Titles
8. A title of a book, magazine, newspaper, play, movie, business, or company needs a
singular verb because the title refers to only one thing.
Examples: For ten years, Happy Days (was, were) a popular sitcom on television.
Happy Days ends in –s, but it is the title of one program, so it
needs an –s verb.
Allied Artists (produce, produces) many made–for–TV movies.
Allied Artists ends in –s, but it is only one company, so it needs an
–s verb.
Plural Numbers
9. Plural numbers need singular verbs when they equal a single sum, unit, or measurement.
Examples: Forty dollars (is, are) the price of the blouse.
Forty dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it is only one price, so
it needs a singular verb.
Sixteen ounces (equal, equals) a pound in England and America.
Sixteen ounces is only one pound, so it needs a singular verb.
Plural Amounts
10. Plural amounts which do not equal one measurement need a plural verb.
Examples: Three cars (is, are) parked in handicapped spaces.
Approximately one thousand freshmen students (registers, register)
for college prep English every fall.
Plural–Sounding Nouns
11. Some nouns (mostly math and science terms) which end in –s and seem to be plural—
such as economics, physics, news, mathematics, and electronics—take a singular verb
because they name one thing.
Example: Physics (was, were) the hardest course I ever took.
Singular Items with Plural Verbs
12. A few nouns—such as trousers, jeans, pants, glasses, scissors, riches, and thanks—need
a plural verb even though they seem to be only one thing. (Hint: Most articles that have
two legs or two handles are considered to be two things—to be plural.)
Examples: The scissors (is, are) on the table.
Mary's new jeans (looks, look) very sharp.
"A" Number vs. "The" Number
13. The expression "a number of __________" means several things; this expression needs a
plural verb.
Example: A number of palm trees (has, have) been planted on the campus.
14. The expression "the number of ____________" means only one number; this expression
needs a singular verb.
Example: The number of large, shady trees on campus (is, are) amazing.