1. Understanding Compound Subjects

• A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction (e.g., “and,” “or”).
• Example: “Tom and Jerry are friends.”
• (Both “Tom” and “Jerry” are subjects of the verb.)

---

2. Identifying Compound Subjects

• Compound subjects can be made up of:
• Two singular nouns: “The cat and the dog are playing.”
• A singular noun and a plural noun: “The teacher and the students are learning.”
• Conjunctions: The words “and” and “or” are commonly used to connect subjects.

---

3. Subject-Verb Agreement with Compound Subjects

• When using “and,” the verb should be plural because the compound subject refers to more than one person or thing.
• Example: “The cat and the dog are friends.”
• When using “or,” the verb should agree with the closest subject.
• Example: “Either the dog or the cats are outside.” (Plural verb)
• Example: “Either the cat or the dog is outside.” (Singular verb)

---

4. Examples of Compound Subjects

• Using “and”:
• “Jack and Jill are going up the hill.”
• “My mom and dad love to travel.”
• Using “or”:
• “Either the book or the pen is on the table.”
• “Neither the teacher nor the students are in the classroom.”

---

5. Common Errors to Avoid

• Using a singular verb with a compound subject joined by “and”:
• Incorrect: “Tom and Jerry is friends.”
• Correct: “Tom and Jerry are friends.”
• Confusing verb forms with subjects connected by “or”:
• Incorrect: “Either the cat or the dogs are sleeping.”
• Correct: “Either the cat or the dogs is sleeping.” (if “cat” is closest and singular)

---

6. Tips for Students

• Always look for the conjunction to identify if the subject is compound.
• Remember that “and” makes the subject plural, while “or” makes the verb agree with the subject closest to it.
• When in doubt, say the sentence out loud to check if it sounds right.

---

Let’s practice!🖊️