “be” (is/are/was/were). Thus, subject follows verb is singular or plural.	There is a haunted house. (Disana ada rumah hantu.)
		There are your friends. (Disana ada teman-temanmu.)
8	Indefinite Pronoun (noun for people, objects, or things in general)
	Neither and either are singular pronoun although it appears to refers to two things. Therefore,  it requires singular subject. other Indefinite pronoun like: ·         anybody/anyone ·         each ·         everybody/everyone ·         somebody/someone ·         nobody/no one are singular pronoun that followed singular verb.	Neither is bad. (Tidak satupun dari keduanya buruk.)
		Everybody likes him. (Setiap orang menyukainya.)
		Someone has sent him the anonymous letter. (Seseorang telah mengiriminya surat kaleng.)

No	Subject-Verb Agreement	Example Subject-Verb Agreement
9	Phrase and clause which are among subject and verb. basically verb adjusted to the subject, not a noun or pronoun that is the phrase or clause that is interrupted.
	Accompanied with, along with, as well as, as with, including, in addition, andtogether with can be used with subjects without increase the number of subjects because it is not the same as AND.	The prime minister, together with his staffs, is visiting Lombok. (Menteri bersama para stafnya sedang mengunjungi Lombok.)
		That girl as well as her brother is sitting on the edge of swimming pool. (Anak perempuan itu bersama saudara laki-lakinya sedang duduk di pinggir kolam renang.)
	Prepositional phrase	One of the men is a surgeon. (Satu dari para pria itu adalah dokter bedah.)
		The woman in my bedroom is my mother. (Wanita di dalam kamarku adalah ibuku.)
	Relative clause (defining and non-defining)	Cats that live in the wild rarely get sick. (Kucing-kucing yang hidup di alam liar jarang sakit.)
		The table, which is made of marble, has been repaired. (Meja yang terbuat dari marmer telah diperbaiki.)
	Participial phrase (defining and non-defining) ≈ reduction adjective clause	Cats living in the wild rarely get sick.
		The table, made of marble, has been repaired.
	Appositive (defining and non-defining)	A famous news presenter Al Hunt works in Bloomberg Television. (Seorang pembawa acara berita terkenal, Al Hunt, bekerja di Bloomberg Television.)
		My brother, a chemical engineer, is very dilligent. (Kakakku, seorang engineer kimia, sangat rajin.)

Source: www.wordsmile.com (already translated)