Agreement: compound subjects and their verb

Compounding involves having more than one (subject, verb, , etc.). If you have a compound subject, all subjects would refer to the same predicate. For example (subjects underlined):
Falling leaves, cooler breezes and paler skies signal autumn"s return.

Remember that a regular plural verb does NOT end in /s/, while a singular verb often does (just the opposite of nouns).

A compound subject almost always takes a plural verb, but often some phrases become one to our ear or we sense that they are a unit, especially when the noun following the verb is singular (as "breakfast" is below). In formal use, these are still two subjects, although you may hear them used as one in less formal writing and speaking:
Ham and eggs is my favorite breakfast.
Ice cream and cake is being served.

Some abstract subjects should be treated as singular if they are commonly considered a conceptual unit:
Peace and quiet is rare in this office.

When a compound subject linked by "and" is modified by "every" or "each," the verb is singular:
Each spring and fall brings the danger of more storms.

When a compound subject is joined by "or," "neither...nor," or "either...or" the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.
One or more items were priced below their value.
My sisters or my mom drives me to school.

When you begin a sentence with a verb and the subjects follow, decide whether you have one or multiple subjects and make the verb agree:
Enclosed are a resume and letters of reference.

grammarNOW! says:
When the verb follows a subject placeholder like "there," and then the "real" compound subjects follow the verb, it isn"t so simple. I would use what sounds natural, and not use an awkward verb because it may follow a "correct" rule. This is considered "notional agreement" when the number of the verb is affected by the noun closest to it.