Since collective nouns are perceived as one lone unit, they usually require a __________ verb.

Since collective nouns are perceived as one lone unit, they usually require a singular verb.

→The staff [collective noun] is [singular verb] participating in a fund-raising marathon.

Compound subjects (subject words separated by the word and) are plural and require __________ verbs.

Compound subjects (subject words separated
by the word and) are plural and require plural
verbs.

→ Beans and rice [compound subject]
were [plural verb] on sale at the market last week.
Exception: When beans and rice are viewed as a
single dish (single subject), the verb is singular.
→Beans and rice is my favorite dish.

Indefinite pronouns such as much, each, anybody, anyone, no one, someone, and everyone require a _________ verb.

Indefinite pronouns such as much, each, anybody, anyone, no one, someone, and everyone require a singular verb.

When money or time is the subject, use a ________ verb if you are writing about a total amount of time or money and a ______ verb when you are writing about individual units.

When money or time is the subject, use a singular verb if you are writing about a total amount of time or money and a plural verb when you are writing about individual units.

→ Singular: I thought that a million dollars [singular unit total amount] was an outrageous price to pay for that painting.

Plural: Thousands of dollars [individual units] were wasted on repairs for the archaic building.

When the subject of a sentence is uncountable, such as the number of tea leaves or coffee grains in a container of tea or coffee, the verb is _________.

When the subject of a sentence is uncountable, such as the number of tea leaves or coffee grains in a container of tea or coffee, the verb is singular.

→The tea [uncountable subject] has mysteriously
vanished from the pantry.

The most important thing that you must remember
about tense agreement is that past and present
events _____________________________, so be
sure to ________________________________.

The most important thing that you must remember
about tense agreement is that past and present
events can’t be occurring at the same time, so be sure to use either all past tense or all present tense for events occurring in the same time frame.

The following pronouns are always singular:

one, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody,
no one, nobody, everyone, everybody, each,
either, and neither.

The plural pronouns many, both, few,
and several must be matched with plural verbs.