Subject Verb Agreement Rules

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Questions and Answers

Correct the following sentence, explaining the subject-verb agreement error: 'The level of integration between the marketing and product teams are crucial for the success of the new campaign.'

The corrected sentence is: 'The level of integration between the marketing and product teams is crucial for the success of the new campaign.' The subject is 'level,' which is singular, thus requiring the singular verb 'is'.

Rewrite the following sentence to correct the subject-verb agreement, and identify the rule that applies: 'Neither the data nor the methodology is adequate to support the researchers' conclusions.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Neither the data nor the methodology are adequate to support the researchers' conclusions.' This follows the rule that when using neither/nor, the verb agrees with the noun closest to it, which is 'methodology' - thus 'is' should be used. To fix this, switch the order of nouns - 'Neither the methodology nor the data are adequate...'

Correct the following sentence, explaining the error in subject-verb agreement: 'The CEO, as well as her executive team, are responsible for the company's strategic direction.'

The corrected sentence is: 'The CEO, as well as her executive team, is responsible for the company's strategic direction.' The subject is 'CEO,' which is singular. The phrase 'as well as her executive team' does not affect the singularity of the subject.

Fix the subject-verb disagreement in this sentence and explain why the original is wrong: 'There is several factors contributing to the decline in sales.'

The corrected sentence is: 'There are several factors contributing to the decline in sales.' The subject 'factors' is plural, so it requires the plural verb 'are.' Signup and view all the answers

Revise the following sentence to achieve correct subject-verb agreement. Explain the rule that applies: 'Ten years are too short a time to fully assess the long-term effects of the policy.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Ten years is too short a time to fully assess the long-term effects of the policy.' When referring to a period of time as a single unit, a singular verb is used. Signup and view all the answers

Correct the subject-verb agreement in the sentence below and explain the applicable rule: 'A majority of the committee members supports the new initiative.'

The corrected sentence is: 'A majority of the committee members support the new initiative.' Since 'members' is plural, the verb must also be plural. Signup and view all the answers

Modify this sentence for proper subject-verb agreement, clarifying the reason for the error: 'The team are working hard to meet the deadline.'

The corrected sentence is: 'The team is working hard to meet the deadline.' Here, 'team' is treated as a collective noun performing a single action, so the verb should be singular. Signup and view all the answers

Correct the following sentence and state the rule being applied: 'Each of the applicants have a unique skill set.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Each of the applicants has a unique skill set.' The indefinite pronoun 'each' is singular and requires a singular verb. Signup and view all the answers

Identify and correct the subject-verb agreement error in this sentence: 'Statistics are proving to be a difficult course for many students.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Statistics is proving to be a difficult course for many students.' Although 'statistics' is plural in form, it is singular when referring to the field of study. Signup and view all the answers

Rewrite the following sentence with the correct subject-verb agreement, noting the rule used: 'The number of errors in the report are surprisingly high.'

The corrected sentence is: 'The number of errors in the report is surprisingly high.' The phrase 'the number' takes a singular verb. Signup and view all the answers

Correct this sentence, explaining the reason for the original error: 'These pair of scissors aren't sharp enough.'

The corrected sentence is: 'This pair of scissors isn't sharp enough.' The phrase 'pair of scissors' is considered singular and must have a singular verb. Signup and view all the answers

Provide the corrected form of the sentence below, elucidating the specific cause of the initial disagreement: 'Neither rain nor sunshine are predicted for tomorrow.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Neither rain nor sunshine is predicted for tomorrow.' When using 'neither/nor' with singular subjects, a singular verb is required. Signup and view all the answers

Correct the subject-verb agreement error in the sentence and explain why the correction is needed: 'A collection of rare books are being donated to the library.'

The corrected sentence: 'A collection of rare books is being donated to the library.' The subject is 'collection', which is singular, thus requiring the singular verb 'is'. Signup and view all the answers

Adjust the following sentence for correct subject-verb agreement, explaining the rule that governs the adjustment: 'Several of the wheat in the field are affected by the fungus.'

The corrected sentence is: 'Several of the wheat in the field is affected by the fungus.' 'Wheat' is an uncountable noun, hence, it requires singular verb agreement. Signup and view all the answers

Correct the sentence ensuring subject-verb agreement and identify the relevant rule: 'The committee, despite having differing opinions, have agreed on a final decision.'

The corrected sentence is: 'The committee, despite having differing opinions, has agreed on a final decision.' The collective noun 'committee' is acting as a single unit, requiring a singular verb. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Basic Subject-Verb Agreement

Singular subjects use singular verbs; plural subjects use plural verbs.

Rule #1: Ignore 'of' Phrases

Ignore phrases starting with 'of' when determining subject-verb agreement.