Lesson 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

• Main Rule: Singular subject = singular verb.
• Indefinite pronouns such as Everyone and Everybody feel plural to some writers, but they are always singular, and take a singular verb; Such as: Someone, somebody, each, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody. 
• Everyone, everybody and each are always singluar and require a singular verb.
• Phrases such as together with, in addition to, along with, as well as seem to join subjects, but they don't work the same, and they are NOT conjunctions. The FIRST subject always determines the verb.

Example; Some of the hay in the barn, as well as some major pieces of farm equipment,was ruined in the flood.

This example does not have an error. Why?

We bring the first subject, which is ''hay'', and the verb, which is ''was'', together. So, it will be: Some of they hay in the barn was ruined in the flood.

• When either and neither appear as a subject alone (without their sidekicks ''or'' and ''nor''), they are singluar. This is true even though the subject seems to be two things. 
• BUT, unlike other sentences, when ''either'' and ''neither'' appear, the SECOND subject determines the verb.

Example:  Either Sam or his parents ARE travelling with us.