Quick Quiz

Advanced Composition for Non-Native Speakers of English

s-v_agreement

DIRECTIONS: In the quiz questions below, choose the correct verb so that subject and verb agree. The first time you take this quiz, you should refer to the clues. Practice taking this quiz until you can answer all the questions correctly without the clues.
Sentences	Clue (or rule)
1-2	Make the subject and verb agree when words intervene between them.
3	The grammatical number of the subject does not change with the addition of expressions beginning with such words as the following: accompanied by, along with, as well as, in addition to, including, no less than, not to mention, together with.
4-6	Subjects joined by and are usually plural
7-9	Singular subjects joined by or, either . . . or, neither . . . nor take a singular verb.
10-11	If one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
12-13	The verb also agrees with the nearer subject in person.
14	Do not let inverted word order cause you to make a mistake in agreement.
15-17	When used as subjects, such words as each, either, one, everybody, and anyone regularly take singular verbs.
18-19	Every or each preceding singular subjects joined by and calls for a singular verb.
20-23	Collective nouns take a singular verb when they refer to the group as a unit.
24-26	Collective nouns take a plural verb when they refer to individuals or parts of the group.
27-30	Some nouns (such as athletics, politics, series, deer, and sheep) can be either singular or plural depending on meaning.

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1: The rhythm of the pounding waves _____ calming.: is
are
2: All of the dogs in the neighborhood _____ barking.: were
was
3: A high tax, not to mention unemployment, _____ votes.: influence
influences
4: My friends and my mother _____ each other.: like
likes
5: The team and the band _____ on the field.: was
were
6: Building a good marriage and building a good log fire _____ similar in many ways.: is
are
7: John or Doris _____ to us regularly.: write
writes
8: Either Patty or Tom _____ asked to lead the meeting.: was
were
9: Neither Carol nor Ted _____ excluded from the meeting.: is
are
10: Neither the basket nor the apples _____ expensive.: was
were
11: Neither the apples nor the basket _____ expensive.: was
were
12: Either Maria or you _____ late for class.: was
were
13: Either you or Maria _____ late for class.: was
were
14: Hardest hit by the high temperatures and drought _____ the farmers.: was
were
15: Neither of them _____ going to the show.: like
likes
16: Each of them _____ a good seat.: has
have
17: Everybody in the class _____ tickets.: has
have
18: Every silver knife, fork, and spoon _____ to be counted.: has
have
19: Each cat and each dog _____ its own toy.: has
have
20: The committee _____ meeting today.: is
are
21: Ten million gallons of oil _____ a lot of oil.: is
are
22: The jury _____ today.: vote
votes
23: The number _____ very small.: is
are
24: A number of students _____ absent.: was
were
25: Ten million gallons of oil _____ spilled.: was
were
26: The majority of us _____ in favor.: is
are
27: Statistics _____ an interesting subject.: is
are
28: Statistics _____ often misleading.: is
are
29: The sheep _____ when the gate is left open.: stray
strays
30: Sheep _____ when the gate is left open.: stray
strays