Usually the subject comes before the verb. In Hard-to-Find Subjects you met sentences where it comes after: questions, and sentences that start with there or here. The agreement rules from Agreement with Compound Subjects still apply. You just have to look ahead for the subject.
Key idea
When a sentence starts with there or here, or asks a question, find the subject after the verb and make the verb agree with it.
Why it works
In these sentences the verb comes first, so the reader hears the number before seeing the subject. “There is …” promises one thing. If two things follow, the sentence breaks its promise.
Worked example: There
There (is / are) three pencils in the cup.
- There is not the subject. What is in the cup? Three pencils.
- Turn it around: “Three pencils are in the cup.”
Answer: There are three pencils in the cup.
Worked example: A question
Where (is / are) my shoes?
- Make it a statement: “My shoes ___ where?”
- The subject is shoes, plural.
Answer: Where are my shoes?
Worked example: Here
Here (comes / come) the bus.
- Turn it around: “The bus comes here.”
- Bus is singular.
Answer: Here comes the bus.
Common mistake
Writing “There’s two reasons.” Many people say there’s before a plural in conversation. Formal writing uses there are with a plural subject: “There are two reasons.” The same goes for where’s and here’s.