A verb agrees with its subject, not necessarily with the closest noun. Two common sources of confusion are indefinite pronouns such as everyone and nobody, and sentences that begin with here or there.
Some indefinite pronouns are singular. Everyone, nobody, someone, anybody and each take singular verbs in standard English. This remains true even when they refer to people within a larger group. Compare these examples:
- Everyone in the rooms is ready. The subject is everyone, so use is. The plural noun rooms belongs to the phrase in the rooms and does not control the verb.
- Nobody knows the answers. The subject nobody takes knows. The plural object answers does not affect agreement.
- Each of the players has a ticket. The subject is each, not players, so the verb is has.
Do not extend this rule to every indefinite pronoun. Some, including both, are plural; others depend on what they refer to.
Look beyond here and there. In the sentence patterns below, here and there introduce the sentence but are not the subjects. The subject follows the verb:
- Here is the notebook. One notebook takes is.
- Here are the notebooks. Plural notebooks take are.
- There is a delay. The singular subject a delay takes is.
- There are two delays. The plural subject two delays takes are.
To check agreement, first identify the subject. Then set aside distracting phrases or mentally place a following subject before the verb. For example, the notebooks are here makes the plural relationship easier to hear. Choose the verb that matches that subject.