Subject-Verb Agreement Rules Quiz

Study Notes

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural).
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs.
Use the correct form of the verb based on the subject, regardless of other phrases or clauses.

Singular vs. Plural Subjects

Singular Subjects: Require a singular verb (e.g., "The dog barks").
Plural Subjects: Require a plural verb (e.g., "The dogs bark").
Indefinite pronouns (e.g., anyone, everyone) usually take singular verbs.
Some collective nouns (e.g., team, family) can take either singular or plural verbs depending on context.

Compound Subjects

When subjects are joined by "and," they typically take a plural verb (e.g., "Tom and Jerry are friends").
When subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the nearest subject (e.g., "Either the cat or the dogs are outside").
"Neither...nor" and "either...or" constructions also follow the same rule for nearest subject.

Inverted Sentences

In sentences where the subject follows the verb (common in questions), the verb must still agree with the subject (e.g., "There are many options," not "There is many options").
Use the correct form of the verb based on the subject’s number despite the inversion.

Common Errors

Misplacing the subject can lead to errors (e.g., "The group of students are studying" should be "The group of students is studying").
Confusing collective nouns; ensure the context dictates the verb form.
Ignoring compound subjects' rules, especially with "or" or "nor."
Overlooking indefinite pronouns; ensure they are treated as singular or plural correctly.

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects and verbs must match in number; singular subjects use singular verbs and plural subjects use plural verbs.
The form of the verb must correspond to the subject regardless of additional phrases or clauses present.

Singular vs. Plural Subjects

Singular subjects require singular verbs (e.g., "The dog barks").
Plural subjects require plural verbs (e.g., "The dogs bark").
Indefinite pronouns (e.g., anyone, everyone, someone) typically take singular verbs.
Collective nouns like "team" and "family" can use singular or plural verbs based on the context of the sentence.

Compound Subjects

Subjects linked by "and" generally take a plural verb (e.g., "Tom and Jerry are friends").
For subjects connected by "or" or "nor," the verb must agree with the closest subject (e.g., "Either the cat or the dogs are outside").
Similar rules apply for "neither...nor" and "either...or" constructions regarding the nearest subject.

Inverted Sentences

Inverted sentences, where the subject follows the verb (frequent in questions), still require the verb to agree with the subject (e.g., "There are many options," not "There is many options").
Correct form of the verb is based on the subject’s number, despite inversion.

Common Errors

Misplaced subjects lead to grammatical errors (e.g., "The group of students are studying" should be corrected to "The group of students is studying").
Confusion around collective nouns necessitates careful context consideration to determine verb form.
Ignoring rules for compound subjects, especially with "or" or "nor," can result in inaccuracies.
Indefinite pronouns must be treated accurately as singular or plural to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Description

Test your knowledge on the rules of subject-verb agreement. This quiz covers singular and plural subjects, compound subjects, and the impact of indefinite pronouns and collective nouns on verb forms. Ensure you understand how to make subjects and verbs agree correctly.