Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

Study Notes

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

A subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject needs a singular verb, and a plural subject needs a plural verb.
Singular subjects (e.g., he, she, it, a noun referring to a single person or thing) take singular verbs (e.g., is, has, runs).
Plural subjects (e.g., they, we, you, a noun referring to more than one person or thing) take plural verbs (e.g., are, have, run).

Identifying the Subject

The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action of the verb. It's often the first noun or pronoun in the sentence.
Sometimes, phrases come between the subject and verb. Ignore these intervening phrases when determining subject-verb agreement.

Compound Subjects

When two or more subjects are joined by and, the subject is plural, and the verb should be plural.
Example: The dog and the cat are playing.
When two or more subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject closer to the verb.
Example: The dog or the cats are playing. (Verb agrees with cats because it's closer)
Example: The cats or the dog is playing (Verb agrees with dog).

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns like each, every, anyone, nobody, someone, and everybody are singular and take singular verbs.
Example: Everyone is happy today.
Indefinite pronouns like both, few, many, several, and others are plural and take plural verbs.
Example: Many are coming to the party.

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, group) can be singular or plural, depending on the context. If the group acts as a single unit, the verb is singular. If the members of the group act individually, the verb is plural.
Example: The team is practicing. (The entire team acts as a unit.)
Example: The team are playing various roles. (Members of the team are acting individually).

Compound Subjects with "or" vs. "nor"

When the compound subject uses or or nor, the verb agrees with the noun that is closer to the verb.
Example: Neither the student nor the teachers are responsible.
Example: Either the teacher or the students are responsible.

Subjects with Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases (e.g., in the box, on the table) usually don't affect subject-verb agreement. The subject will be before the phrase, not part of it.
Example: The books on the shelf are mine.

Other Important Considerations

Titles of books, movies, etc., are usually treated as singular and take singular verbs.
In sentences containing prepositional phrases, make sure the subject of the sentence remains before the phrase.
Make sure you correctly identify the subject despite the presence of intervening phrases, especially with compound subjects. The verb must still agree with the subject and not the intervening phrase.

Description

This quiz covers crucial rules of subject-verb agreement in English grammar. Learn how to identify singular and plural subjects, and effectively match them with the appropriate verbs. Understanding these concepts is key to enhancing your writing and communication skills.