Now, read these sentences.

• The mother and daughters make a beautiful scrapbook.

• Stickers and glue are some of the materials used in making a scrapbook.

• Grandfather and grandmother love ballroom dancing.

The words in blue are the subjects of the sentences. There are two subjects in each sentence. These subjects are called compound subjects.

The connector and shows that the sentence has compound subjects. Therefore, a plural verb is needed.

Compound subjects share the same predicate.

Compound subjects connected by and require plural verbs. Compound subjects may also be connected by the words or, either...or, or neither...nor. In these cases, the verb agrees with the subject nearer it.

Examples:

• Either the daughters or Mrs. Lozada wears a new dress.

• Either Mr. Lozada or his son drives the family car.

• Neither Mrs. Lozada nor Mr. Lozada buys expensive things.

• Neither Mrs. Lozada nor her daughters want to dance.

In the above sentences, the verb agrees with the subject nearer it. In the first sentence, the verb wears agree with the subject Mrs. Lozada, and not daughters. In the fourth sentence, the verb wants agrees with the subject daughters, and not Mrs. Lozada.