Identify and correct verb agreement with compound subjects

Key Notes:

What is a Compound Subject?

A compound subject has two or more subjects joined by and, or, or nor.

• Example:
  • 🐶 Dogs and 🐱 cats love to play.
  • ✅ Subject: Dogs and cats (plural)

Verb Agreement Rules

🔹 Rule 1: Subjects Joined by AND

• Use a plural verb.
• Example:
  • 🍎 Apples and 🍌 bananas are my favorite fruits. ✅
  • ❌ Apples and bananas is my favorite fruits.

🔹 Rule 2: Subjects Joined by OR / NOR

• Verb agrees with the subject closest to the verb.
• Example:
  • Either the 🐕 dog or the 🐱 cats are making noise. ✅
  • Neither the 🐱 cats nor the 🐕 dog is hungry. ✅

🔹 Rule 3: Singular + Plural Subjects

• Use a verb that agrees with the nearest subject.
• Example:
  • The teacher or the students have finished the work. ✅
  • The students or the teacher has finished the work. ✅

Common Mistakes

• Treating a compound subject with and as singular:
  • ❌ My friend and his brother is coming.
  • ✅ My friend and his brother are coming.
• Ignoring proximity rule with or / nor:
  • ❌ Either the boys or the girl have won.
  • ✅ Either the boys or the girl has won.

Quick Tips

• If AND connects two singular nouns → usually plural verb.
• If OR / NOR connects → check the closest noun to the verb.
• Words like each, everyone, nobody → singular verb, even if compound:
  • 🌸 Everyone and their friend is invited. ✅

Fun Practice

• The cat 🐱 and the dog 🐶 ____ (play / plays) outside.
• Either the teacher 👩‍🏫 or the students 👦👧 ____ (is / are) late.
• My mom 👩 and dad 👨 ____ (is / are) at the market.

(Answers: are, are, are)