A verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject, regardless of whether other words fall between them.

The cars (S)—two Fords, a Lincoln, and a

Nissan—were (V) for sale in the lot down the street.

A verb must also agree with its subject, even when the subject follows the verb.

Where was (V) your brother (S) when you got home?

The subject and verb(s) in a sentence must agree in person, or the point of view being expressed. First person describes one’s own perspective (I am, we are). Second person describes someone being addressed (you are). Third person describes others’ perspectives (he is, she is, it is, they are).

I (S) was (V) the only person at home last night.

Similarly, a sentence’s subject and verb must agree in number. If the subject of the verb is singular, then the verb form is singular; if the subject of the verb is plural, the verb form is plural.

The boys (S) were (V) the first group to finish their assignment.

When a subject of the sentence is a title of a book, movie, play, or work of art, it calls for a singular verb.

The Reivers (S), published in 1962, is (V) the last novel written by William Faulkner.

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Singular nouns that end in -s take singular verbs.

The bus was crowded this morning.

Subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb.

The cat and the dog play well together.

However, when each or every is used to specify that two singular subjects are separate actors in a sentence, the verb should be plural.

Each dog and cat in the shelter is well cared for.

Every dog and cat in the shelter is available for adoption.

When a sentence contains subjects that are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the part of the subject nearest to it.

Either the dog or the kittens are available for adoption.

Neither the kittens nor the dog is available for adoption.

Most collective nouns (e.g., group, committee, audience) take singular verbs.

The team wearing red and black uniforms controls the ball.

When members of a group act as individuals, the accompanying verb should be plural.

Usually, the team wearing red and black uniforms scatter in all directions when the game is over.

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to specific persons or things.

Some indefinite pronouns (another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something) take third person, singular verbs.

Each of the plays depicts a hero undone by a tragic flaw.

Other indefinite pronouns (all, any, enough, more, most, none, some) use either a singular or plural verb depending on their meaning.

All of the cake was eaten. [All refers to cake]

All of the candidates promise to improve schools. [All refers to candidates]

When the subject of a subordinate clause is a relative pronoun (who, which, that), the verb should agree with that pronoun’s antecedent—the word to which the relative pronoun refers.

Guilt, jealousy, and fear are ingredients that go into creating stereotypes. [The antecedent of that is the third person noun ingredients. Therefore, the verb in the subordinate clause—go—is in the third person plural form.]

When a linking verb connects two nouns, the first noun is the subject of the sentence and the second noun is the subject complement. The linking verb should agree with the subject, not the subject complement.

Nero Wolfe’s passion was orchids. [Nero Wolfe is the subject; orchids is the subject complement. The verb was agrees with the subject.]