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Grade 5Indefinite PronounsApplication

Indefinite Pronouns and Subject-Verb Agreement — Grade 5

Grade 5 worksheet drilling subject-verb agreement with always-singular, always-plural, and variable indefinite pronouns across four activity types.

Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, several, and most are common in student writing, but they trip up even careful writers when it comes to choosing the right verb. This worksheet gives Grade 5 students focused practice with all three categories: pronouns that are always singular, pronouns that are always plural, and pronouns whose verb form depends on the noun that follows them. Students begin by identifying the pronoun-verb pair in a sentence, move on to choosing between verb forms, then correct errors in complete sentences, and finally write one of their own. Each exercise includes a phrase between the subject and verb, which is the detail that causes the most mistakes. Print the sheet, work through the four parts in order, and use the answer key to review responses.

Indefinite Pronouns and Subject-Verb Agreement — Grade 5

Use what you know about indefinite pronouns to complete each section. Read carefully — a phrase between the subject and verb can be tricky!

Remember

  • Some indefinite pronouns are always singular: everyone, someone, no one, anything, nothing, each, either, neither. Use a singular verb.
  • Some indefinite pronouns are always plural: both, few, many, others, several. These take a plural verb like 'were' or 'have'.
  • All, any, most, none, and some depend on the noun after 'of.' 'Most of the cake was gone' but 'Most of the cupcakes were gone'.

Part A — Identify the Subject and Verb

Underline the indefinite pronoun subject and circle the verb that agrees with it in each sentence.

  1. 1.

    Everyone on our school bus arrives at school before eight o'clock.

  2. 2.

    Several of the plants in the science lab need water every other day.

  3. 3.

    Nothing about those two quiz answers seems correct to me.

  4. 4.

    Both of the new students in class have already made a few friends.

  5. 5.

    Most of the fruit in the two bowls was eaten before lunch ended.

Part B — Choose the Correct Verb

Choose the verb form that correctly agrees with the indefinite pronoun subject in each sentence.

  1. 6.

    Each of the runners in the relay ____ a different leg of the race.

    1. a)runs
    2. b)run
    3. c)are running
  2. 7.

    Few of the answers on Yusuf's science test ____ completely correct.

    1. a)was
    2. b)were
    3. c)is
  3. 8.

    Someone from the three fourth-grade classes ____ left a backpack in the gym.

    1. a)have
    2. b)were
    3. c)has
  4. 9.

    None of the milk in the cartons ____ still fresh, said the teacher.

    1. a)are
    2. b)were
    3. c)is
  5. 10.

    Many of the questions on the history test ____ about ancient Egypt.

    1. a)was
    2. b)is
    3. c)were

Part C — Correct the Error

Each sentence has one verb error. Rewrite the sentence correctly on the line.

  1. 11.

    Both of the homework assignments was due on Friday morning.

  2. 12.

    Everything in those three storage boxes need to be labeled by tomorrow.

  3. 13.

    Some of the sand on the beach were washed away by the waves.

  4. 14.

    Neither of the two answers Priya wrote match the correct solution.

Part D — Write Your Own Sentence

Follow the prompt below to write your own sentence using an indefinite pronoun as the subject.

  1. 15.

    Write your own sentence using an always-singular indefinite pronoun as the subject. Add a phrase after it that could trick a reader into using the wrong verb.

Answer key

Part A — Identify the Subject and Verb

  1. 1.Everyone, arrives
  2. 2.Several, need
  3. 3.Nothing, seems
  4. 4.Both, have
  5. 5.Most, was

Part B — Choose the Correct Verb

  1. 6.runs
  2. 7.were
  3. 8.has
  4. 9.is
  5. 10.were

Part C — Correct the Error

  1. 11.Both of the homework assignments were due on Friday morning.
  2. 12.Everything in those three storage boxes needs to be labeled by tomorrow.
  3. 13.Some of the sand on the beach was washed away by the waves.
  4. 14.Neither of the two answers Priya wrote matches the correct solution.

Part D — Write Your Own Sentence

  1. 15.Example: Nobody in the three science groups wants to skip the experiment today.

What this worksheet teaches

  • Identify indefinite pronoun subjects and the verbs that agree with them in sentences.
  • Choose the correct verb form for singular, plural, and variable indefinite pronouns.
  • Write an original sentence using an always-singular indefinite pronoun correctly.

What is on the page

Part B — Choose the Correct Verb prints “Each of the runners in the relay ____ a different leg of the race.” with the options “runs”, “run” and “are running”; the key gives “runs”.

In Part C — Correct the Error, “Both of the homework assignments was due on Friday morning.” is corrected in the key to “Both of the homework assignments were due on Friday morning.”

The language it drills

“Everyone on our school bus arrives at school before eight o'clock.” carries two answers: “Everyone” and “arrives”.

Notes for the grown-up

  • The most common error: students match the verb to the nearest noun, not the true subject. Watch for this in Section C.
  • When a student chooses wrong, ask: 'What is the subject of this sentence?' Guide them back to the indefinite pronoun.
  • A student is ready to move on when they can explain their verb choice by naming the pronoun type, not by how it sounds.

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