Lesson 4: Making the Verb Agree

Everyone is or everyone are? Each has or each have? Some subjects point at a crowd and still take a singular verb, and one famous word does the opposite. Here are the eight that catch people every day.

How to use this lesson. Read each conversation aloud, slowly, two or three times. Do not worry about speed — clear is better than fast. Notice the expressions under each conversation, then try the practice at the end. If you can, read with a friend and take turns playing each person.

1. Waiting on One Person

Rae: Are we ready?

Jon: Everyone is here except Tom.

Rae: Where's Tom?

Jon: Parking. Everyone is patient today.

Rae: Give him five minutes.

Useful expressionsEveryone is here except Tom.Are we ready?Everyone is patient today.Give him five minutes.

2. Numbers on the Back

Ines: How do the tickets work?

Pol: Each has a number on the back.

Ines: Mine says nine.

Pol: Each has a seat, so nine is yours.

Ines: Row one, then.

Useful expressionsEach has a number on the back.How do the tickets work?Each has a seat.Row one, then.

3. Two Coats, No Owner

Gil: Which coat is yours?

Ada: Neither is mine.

Gil: They were on your chair.

Ada: Neither is my size.

Gil: Lost property, then.

Useful expressionsNeither is mine.Which coat is yours?Neither is my size.Lost property, then.

4. Both Parcels

Nia: Did the parcels come?

Sef: Both are downstairs.

Nia: Heavy?

Sef: Both are heavy. Bring the trolley.

Nia: On my way.

Useful expressionsBoth are downstairs.Did the parcels come?Both are heavy.Bring the trolley.

5. The Queue Outside

Cato: Why the queue?

Wren: People are waiting for the doors.

Cato: Since when?

Wren: Seven. People are calm about it.

Cato: I'd have gone home.

Useful expressionsPeople are waiting for the doors.Why the queue?People are calm about it.I'd have gone home.

6. Anything Left?

Pim: Is anything left?

Vik: There is one sandwich.

Pim: Cheese?

Vik: Cheese. There is soup as well.

Pim: Soup, then.

Useful expressionsThere is one sandwich.Is anything left?There is soup as well.Soup, then.

7. Counting Chairs

Bea: How many chairs do we need?

Rui: There are twelve people coming.

Bea: And in the room?

Rui: There are eight chairs.

Bea: Four from the office, then.

Useful expressionsThere are twelve people coming.How many chairs do we need?There are eight chairs.Four from the office, then.

8. Who Wrote It?

Zia: Who wrote this?

Kem: One of the interns.

Zia: It's good.

Kem: She's one of the best writers here.

Zia: Keep her.

Useful expressionsOne of the interns.Who wrote this?She's one of the best writers here.Keep her.

Words to know

everyone is	everyone, everybody, someone and nobody all count as one, so the verb is singular Everyone is here except Tom.
each has	each means one at a time, however big the group is: each has, each was, each costs Each has a number on the back.
neither is	neither means not one and not the other, so it takes a singular verb Neither is mine.
both are	both means two, so it always takes a plural verb Both are downstairs.
people are	people is already plural. There is no peoples in everyday English People are waiting for the doors.
there is	there is goes with one thing, even when a list follows There is one sandwich.
there are	there are goes with two or more — look at the noun straight after it There are twelve people coming.
one of the	one of is always followed by a plural noun, because you are picking one from many She's one of the best writers here.

Quick practice

The verb is wrong in every line below, or a noun is missing its s. Say the whole line correctly out loud, then check the answers.

1. Not: Everyone are here except Tom.
Say: _______________

2. Not: Each have a number on the back.
Say: _______________

3. Not: Neither are mine.
Say: _______________

4. Not: People is waiting for the doors.
Say: _______________

5. Not: There is twelve people coming.
Say: _______________

6. Not: She's one of the best writer here.
Say: _______________

Show the answers

1. Everyone is here except Tom. 2. Each has a number on the back. 3. Neither is mine. 4. People are waiting for the doors. 5. There are twelve people coming. 6. She's one of the best writers here.

Common mistakes

Not: The blue car is their's.

Say: The blue car is theirs.

theirs, yours, ours and hers never take an apostrophe. Only it's, he's and she's do, and those are short forms of is.

Not: We have known eachother for years.

Say: We have known each other for years.

each other is two words, always. So is one another.

Not: The delay will effect the whole week.

Say: The delay will affect the whole week.

affect with an a is the doing word. effect with an e is the thing that happens: it had no effect.

Your turn

Say these five aloud. Find the real subject first, then choose is or are before you start the sentence.

Say who is in the room with you right now, starting with Everyone is or Nobody is.
Describe two bags or two coats near you, starting with Both are.
Say one thing there is only one of in your kitchen, using There is.
Say how many people live in your street, using There are.
Finish out loud: My friend is one of the... using a plural noun.

Quick review

Cover the middle of the sentence and read only the first word and the verb. Everyone... is. Each... has. Both... are. People... are. The words in between are there to confuse you, and they usually do. Try it on five sentences tonight and the guessing stops.