Subject-Verb Agreement Basics

Study Notes

Basic Subject Verb Agreement

Definition: Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must match the verb in number (singular or plural).
Singular Subjects:
- A singular subject takes a singular verb.
  - Example: The dog barks.
Plural Subjects:
- A plural subject takes a plural verb.
  - Example: The dogs bark.
Compound Subjects:
- When two singular subjects are joined by "and," use a plural verb.
  - Example: The cat and the dog are playing.
- If the subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject closer to the verb.
  - Example: Either the teacher or the students are responsible.
Indefinite Pronouns:
- Some indefinite pronouns are always singular (e.g., anyone, everyone, someone).
  - Example: Everyone is invited.
- Others are always plural (e.g., few, many, several).
  - Example: Many are called.
- Some can be singular or plural based on context (e.g., all, some, none).
  - Example: All of the cake is gone (singular); All of the cookies are gone (plural).
Collective Nouns:
- Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals.
  - Example (singular): The team is winning.
  - Example (plural): The team are arguing among themselves.
Exceptions:
- Titles of books, movies, etc., are treated as singular.
  - Example: "The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of books."
- Fractions and percentages may take a singular or plural verb depending on the noun that follows.
  - Example: Twenty percent of the cake is gone; Twenty percent of the cookies are gone.
General Tips:
- Always identify the subject first.
- Watch out for phrases that may separate the subject and verb, such as prepositional phrases.
- In questions, the subject often follows the verb, which can lead to confusion.
  - Example: Where are the car keys? (Subject: car keys, Verb: are)
Practice:
- Check sentences for agreement, especially in complex structures.
- Rewrite incorrectly matched subject-verb pairs.

Definition

Subject-verb agreement dictates that the subject and verb in a sentence must align in number (singular or plural).

Singular Subjects

A singular subject necessitates a singular verb.
Example: "The dog barks." demonstrates correct singular agreement.

Plural Subjects

A plural subject requires a plural verb.
Example: "The dogs bark." illustrates correct plural agreement.

Compound Subjects

When two singular subjects are joined by "and," they require a plural verb.
Example: "The cat and the dog are playing." shows correct plural usage.
With subjects joined by "or" or "nor," the verb aligns with the subject closest to it.
Example: "Either the teacher or the students are responsible." indicates proper agreement.

Indefinite Pronouns

Certain indefinite pronouns are consistently singular (e.g., anyone, everyone, someone).
Example: "Everyone is invited." reflects singular usage.
Meanwhile, others are always plural (e.g., few, many, several).
Example: "Many are called." demonstrates plural agreement.
Some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural based on context (e.g., all, some, none).
Example: "All of the cake is gone." (singular) vs. "All of the cookies are gone." (plural).

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns can be treated as singular or plural, depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals.
Example (singular): "The team is winning." emphasizes collective success.
Example (plural): "The team are arguing among themselves." highlights individual actions.

Exceptions

Titles of books, movies, etc., are always treated as singular.
Example: "'The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of books.'" reflects this rule.
For fractions and percentages, the verb may be singular or plural depending on the noun that follows.
Example: "Twenty percent of the cake is gone." (singular) vs. "Twenty percent of the cookies are gone." (plural).

General Tips

Always identify the subject before determining the verb form.
Be cautious of phrases that can separate the subject from the verb, particularly prepositional phrases.
In questions, the verb may precede the subject, which could create confusion.
Example: "Where are the car keys?" identifies "car keys" as the subject and "are" as the verb.

Practice

Continuously check sentences for proper subject-verb agreement, especially in complex sentences.
Practice by rewriting sentences with incorrect subject-verb matches to improve understanding.

Description

Test your understanding of subject-verb agreement with this quiz. Learn how singular and plural subjects affect verb forms, and explore rules for compound subjects and indefinite pronouns. Perfect for improving your grammatical skills!