Complex Sentences

A complex sentence is a sentence that combines one independent clause with at least one dependent clause. A clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb. An independent clause forms a complete thought. A dependent clause, also called a subordinating clause, does not form a complete thought and is dependent upon an independent clause for meaning.

Examples of Complex Sentences

Here are some examples of complex sentences:

Although Denise had some doubts, she found the courses very useful.

The above example is a complex sentence: it has a dependent clause (a subject 'Denise' and a verb 'had') followed by an independent clause (subject 'she' and a verb 'found') and forms a complete thought.

Computers have come a long way since they first came on the market.

This example begins with an independent clause (subject 'computers' and verb 'have come') that forms a complete thought, followed by a dependent clause (subject 'they' and a verb 'came').

Subordinating Conjunctions

In these examples, the dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions or subordinators. Subordinators are conjunctions that indicate the subordinate or dependent role of the clause in the sentence.

The following words are some examples of subordinating conjunctions:

• although
• because
• since
• unless
• when
• whereas
• which
• while
• who
• whoever
• whose

This is by no means a complete list.

Using Subordinate Clauses in Complex Sentences

In complex sentences, subordinate clauses function within the sentence as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

An adjective clause is a dependent clause that functions like an adjective; an adjective modifies or describes a noun. In this sentence,

The President chose people who would help him make good decisions.

the dependent clause 'who would help him make good decisions' functions as an adjective to modify 'people.'

An adverb clause is a dependent clause that functions like an adverb; an adverb modifies or describes a verb. In the example sentence,

When the food arrived, the children ate everything.

the subordinate clause 'when the food arrived' functions as an adverb to modify 'ate.'

A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions like a noun; a noun is a person, place, or thing. In the example sentence,

Whoever signs the lease is responsible for the rent.

the subordinate clause, 'whoever signs the lease,' serves as the subject of the sentence. This sentence is considered a complex sentence because it has both an independent clause (the entire sentence) and a dependent clause, 'whoever signs the lease.'

Using Complex Sentences With Other Sentence Types

Complex sentences help you combine ideas in an interesting way. When you use them with other sentence types in your writing, the variety helps you avoid choppiness and dull repetition. Each sentence type has a set number of clauses:

• Simple sentences have one independent clause
• Compound sentences have at least two independent clauses
• Complex sentences have one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
• Compound-complex sentences have at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause

Here's an example of a paragraph that uses all four sentence types:

Maria always leaves her keys on the kitchen counter, while David always keeps his keys in his room. I leave my keys in my purse. It's important to leave your keys in one place, because if you're always losing them, you end up wasting so much time. Put your keys in the same place every day, and you'll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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Compound Sentences

In this lesson, we'll cover compound sentences and how to create them by joining two or more independent clauses together. Compound sentences differ from other sentence types, and if you leave out their joining elements, you turn them into run-on sentences. After you review the lesson, you can test your knowledge of compound sentences with a quiz.

Definition

A compound sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses joined by a comma, semicolon or conjunction. An independent clause is a clause that has a subject and verb and forms a complete thought.

An example of a compound sentence is, 'This house is too expensive, and that house is too small.' This sentence is a compound sentence because it has two independent clauses, 'This house is too expensive' and 'that house is too small' separated by a comma and the conjunction 'and.'

Compound Sentences and Meaning

When independent clauses are joined with coordinators (also called coordinating conjunctions) commas and semicolons, they do more than just join the clauses. They add meaning and flow to your writing. First let's look at the coordinators you can use to join independent clauses. They are:

• For
• And
• Nor
• But
• Or
• Yet
• So

Note that they form the handy mnemonic FANBOYS. The three you will use most often are 'and,' 'but' and 'or.'

Here's an example of how coordinating conjunctions add meaning:

'I think you'd enjoy the party, but I don't mind if you stay home.'

In this sentence, the coordinator 'but' shows a clear relationship between the two independent clauses, in this case, that the speaker is making a suggestion that the person being addressed isn't expected to follow it. Without the coordinator 'but,' the relationship isn't apparent, making the writing choppy and the meaning less clear:

'I think you'd enjoy the party. I don't mind if you stay home.'

You can also join independent clauses with a semicolon (;) , which looks something like a cross between a colon and a comma. If you join clauses with a semicolon, you add an abrupt pause, creating a different kind of effect, as shown in the sentence below:

'He said he didn't mind if I stayed home; it soon became clear he wasn't being honest.'

You should use a semicolon when the independent clauses are related, but contrast in a way that you want to stand out. In the sentence above, the contrast is that the person being talked about in the first clause sounded honest when he said he didn't mind if the speaker stayed home, but in the second clause, the speaker is telling you that the person being talked about was not honest. You could just as easily have written the sentence using a coordinating conjunction:

'He said he didn't mind if I stayed home, but it soon became clear he wasn't being honest.'

The sentence still means the same as before, but using the coordinator 'but' softens the impact of the second clause.

Comparing Sentence Types

Sentences give structure to language, and in English, they come in four types: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex. When you use several types together, your writing is more interesting. Combining sentences effectively takes practice, but you'll be happy with the result.

1. The simple sentence is an independent clause with one subject and one verb. For example: 'Katniss can survive in the forest.'
2. The compound sentence is, as noted previously, two or more independent clauses joined with a comma, semicolon or conjunction. For example: 'Katniss can survive in the forest, and she is a capable archer.'
3. The complex sentence combines independent clauses with dependent clauses. For example: 'When equipped with her bow and arrows, Katniss can survive in the forest.'

What Are Compound Sentences (with Examples)

A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses.

An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence.

In a compound sentence, the two clauses are joined using:

• a conjunction with a comma (e.g., ", and")
(Read more about when to use commas before conjunctions.)
• a semicolon
(Read more about using semicolons.)
• a colon
(This is rare because the words after a colon are not often an independent clause.)
(Read more about using colons.)
• a dash
(Read more about using dashes instead of semicolons and colons.)
• a conjunction with a semicolon (e.g., "; and")
(This is rare because it's an outdated style.)
(Read more about when to use a comma before conjunctions.)

Examples of Compound Sentences

Below are examples of compound sentences. In each example, the independent clauses are shaded.

• Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Albert Einstein, 1879-1955)
• There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed. (Peter Sellers, 1925-1980)
• Go, and never darken my towels again. (Groucho Marx, 1890-1977)
(Note: Go is the shortest sentence in English.)
• Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do. (Dale Carnegie)

The Four Types of Sentence Structure

A compound sentence is one of four main sentence structures, all of which are shown below. In these examples, the independent clauses are shaded.

A Complex Sentence. A complex sentence has an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. For example:

• Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggie" until you can find a rock. (Will Rogers, 1879-1935)

A Compound Sentence. A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. For example:

• Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. (Joseph Heller, 1923-1999) (Jane Wagner)
(This example has three independent clauses.)

A Simple Sentence. A simple sentence has just one independent clause. For example:

• A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs. (German Proverb)

A Compound-Complex Sentence.  A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. For example:

• I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)

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Simple Sentences and their Structures

Sentences: Simple, Compound, and Complex

A common weakness in writing is the lack of varied sentences. Becoming aware of three general types of sentences--simple, compound, and complex--can help you vary the sentences in your writing.

The most effective writing uses a variety of the sentence types explained below.

1. Simple Sentences

A simple sentence has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought.

Examples of simple sentences include the following:

1. Joe waited for the train.
   "Joe" = subject, "waited" = verb
    
2. The train was late.
   "The train" = subject, "was" = verb
    
3. Mary and Samantha took the bus.
   "Mary and Samantha" = compound subject, "took" = verb
    
4. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station.
   "I" = subject, "looked" = verb
    
5. Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station early but waited until noon for the bus.
   "Mary and Samantha" = compound subject, "arrived" and "waited" = compound verb  

Tip: If you use many simple sentences in an essay, you should consider revising some of the sentences into compound or complex sentences (explained below).

The use of compound subjects, compound verbs, prepositional phrases (such as "at the bus station"), and other elements help lengthen simple sentences, but simple sentences often are short. The use of too many simple sentences can make writing "choppy" and can prevent the writing from flowing smoothly.  

A simple sentence can also be referred to as an independent clause. It is referred to as "independent" because, while it might be part of a compound or complex sentence, it can also stand by itself as a complete sentence.

2. Compound Sentences

A compound sentence refers to a sentence made up of two independent clauses (or complete sentences) connected to one another with a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if you think of the words "FAN BOYS":

• For
• And
• Nor
• But
• Or
• Yet
• So

Examples of compound sentences include the following:

1. Joe waited for the train, but the train was late.
    
2. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station, but they arrived at the station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived.
    
3. Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, and they left on the bus before I arrived.
    
4. Mary and Samantha left on the bus before I arrived, so I did not see them at the bus station.

Tip: If you rely heavily on compound sentences in an essay, you should consider revising some of them into complex sentences (explained below).

Coordinating conjunctions are useful for connecting sentences, but compound sentences often are overused. While coordinating conjunctions can indicate some type of relationship between the two independent clauses in the sentence, they sometimes do not indicate much of a relationship. The word "and," for example, only adds one independent clause to another, without indicating how the two parts of a sentence are logically related. Too many compound sentences that use "and" can weaken writing.

Clearer and more specific relationships can be established through the use of complex sentences. 

3. Complex Sentences

A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it. A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause, or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence. 

Examples of dependent clauses include the following:

• because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon
• while he waited at the train station
• after they left on the bus

Dependent clauses such as those above cannot stand alone as a sentence, but they can be added to an independent clause to form a complex sentence.

Dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions. Below are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions:

• after
• although
• as
• because
• before
• even though
• if
• since
• though
• unless
• until
• when
• whenever
• whereas
• wherever
• while

A complex sentence joins an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses.

The dependent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the independent clause, as in the following:

Tip: When the dependent clause comes first, a comma should be used to separate the two clauses.

1. Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station.
2. While he waited at the train station, Joe realized that the train was late.
3. After they left on the bus, Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station.

Conversely, the independent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the dependent clause, as in the following:

Tip: When the independent clause comes first, a comma should not be used to separate the two clauses.

1. I did not see them at the station because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon.
2. Joe realized that the train was late while he waited at the train station.
3. Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station after they left on the bus.

Complex sentences are often more effective than compound sentences because a complex sentence indicates clearer and more specific relationships between the main parts of the sentence. The word "before," for instance, tells readers that one thing occurs before another. A word such as "although" conveys a more complex relationship than a word such as "and" conveys.

The term periodic sentence is used to refer to a complex sentence beginning with a dependent clause and ending with an independent clause, as in "While he waited at the train station, Joe realized that the train was late."

Periodic sentences can be especially effective because the completed thought occurs at the end of it, so the first part of the sentence can build up to the meaning that comes at the end.

Beginning Sentences with "And" or "Because"

Should you begin a sentence with "and" or "but" (or one of the other coordinating conjunctions)?

The short answer is "no." You should avoid beginning a sentence with "and," "or," "but," or the other coordinating conjunctions. These words generally are used to join together parts of a sentence, not to begin a new sentence.

However, such sentences can be used effectively. Because sentences beginning with these words stand out, they are sometimes used for emphasis. If you use sentences beginning with one of the coordinating conjunctions, you should use these sentences sparingly and carefully.

Should you begin a sentence with "because"?

There is nothing wrong with beginning a sentence with "because."

Perhaps some students are told not to begin a sentence with "because" to avoid sentence fragments (something like "Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon" is a sentence fragment), but it is perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with "because" as long as the sentence is complete (as in "Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station.")

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Transformation of Sentences

Transformation-of-Sentences is done in various ways. 

The nature of the sentences can be changed without changing the meaning of the sentences. 
1. Sentences containing the adverb ‘too’:
Example-1:

• My friend is too rich to by my consort. 

You can see How the Transformation-of-Sentences, containing the adverb ‘too’, takes place without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

• My friend is so rich that he can not be my consort. 
Example-2: 

• The news is too good to be true. 

You can see How the Transformation-of-Sentences takes place into the following version without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

• The news is so good that it can not be true. 
Example-3: 

• He drove too fast for the police to catch. 

This sentence can be changed into the following version with out changing the meaning of the sentence. 

• He drove so fast that the police can not catch him. 

The Transformation-of-Sentences takes place by removing the adverb ‘too’ and by adding a conjunction ‘so…that’. 

In this way, the following sentences have been changed for your attention. 
Examples:

• He is too proud to beg. 
• He is so proud that he will not beg. 

• It is never too late to mend. 
• It is not so late that it can not be mended. 

• He is too ignorant for the post of a postman. 
• He is so ignorant that he is not suitable for the post of a postman. 

• This shirt is small for me. 
• This shirt is so small that it is not suitable for me. 

• He speaks too fast to be understood. 
• He speaks so fast that he can not be understood. 
2. Interchange of Degrees of Comparison: :

The Transformation-of-Sentences, containing comparatives, can be done as follows with out changing the meaning of the sentences. 
Example-1:

• I am as strong as him. 

This sentence is in positive degree. 
This sentence can be changed into a sentence of comparative one. 

• I am not stronger than him 

This sentence conveys the same meaning as the above sentence. 


Example-2:

• Positive: This razor is not as sharp as that one. 
• Comparative: That razor is sharper than this one. 
Example-3:

• Positive: Very few cities in India are as rich as Mumbai. 
• Comparative: Mumbai is richer that most other cities in India. 
• Superlative: Mumbai is one of the richest cities in India. 
Example-4:

• Superlative: Upshaw is not the tallest girl in the class. 
• Comparative: Upshaw is not taller than many girls in the class. 

The Transformation-of-Sentences,according to the nature of the sentences, takes place into either negative or affirmative sentences. 

3. Interchange of Active and Passive voice:

A sentence in the Active form can be changed into Passive form. 
Example-1:

• Active: Brutus stabbed Caesar. 
• Passive: Caesar was stabbed by Brutus. 

The proper Auxiliary verb and ‘by’ are used in the Passive form. 
Example-2:

• Active: The members will make him the President of this organization. 
• Passive: He will be made the President of this organization by its members. 
Example-3:

• Active: The audience loudly cheered the Mayor’s speech. 
• Passive: The Mayor’s speech was loudly cheered. 

Whenever it is evident who the agent (doer of the action) is, it is not necessary to mention him in the passive voice and this omission gives the sentence a beauty. 

In the example-3, it is evident that only the audience would have cheered the speaker. 
So, it has been avoided and such an omission adds only a touch of beauty to the sentence. 
Example-4:

The same way, the proper Pronoun form and the proper verb should be added in the active sentence when the passive sentences is changed into an active sentence. 

• Passive: She is known to me. 
• Active: I know her. 
Example-5:

• Passive: Promises should be kept. 
• Active: One should keep one’s promises. 

The Active Voice is used to make the agent prominent. 
The Passive Voice is used to make ‘the action of the verb’ prominent. 
The Passive Voice can be used when the agent is unknown. 
Example-6:

• Active: We admire the brave. 
• Passive: The brave is admired. 

In this sentence, the agent ‘we’ has been omitted to generalize the statement that the brave is admired. 
Although, the Active-sentence has used the pronoun ‘we’. 
4. Interchange of affirmative and negative sentences:

The affirmative sentence can be changed into a negative sentence by using ‘not’. 
Example-1:

• Affirmative: I was doubtful whether it was you. 
• Negative: I was not sure that it was you. 
Example-2:

• Affirmative: Everybody was present. 
• Negative: Nobody is absent. 
Example-3:

• Affirmative: All cheered. 
• Negative: There was no one present who did not cheer. 

In this way the negative sentences can be changed into affirmative sentences as follows. 
Example-4:

• Negative: God will not forget the cry of the humble. 
• Affirmative: God will heed the cry of the humble. 

The ‘not’ in the negative sentences should be removed to convert them into affirmative sentences. 
Example-5:

• Negative: No one could deny that she is pretty. 
• Affirmative: Every one accepts that she is pretty. 

As seen above, the Transformation-of-Sentences can be made in many ways with out changing the meaning of the sentences. 

There are few more ways in which the Transformation-of-Sentences can be made. 

At the same time, a simple sentence can be changed into a complex sentence and vice-versa. 

At the same time, a compound sentence can be changed into a complex sentence and vice-versa. 

At the same time, a complex sentence can be changed into a compound sentence and vice-versa. 

All such changes are possible to make the ideas of the sentences understandable. 

This is in addition to the previous chapters on Transformations of Sentence. 
1. To transform the simple sentence into a compound sentence:

A simple sentence can be transformed into a compound sentence by enlarging phrase or word into a co-ordinate clause. 
Example-1:

• He must work hard to make up for the lost time. 

This sentence can be made into two parts and those two parts can be joined by a conjunction ‘and’. 

• He work hard and make up the lost time. 
Example-2:

• To his eternal disgrace, he betrayed his country. 
• He betrayed his country and this was to his eternal disgrace. 
Example-3:

• Besides robbing the poor child, he also murdered the child. 
• He not only robbed the poor child and also murdered the child. 
Example-4:

• The teacher punished the children for disobedience. 
• The children were disobedience so the teacher punished them 

You can see How the Transformations of Sentence take place without changing the meaning of the sentence. 
2. To transform a compound sentence into a simple sentence:

The following examples illustrate the chief ways in which the compound sentences are transformed into simple sentences. 
Example-1:

• We must eat or we cannot live. 
• We must eat to live. 
Example-2:

• You must either pay the bill at once or return the goods. 
• Failing prompt payment, the goods must be returned by you. 
Example-3:

• He must not be late or he will be returned. 
• In the event of his being late, he will be returned. 
Example-4:

• He is rich, yet he is not contented. 
• In spite being rich, he is not contented. 
Example-5:

• This coat cannot be mine, for it is too big. 
• For its big size, it cannot be mine. 
Example-6:

• He is very poor, but he does not complain. 
• In spite of being poor, he does not complain. 

These examples are enough to make the point clear how the compound sentences are transformed into simple sentences. 

You can see How the Transformations of Sentence take place without changing the meaning of the sentence. 
3. To transform a simple sentence into a complex sentence:

A simple sentence can be transformed into a complex sentence by enlarging a phrase into a subordinate clause. 

The clause may be Noun, Adjective or Adverb. 
Example-1:

• He confessed his crime. 

Here the noun (his crime) has been changed into a subordinated clause. 

• He confessed that he was guilty of the crime. 
Example-2:

• On the arrival of the mails, the steamer will leave. 

Here the adverbial phrase has been changed into a subordinate clause. 

• The steamer will leave as soon as the mails arrive. 
Example-3:

• I saw a wounded bird. 

Here the adjective phrase has been changed into a subordinate clause. 

• I saw a bird that was wounded. 
Example-4:

• On being punished, he wept. 
• When he was punished, he wept. 

You can see How the Transformations of Sentence take place without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

4. To transform a Complex Sentence into a Simple Sentence:

The following sentences will make it clear how to transform the complex sentences into the simple sentence. 
Example-1:

• He said that he was an innocent. 

This Complex Sentence has been changed into a Simple Sentence as follows. 

• He declared his innocence. 
Example-2:

• How long I will stay is a doubtful? 

Here, the Subordinate Clause has been changed into a Noun Clause. 

• The duration of my stay is doubtful. 
Example-3:

• Tell me where you live. 

Here also, the Subordinate Clause has been changed into a Noun Clause. 

• Tell me your address. 
Example-4:

• He died in the village where he lived. 

Here the Subordinate Clause has been changed into an Adjective Clause. 

• He died in his native place. 
Example-5:

• The moment that is lost is lost for ever. 

Here also the Subordinate Clause has been changed into an Adjective Clause. 

• The lost moment is lost forever. 
Example-6:

• He was too tired that he can not stand. 

Here the Subordinate Clause has been changed into an Adverb Clause. 

• He was too tired to stand. 
Example-7:

• He will not pay unless he is compelled. 

Here also, the Subordinate Clause has been changed into an Adverb Clause. 

• He will pay only under compulsion. 

You can see How the Transformations of Sentence take place without changing the meaning of the sentence. 

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Phrases and their Structures

A sentence may consist of one clause (independent clause) or more clauses (independent and dependent clauses). An independent clause is also called main clause. A dependent clause is also called subordinate clause.

On the basis of numbers of clause and types of clauses present in a sentence, sentences are divided in to four kinds.

 

Simple Sentence

      A simple sentence consists of only one independent clause containing a subject and a verb and it expresses complete thought. There is no dependent clause.
“An independent clause (also called main clause) is called a simple sentence.”

Examples.
             He laughed.
             She ate an apple.
             They are sleeping.
             I bought a book.

 

Compound Sentence

A compound sentence consists of at least two independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions. There is no dependent clause in compound sentence. The coordinating conjunctions use to join independent clauses are “for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so”. Independent clauses can also be joined by a semicolon (;). A comma may or may not be used before the conjunction in compound sentence.

Examples
            I like an apple but my brother likes a mango.
            I helped him and he became happy.
            He failed two times yet he is not disappointed.
            I asked him a question; he replied correctly.

 

Complex Sentence

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause joined by subordinating conjunction (because, although, since, when, unless etc) or relative pronoun (that, who, which etc).

Examples
            I met the boy who had helped me.
            She is wearing a shirt which looks nice.
            You can’t pass the test unless you study for it.

If a complex sentence begins with an independent clause, a comma is not used between clauses in a complex sentence. If a complex sentence begins with dependent clause then a comma is use after dependent clause in a complex sentence. See the following example.

           He is playing well although he is ill.
           Although he is ill, he is playing well.

 

Complex - Compound Sentence   

A complex-compound sentence consists of at least two independents and one or more dependent clauses. It is also sometimes called compound-complex Sentence.

Examples
      1. He went to college and I went to a market where I bought a book.
      2. I like Mathematics but my bother likes Biology
            because he wants to be a doctor.

In the first sentence of above sentence, there are two independent clauses “he went to college” and “I went to a market”, and one dependent clause “where I bought a book”.

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Agreements

Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of subject-verb agreement.

Basic Rule. A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example: The list of items is/are on the desk.
If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.

Rule 1. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes.

Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:

Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend color and fragrance to the room.

Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.

Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.

Rule 3. The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.

Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.

This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to this odd sentence:

Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.

If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward sentences.

Better:
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.

Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

But note these exceptions:

Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.

In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

Rule 5. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as, besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.

Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 6. In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.

Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.

NOTE:

The word there's, a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal sentences likeThere's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say "there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with a plural subject.

Rule 7. Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.

Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.

Rule 8. With words that indicate portions—e.g., a lot, a majority, some, all—Rule 1 given earlier in this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of. If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.

Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.

NOTE

In recent years, the SAT testing service has considered none to be strictly singular. However, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage: "Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism." When none is clearly intended to mean "not one," it is followed by a singular verb.

Rule 9. With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.

Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.

NOTE

Anyone who uses a plural verb with a collective noun must take care to be accurate—and also consistent. It must not be done carelessly. The following is the sort of flawed sentence one sees and hears a lot these days:

The staff is deciding how they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the plural they to staffin the same sentence.

Consistent: The staff are deciding how they want to vote.

Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence would read even better as:

The staff members are deciding how they want to vote.

Rule 10. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact:

Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.

Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually here, so we say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is used to express things that are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory. The subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.

Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.

In the first example, a wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were, which we usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular subject I.

Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.

Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.

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