The agreement of subjects and verbs is required in proper English grammar.
Singular verbs must be used with singular subjects, while plural verbs must be used with plural subjects. It seems so simple, right?
However, subject-verb agreement is actually one of the many rules in English grammar that most people are having difficulties with. It is for this reason that we have prepared this post.
If you want to know more about subject-verb agreement, please continue reading.
Overview of Subject-Verb Agreement
Nobody likes conflict, and sentences are no exception!
We all know that every sentence needs a subject and a predicate, but we also need to ensure that they agree. This is referred to as subject-verb agreement in grammar.
The grammatical idea of the subject-verb agreement states that the subject of a sentence must agree with the main verb of the same sentence.
Singular subjects use singular verbs, whereas plural subjects use plural verbs.
This may appear to be self-evident, but things may get difficult when it comes to money, time, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and interrupting sentences.
You should keep in mind the different subject-verb agreement rules, which we will be discussing shortly.
What are the Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-Verb Agreement is one of the basic grammar rules that are first taught in school and is also one of the most important.
And like any other rule, there is always an exception.
That is precisely what makes it so difficult. But do not fret! We have listed all these rules, with their exceptions, in full detail. Read on.
Basic Rules: Number Agreement
The verb needs to be singular if the subject is singular.
Singular means ONLY ONE.
Examples:
“She writes in her journal every day.”
Subject: She – singular
Verb: writes – singular
“Peter works as a journalist.”
Subject: Peter – singular
Singular nouns ending in -s take singular verbs.
Examples:
“Mathematics is my least favorite subject in school.”
Subject: Mathematics – singular
“Diabetes is a serious illness.”
Subject: Diabetes – singular
The verb needs to be plural if the subject is plural.
PLURAL means MORE THAN ONE.
Examples:
“They go to church every Sunday.”
“My sisters love to talk about fashion.”
Subject: (My) sisters – plural
Note: ‘I’ and ‘You’ take plural verbs as well.
“I take the subway to work.”
“You look stunning in that dress!”
Compound Subjects
Use a plural verb when the sentence’s subject consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’.
Examples:
“The teacher and her student stay in school every afternoon for remedial lessons.”
Subject: The teacher and her student – plural
“The house and the shop on 5th avenue are my cousin’s.”
Subject: The house and the building – plural
EXCEPTIONS:
“Breaking and entering is prohibited.”
Subject: Breaking and entering – considered as singular
“The bed and breakfast is amazing!”
Subject: bed and breakfast – considered as singular
When there is only one subject, and multiple verbs in a sentence, all of the verbs must agree with the subject.
Examples:
“He sells his old clothes every year and donates the money to the less fortunate.”
Subject: He – singular
Verb: sells, donates – singular
“The new students know how to speak in English but converse in Chinese when they are with themselves.”
Subject: (The new) students – plural
Verb: know, converse – plural
Subjects Separated from Verbs
Remember that when a phrase appears between the subject and the verb, the verb should still agree with the subject, not the noun or pronoun in the phrase after the subject of the sentence.
Example:
“The youngest child, as well as her older siblings, is thinking of studying abroad.”
Subject: The youngest child – singular
“The announcements in the bulletin board seem to be of no importance to the employees.”
Subject: (The) announcements – plural
Use a singular verb when ‘or’ or ‘nor’ connects two or more singular nouns or pronouns.
Examples:
“A new laptop or a new purse is what she wants as a birthday gift.”
Subject: A new laptop or a new purse – singular
“The CEO nor the chairperson does not accept the proposal of the committee.”
Subject: The CEO or the chairperson – singular
Verb: does (not accept) – singular
The verb should agree with the component of the subject nearest to the verb when a compound subject has both a singular and plural noun or pronoun joined by the words ‘or’ or ‘nor.’ This is referred to as the proximity rule.
Examples:
“My parents or my brother takes me to school every day.”
Subject: my brother – singular
“The teacher nor the students do not care about the noise.”
Subject: the students – plural
Verb: do not care – plural
For a subject to agree with its antecedent, a relative pronoun (‘who’, ‘which’, or ‘that’) employed as a subject of an adjective phrase takes either a singular or plural verb.
Examples:
“A student who follows the rules should be praised.”
Subject: student – singular
Verb: follows – singular
“Only cars that have stickers are allowed to enter the village.”
Subject: cars – plural
Indefinite Pronouns
‘Each’, ‘each one’, ‘either’, ‘neither’, ‘everybody’, ‘everyone’, ‘anybody’, ‘anyone’, ‘nobody’, ‘somebody’, ‘someone’, and ‘no one’ are singular subjects that require a singular verb.
Examples:
“Each of the contestants was eager to showcase their talent.”
Subject: Each of the contestants – singular
“Nobody wants to do the challenge.”
Subject: Nobody – singular
Verb: wants – singular
Collective and Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns take singular verbs.
Note: Things that we cannot count with numbers are called uncountable nouns. They could refer to abstract concepts or traits, as well as tangible items that are too little or amorphous to be enumerated (liquids, powders, gases, etc.).
Examples:
“The information in the manual is not enough.”
Subject: information – uncountable, singular
“Oil is needed in frying.”
Subject: oil – uncountable, singular
‘Goods’, ‘earnings’, ‘odds’, ‘surroundings’’, contents’, ‘valuables’, and ‘proceeds’ are examples of countable nouns in English that only have a plural form and require a plural verb.
Examples:
“His earnings this quarter exceed expectations.”
Subject: earnings – plural
“The proceeds of the yearly charity event benefit the orphanage.”
Subject: proceeds – uncountable, singular
Collective nouns are deemed singular and employ a singular verb. Collective nouns are words that indicate more than one person. ‘Group’, ‘team’, ‘committee’, ‘family’, and ‘class’ are some examples.
Examples:
“The team practices every weekend.”
Subject: team – singular
Verb: practices – singular
“My family plans to go to the beach this summer.”
Subject: family – singular
Employ the plural form of the verb if talking about individuals in the group.
Examples:
“The band are separating this month.”
Subject: couple – plural
Each member of the band is considered as a separate entity.
“The couple break up.”
Subject: couple – plural
Each member of the couple is considered separately.
Verb: break up – plural
Numbers and Amounts
When it comes to terms that express portions, for example, ‘a lot’, ‘a majority’, ‘some’, ‘all’, follow the noun that comes after ‘of’.
Employ a singular verb if the noun that comes after ‘of’ is singular. Use a plural verb if the subject is plural.
Examples:
“A lot of the cake has been eaten.”
Subject: cake – singular
“Thirty percent of the students have turned in their projects.”
Subject: students – plural
When considering distances, lengths of time, quantities of money, and other items as a unit, use a singular verb.
Examples:
“Eight years is the maximum sentence for that crime.”
Subject: Eight years – considered as singular
“Four miles is too far to walk.”
Subject: Four miles – considered as singular
Subjects that Come After the Verb
The subject comes after the verb in phrases that begin with ‘there is’ or ‘there are’.
The verb agrees with what comes after the verb because ‘there’ is not the subject.
Examples:
“There is little sugar in the jar.”
Subject: sugar – uncountable, singular
“There are many students in the playground.”
Subject: students – plural
Subjunctive Mood
In statements that reflect a wish or are contradictory to reality, the word ‘were’ replaces the word ‘was’.
Examples:
“If Max were here, he’d be delighted.”
“If Max was here, he’d be delighted.”
“I wish it were raining.”
“I wish it was raining.”
General Tips to Understand Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Now that we have gone through the different subject-verb agreement rules, you might find it more challenging than before. There are lots of them and memorizing these rules is not easy.
Do not worry, we have some tips for you to make it less difficult.
Learn and study the singular and plural forms of nouns.
Nouns are ALWAYS, yes… always, the subject in every sentence. While some nouns are easy to recognize whether they are singular or plural (regular nouns), others are not (irregular nouns).
Regular nouns require the letter -s or -es as suffixes to make them plural. Irregular nouns, on the other hand, change the spelling.
Regular Nouns
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| book | books |
| table | tables |
| bush | bushes |
Irregular Nouns
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| child | children |
| foot | feet |
| mouse | mice |
Familiarize yourself with countable and uncountable nouns.
Your knowledge about nouns plays a vital role in subject-verb agreement, specifically about countable and uncountable nouns.
As mentioned earlier, uncountable nouns usually require singular verbs, depending on the quantifiers used.
To help you understand the differences between the two, nouns that do not have singular and plural forms are considered uncountable.
Countable Nouns:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| chair | chairs |
| leaf | leaves |
| person | people |
Uncountable Nouns
Note: Nouns that are uncountable do not have a plural form.
| money NOT moneys
happiness NOT happinesses sugar NOT sugars |
Use a grammar-checker.
Microsoft Word has a feature that lets you know whether or not your grammar is correct.
Ensure that it is turned on.
While it does not necessarily teach you the subject-verb agreement rule, it unconsciously makes you aware of the mistakes (not just in subject-verb agreement, but other grammar rules as well) which in turn, helps you to avoid such mistakes as you type.
Learn the basics: singular subject equals singular verb; plural subject equals plural verb.
Plain and simple.
While this does not apply to each and every rule, as there will always be an exception, most subject-verb agreement rules stick to this basic rule.
Know which rule you are having difficulty with.
There are a lot of subject-verb agreement rules and some of them do not require deeper understanding. However, some of them may need you to study more.
Whichever rule it is that you find challenging, exert effort in understanding and learning about them. Have drills and exercises to improve on these subject-verb agreement rules.
What are the Two Types of Subject-Verb Agreement in English?
Now that you know what grammatical agreement is and how subjects and verbs interact, it is crucial to know that there are two forms of subject-verb agreement to be aware of.
Once you have identified these two types, you may start troubleshooting a variety of subject-verb agreement issues.
Understanding this will not only increase your grammar skills, but it will also help you better spot and repair such problems in your own work.
Subject-Verb Agreement for Person
When the subject and the verb agree in a way that is determined by the type of pronoun used as the subject, the first type, grammatical person, happens.
The form of the verb depends on whether the subject is in the first, second, or third person, as illustrated in the examples below.
Observe how the first, second, and third-person pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’, and ‘we’ affect the verb ‘be’:
| Subject | Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | sick |
| You | are | smart |
| He | is | happy |
Almost all other verbs in English, on the other hand, have the same first and second-person inflection and only differ in the third-person form.
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| I | study | French |
| You | study | literature |
| She | studies | economics |
The only verbs that are unaffected by a grammatical person are modal verbs like ‘can’, ‘should’, and ‘may’, which are the same regardless of which pronoun they refer to:
| Subject | Modal | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | should | eat | dinner |
| You | should | bring | your books |
| She | should | write | a letter |
Subject-Verb Agreement for Number
The second, and most prevalent, sort of subject-verb agreement has to do with the number, or whether the subject is singular or plural. This has an impact on pronouns.
Although we still use the first, second, and third-person pronouns in the instances below, first-person ‘we’ and third-person ‘they’ now require an agreement for a number rather than a person because they are plural and not singular:
| Subject | Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| We | are | hungry |
| You | are | kind |
| They | are | friendly |
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| We | eat | sweets |
| You | eat | fruits |
| They | eat | bread |
Of course, verbs agree with more than just pronouns.
In English, almost all noun phrases can be singular or plural, and the verbs that correspond with these nouns must always be properly formed.
The usual rule in English is that if a subject is singular, then must its verb be singular as well.
Verbs, on the other hand, become plural when they agree with a plural subject, as indicated in the tables below:
| Singular Subject | Singular Verb |
|---|---|
| The boy | plays |
| The dog | barks |
| Plural Subject | Plural Verb |
|---|---|
| The boys | play |
| The dogs | bark |
Function and Importance of Subject-Verb Agreement
The importance of grammar and sentence structure cannot be overstated in speaking and in academic writing.
The subject-verb relationship lies at the heart of grammatically acceptable English speaking and writing.
It is critical to make sure that subjects and verbs are always in agreement. A sentence’s subject-verb agreement unifies it and makes it easier to comprehend.
The key to getting your subject and verb to agree is to figure out the number of your subject and then match the verb to it.
Many nouns appear to be plural nouns, indicating that there are anomalies in the English language.
These nouns appear to be plural, however, they are singular nouns. To ensure grammatical correctness in your writing, you must first comprehend these instances.
It is necessary to adhere to specific guidelines when writing in English. Neglecting subject-verb agreements has major effects on academic writing.
These include failing to communicate your message, perplexing your readers, and losing credibility.
Perfect syntax, sentence structure, and grammar are hallmarks of academic writing. These factors cannot be overlooked, and when you are writing, you must pay close attention to subject-verb agreements.
What are Some Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors?
Now that you have mastered the foundations of subject-verb agreement, it is critical that you can spot and correct your own mistakes.
Nobody is flawless all of the time, and no teacher will expect you to be. However, you will be expected to recognize and fix errors before submitting your paper.
Nouns that End in -s
Some nouns appear plural at first look but are actually singular, necessitating the use of a singular verb.
Because the English language employs the letter ‘s’ to pluralize, nouns like ‘linguistics’ (which ends in an ‘s’) necessitate a singular verb:
| Singular Subject | Singular Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistics | is | fascinating |
| Mumps | is | painful |
Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects
Because their position as singular or plural subjects might change depending on what they refer to, indefinite pronouns can be confusing.
For example, the pronoun ‘all’ can be plural in the sentence “All (of the cards) are missing” or singular in the sentence “All (of the juice) is gone” whereas the pronoun ‘none’ can be either depending on the speaker’s preference. The following table categorizes such variation:
| Always Singular | Sometimes Plural | Singular or Plural |
|---|---|---|
| anyone
everyone someone no one nobody |
all
some |
none |
Two Subjects that are Connected by ‘and’
When combining two or more subjects with the conjunction ‘and’, recall the rule that a verb should be plural:
Examples:
- “The cat and the dog run after their owner.”
- “Her father and mother watch her performance.”
Compound nouns, on the other hand, should be watched out for.
Because they act as a single subject and can be replaced by ‘it’, such nouns as in the following example will be singular:
- “The bed and breakfast offers laundry service for free.”
- “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite.”
Connecting Two Singular Subjects
In contrast to ‘and’, you should employ a singular verb to connect two singular subjects with the following four words:
| or | Max or Dan is hosting the event. |
| either and or | Either the pink dress or the white gown is best. |
| neither and nor | Neither the brother nor the sister wants to admit to the mishap. |
Connecting a Plural and Singular Subject
The verb should agree with the subject it is nearest to when the terms ‘neither/nor’ and ‘either/or’ are used to connect subjects of mixed numbers.
When revering the following lines show that the same subject pairs have varied subject-verb agreement.
Examples:
- “Neither the chocolates nor the salad tempts her.”
- “Neither the salad nor the chocolates tempt her.”
Embedded Prepositional Phrases
Some readers and speakers may become perplexed when subjects contain embedded prepositional phrases inside their structure.
This is particularly true when the preposition ‘of’ is used.
Examples:
- “That bouquet of flowers looks beautiful.”
- “The groups of students finish their tasks early.”
What are Some Difficult Subject-Verb Agreement Errors?
This section should assist you in identifying any residual subject-verb agreement issues that may be hindering your English fluency.
Although the following are more difficult to detect than those in the previous section, they are still simple to correct once you know how.
Collective Nouns
When it comes to agreeing on subjects with verbs, some nouns signify a group or collective, such as ‘staff’ or ‘family’, and these nouns might cause difficulty for English learners.
Depending on what they are referring to (as well as the writer or speaker’s intent), these nouns can either be singular or plural.
Examples:
- “The staff on duty is friendly.”
- “The staff in my department are hardworking.”
- “Your family is bigger than mine.”
- “Your family are assigned to different rooms.”
The first statement uses the collective noun singularly to express the same group but as a collective, whereas the second sentence utilizes the collective noun plural to represent the members of the group.
Expletive Constructions
The two instances below are expletive constructions, which are constructs that start with words like ‘there’ or ‘here’.
Even though ‘there’ and ‘here’ appear to be the clause’s subjects due to their fronted positions, they are not.
Examples:
- “Here is the bag you want to borrow.”
- “There are four books I love to read.”
In these illustrations, the subject comes after the verb, as shown in these instances.
You must first select the proper subject before constructing a person or number agreement to decide on an agreement.
Intervening Words
Certain phrases, such as ‘along with’, ‘together with’, and ‘as well as’, can be used to connect two noun phrases in a singular subject.
Examples:
“My niece, as well as my nephew, is sick.”
“My niece, as well as my nephew, are sick.”
“My purse, along with my keys, is on the table.”
“My purse, along with my keys, are on the table.”
However, unlike when we use ‘and’ to combine two such noun phrases, when we employ intervening words like ‘as well as’, the verb only agrees with the real subject, which is the first noun phrase.
Example:
- “The puppies, as well as the cat, play with the owner.”
- “His cap, along with his clothes, are all wet.
Numbers and Units
If you want to retain correct agreement, always use the singular form of the verb when a number follows the main word, and when writing or speaking about durations of time, sums of money, or distances as units.
Even if the topic appears to be plural, this is correct.
.
Examples:
- “Eight years is how long she has been working overseas.”
- “Two thousand dollars is needed for her operation.”
Moreover, if you want to retain correct agreement, always use a singular form of the verb when speaking or writing about amounts of money, durations of time, or distances as units, and when a number follows the main noun.
Even though the topic appears to be plural, this is still true.
Examples:
“Four pounds are scattered on the floor.”
“Four pounds is scattered on the floor.”
“The first two miles are easier than the last two miles.”
“The first two miles is easier than the last two miles.”
Fractions and Portions
When phrases like ‘some’, ‘all’, or ‘a lot’ are used to denote fractions or portions, the subject will frequently appear to be contained in a prepositional phrase containing the word ‘of’.
Examples:
- “A lot of the cake has been given out.”
- “A lot of the cakes have been given out.”
- “Some of the room is occupied.”
- “Some of the rooms are occupied.”
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood, which is used to convey wishes or situations that are not real but aren’t true, can be difficult to understand since it deviates from the usual subject-verb agreement requirements.
Singular subjects are associated with plural verbs in this mood, as shown in the examples below. The ‘be’ verb is particularly prone to this mood.
Examples:
“If she were there, she’d be screaming for joy.”
“If she was there, she’d be screaming for joy.”
“I hope it were snowing.”
“I hope it was snowing.”
Practice Questions for Every Subject-verb Agreement Rule
Just like any other grammar rule, the best way to master subject-verb agreement is to practice.
There is no better way to become acquainted with these guidelines than to practice them.
Here are questions to make you understand subject-verb agreement.
Basic Rules: Number Agreement
- My feet ______________ because of so much walking.
- The nearest shop ______________ located three kilometers away.
- Physics ______________ a challenging subject.
- She ______________ her parents every now and then.
- I ______________ to pop music all the time.
Answers
- hurt
- is
- is
- visits
- listen
Compound Subjects
- The employees and the manager ______________ every 3rd Wednesday of each month.
- He jogs to the park every morning and ______________ there for at least an hour.
- Her sister and her friends ______________ to the same school.
- The shop opens at 8 in the morning and ______________ at 10 in the evening.
- I ______________ to go to the city next week and stay there for a month.
Answers
- meet
- stays
- go
- closes
- plan
Subject Separated from Verbs
- My passport, along with my wallet, ______________ missing.
- The host nor the guests ______________ not know the woman.
- The notes on the fridge ______________ me remember the things I need to do for the day.
- The driver nor the passengers ______________ in shock.
- The tourists, as well as the tour guide, ______________ photos in each of the statues.
- A puppy or a cat ______________ is what she wants as a pet.
- My cousins or my sister ______________ me with my homework.
- A friend who ______________ with you through thick in thin is a treasure.
- The books that are on the top shelf ______________ all outdated.
- Only students who ______________ the prescribed uniform are allowed to enter.
Answers
- is
- do
- help
- are
- take
- is
- assists
- sticks
- are
- wear
Indefinite Pronouns
- Somebody ______________ to tell her what happened.
- Every tree in the neighborhood ______________ been cut.
- No one ______________ a word he says.
- Each of the nominees ______________ good intentions for the company.
- Neither my brother nor my sister ______________ to do the dishes.
Answers
- needs
- has
- believes
- has
- wants
Collective and Uncountable Nouns
- Music ______________ me happy when I am sad.
- Her odds of winning the contest ______________ slim.
- The committee ______________ with the amendments stated in the contract.
- The band ______________ their new album as promised.
- Your valuables ______________ to be kept in the safe.
- Bread ______________ enough to last me the whole day.
- The class ______________ as the teacher explains the lesson.
- Art ______________ my way of expressing my thoughts.
- Her surroundings ______________ her daily mood.
- The crew ______________ their new uniform proudly.
Answers
- makes
- are
- agrees
- release
- need
- is
- listens
- is
- affect
- wear
Numbers and Amounts
- A lot of students ______________ to obey the rules.
- Two weeks without using his phone ______________ him mad.
- A quarter of the city ______________ power outage.
- Fifty percent of the pizza ______________ cheese.
- Twenty dollars ______________ not an expensive amount for that shirt.
Answers
- refuse
- makes
- experiences
- has
- is
Subjects that Come After the Verb
- There ______________ more solutions than problems.
- Here ______________ my proposal, think about it.
- ______________ there any other questions?
- There ______________ a note on the table.
- ______________ there something you would like to say?
Subjunctive Mood
- The teacher requested that Sue ______________ her voice louder.
- I wish it ______________ Friday.
- She wishes she ______________ taller.
- The host demanded that he ______________ his hand higher.
- If she ______________ there, she’d be sad.
Answers
- make
- were
- were
- raise
- were
Summary of Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Subject-Verb Agreement is not as simple as it sounds, but it is also not as difficult as it appears. It is, nonetheless, necessary and even important that you master it.
To guarantee that your message is grammatically correct, check the subject-verb agreement. It not only makes your writing more accessible, but it also ensures that you are stating exactly what you mean.
We hope that this article is able to cover everything you need to know about the subject-verb agreement and eventually make you more confident in speaking and in writing in English.
Additional FAQs – Subject-Verb Agreement
How Can I Easily Learn Subject-Verb Agreement Rules and Adapt Them to My Writing?
The first step is for you to know the basic rule: a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Beware, however, as some nouns can be confusing on whether they are singular or plural.
The key is for you to study and learn about regular and irregular nouns.
Get yourself acquainted with collective and uncountable nouns as these also lead to confusion when it comes to subject-verb agreement.
What are the Basic Subject-Verb Agreement Rules?
The basic rule in subject-verb agreement is that subjects and verbs must agree with each other.
That means singular subjects must take singular verbs and that plural subjects must take plural verbs.
You will only know which verb form to use once you identify whether your subject is singular or plural.
Are All Words that End in -s Plural in Number?
No, not all words that end in -s are plural in number.
Words such as ‘mathematics’, ‘physics’, ‘economics’, ‘mumps’, and ‘measles’ end in -s but are considered singular. Thus, they should take singular verbs as well.
Are There Nouns that Have the Same Singular and Plural Form?
Yes, there are nouns that have the same singular and plural form.
Examples of these nouns are ‘sheep’, ‘fish’, ‘deer’, and ‘species’.
Therefore, these words may take either a singular or plural verb, depending on their use and the speaker’s or author’s intention.
Additional Reading — ENGLISH GRAMMAR
The agreement of subjects and verbs is required in proper English grammar.
Singular verbs must be used with singular subjects, while plural verbs must be used with plural subjects. It seems so simple, right?
However, subject-verb agreement is actually one of the many rules in English grammar that most people are having difficulties with. It is for this reason that we have prepared this post.
If you want to know more about subject-verb agreement, please continue reading.
Overview of Subject-Verb Agreement
Nobody likes conflict, and sentences are no exception!
We all know that every sentence needs a subject and a predicate, but we also need to ensure that they agree. This is referred to as subject-verb agreement in grammar.
The grammatical idea of the subject-verb agreement states that the subject of a sentence must agree with the main verb of the same sentence.
Singular subjects use singular verbs, whereas plural subjects use plural verbs.
This may appear to be self-evident, but things may get difficult when it comes to money, time, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and interrupting sentences.
You should keep in mind the different subject-verb agreement rules, which we will be discussing shortly.
What are the Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-Verb Agreement is one of the basic grammar rules that are first taught in school and is also one of the most important.
And like any other rule, there is always an exception.
That is precisely what makes it so difficult. But do not fret! We have listed all these rules, with their exceptions, in full detail. Read on.
Basic Rules: Number Agreement
The verb needs to be singular if the subject is singular.
Singular means ONLY ONE.
Examples:
“She writes in her journal every day.”
Subject: She – singular
Verb: writes – singular
“Peter works as a journalist.”
Subject: Peter – singular
Singular nouns ending in -s take singular verbs.
Examples:
“Mathematics is my least favorite subject in school.”
Subject: Mathematics – singular
“Diabetes is a serious illness.”
Subject: Diabetes – singular
The verb needs to be plural if the subject is plural.
PLURAL means MORE THAN ONE.
Examples:
“They go to church every Sunday.”
“My sisters love to talk about fashion.”
Subject: (My) sisters – plural
Note: ‘I’ and ‘You’ take plural verbs as well.
“I take the subway to work.”
“You look stunning in that dress!”
Compound Subjects
Use a plural verb when the sentence’s subject consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’.
Examples:
“The teacher and her student stay in school every afternoon for remedial lessons.”
Subject: The teacher and her student – plural
“The house and the shop on 5th avenue are my cousin’s.”
Subject: The house and the building – plural
EXCEPTIONS:
“Breaking and entering is prohibited.”
Subject: Breaking and entering – considered as singular
“The bed and breakfast is amazing!”
Subject: bed and breakfast – considered as singular
When there is only one subject, and multiple verbs in a sentence, all of the verbs must agree with the subject.
Examples:
“He sells his old clothes every year and donates the money to the less fortunate.”
Subject: He – singular
Verb: sells, donates – singular
“The new students know how to speak in English but converse in Chinese when they are with themselves.”
Subject: (The new) students – plural
Verb: know, converse – plural
Subjects Separated from Verbs
Remember that when a phrase appears between the subject and the verb, the verb should still agree with the subject, not the noun or pronoun in the phrase after the subject of the sentence.
Example:
“The youngest child, as well as her older siblings, is thinking of studying abroad.”
Subject: The youngest child – singular
“The announcements in the bulletin board seem to be of no importance to the employees.”
Subject: (The) announcements – plural
Use a singular verb when ‘or’ or ‘nor’ connects two or more singular nouns or pronouns.
Examples:
“A new laptop or a new purse is what she wants as a birthday gift.”
Subject: A new laptop or a new purse – singular
“The CEO nor the chairperson does not accept the proposal of the committee.”
Subject: The CEO or the chairperson – singular
Verb: does (not accept) – singular
The verb should agree with the component of the subject nearest to the verb when a compound subject has both a singular and plural noun or pronoun joined by the words ‘or’ or ‘nor.’ This is referred to as the proximity rule.
Examples:
“My parents or my brother takes me to school every day.”
Subject: my brother – singular
“The teacher nor the students do not care about the noise.”
Subject: the students – plural
Verb: do not care – plural
For a subject to agree with its antecedent, a relative pronoun (‘who’, ‘which’, or ‘that’) employed as a subject of an adjective phrase takes either a singular or plural verb.
Examples:
“A student who follows the rules should be praised.”
Subject: student – singular
Verb: follows – singular
“Only cars that have stickers are allowed to enter the village.”
Subject: cars – plural
Indefinite Pronouns
‘Each’, ‘each one’, ‘either’, ‘neither’, ‘everybody’, ‘everyone’, ‘anybody’, ‘anyone’, ‘nobody’, ‘somebody’, ‘someone’, and ‘no one’ are singular subjects that require a singular verb.
Examples:
“Each of the contestants was eager to showcase their talent.”
Subject: Each of the contestants – singular
“Nobody wants to do the challenge.”
Subject: Nobody – singular
Verb: wants – singular
Collective and Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns take singular verbs.
Note: Things that we cannot count with numbers are called uncountable nouns. They could refer to abstract concepts or traits, as well as tangible items that are too little or amorphous to be enumerated (liquids, powders, gases, etc.).
Examples:
“The information in the manual is not enough.”
Subject: information – uncountable, singular
“Oil is needed in frying.”
Subject: oil – uncountable, singular
‘Goods’, ‘earnings’, ‘odds’, ‘surroundings’’, contents’, ‘valuables’, and ‘proceeds’ are examples of countable nouns in English that only have a plural form and require a plural verb.
Examples:
“His earnings this quarter exceed expectations.”
Subject: earnings – plural
“The proceeds of the yearly charity event benefit the orphanage.”
Subject: proceeds – uncountable, singular
Collective nouns are deemed singular and employ a singular verb. Collective nouns are words that indicate more than one person. ‘Group’, ‘team’, ‘committee’, ‘family’, and ‘class’ are some examples.
Examples:
“The team practices every weekend.”
Subject: team – singular
Verb: practices – singular
“My family plans to go to the beach this summer.”
Subject: family – singular
Employ the plural form of the verb if talking about individuals in the group.
Examples:
“The band are separating this month.”
Subject: couple – plural
Each member of the band is considered as a separate entity.
“The couple break up.”
Subject: couple – plural
Each member of the couple is considered separately.
Verb: break up – plural
Numbers and Amounts
When it comes to terms that express portions, for example, ‘a lot’, ‘a majority’, ‘some’, ‘all’, follow the noun that comes after ‘of’.
Employ a singular verb if the noun that comes after ‘of’ is singular. Use a plural verb if the subject is plural.
Examples:
“A lot of the cake has been eaten.”
Subject: cake – singular
“Thirty percent of the students have turned in their projects.”
Subject: students – plural
When considering distances, lengths of time, quantities of money, and other items as a unit, use a singular verb.
Examples:
“Eight years is the maximum sentence for that crime.”
Subject: Eight years – considered as singular
“Four miles is too far to walk.”
Subject: Four miles – considered as singular
Subjects that Come After the Verb
The subject comes after the verb in phrases that begin with ‘there is’ or ‘there are’.
The verb agrees with what comes after the verb because ‘there’ is not the subject.
Examples:
“There is little sugar in the jar.”
Subject: sugar – uncountable, singular
“There are many students in the playground.”
Subject: students – plural
Subjunctive Mood
In statements that reflect a wish or are contradictory to reality, the word ‘were’ replaces the word ‘was’.
Examples:
“If Max were here, he’d be delighted.”
“If Max was here, he’d be delighted.”
“I wish it were raining.”
“I wish it was raining.”
General Tips to Understand Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Now that we have gone through the different subject-verb agreement rules, you might find it more challenging than before. There are lots of them and memorizing these rules is not easy.
Do not worry, we have some tips for you to make it less difficult.
Learn and study the singular and plural forms of nouns.
Nouns are ALWAYS, yes… always, the subject in every sentence. While some nouns are easy to recognize whether they are singular or plural (regular nouns), others are not (irregular nouns).
Regular nouns require the letter -s or -es as suffixes to make them plural. Irregular nouns, on the other hand, change the spelling.
Regular Nouns
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| book | books |
| table | tables |
| bush | bushes |
Irregular Nouns
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| child | children |
| foot | feet |
| mouse | mice |
Familiarize yourself with countable and uncountable nouns.
Your knowledge about nouns plays a vital role in subject-verb agreement, specifically about countable and uncountable nouns.
As mentioned earlier, uncountable nouns usually require singular verbs, depending on the quantifiers used.
To help you understand the differences between the two, nouns that do not have singular and plural forms are considered uncountable.
Countable Nouns:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| chair | chairs |
| leaf | leaves |
| person | people |
Uncountable Nouns
Note: Nouns that are uncountable do not have a plural form.
| money NOT moneys
happiness NOT happinesses sugar NOT sugars |
Use a grammar-checker.
Microsoft Word has a feature that lets you know whether or not your grammar is correct.
Ensure that it is turned on.
While it does not necessarily teach you the subject-verb agreement rule, it unconsciously makes you aware of the mistakes (not just in subject-verb agreement, but other grammar rules as well) which in turn, helps you to avoid such mistakes as you type.
Learn the basics: singular subject equals singular verb; plural subject equals plural verb.
Plain and simple.
While this does not apply to each and every rule, as there will always be an exception, most subject-verb agreement rules stick to this basic rule.
Know which rule you are having difficulty with.
There are a lot of subject-verb agreement rules and some of them do not require deeper understanding. However, some of them may need you to study more.
Whichever rule it is that you find challenging, exert effort in understanding and learning about them. Have drills and exercises to improve on these subject-verb agreement rules.
What are the Two Types of Subject-Verb Agreement in English?
Now that you know what grammatical agreement is and how subjects and verbs interact, it is crucial to know that there are two forms of subject-verb agreement to be aware of.
Once you have identified these two types, you may start troubleshooting a variety of subject-verb agreement issues.
Understanding this will not only increase your grammar skills, but it will also help you better spot and repair such problems in your own work.
Subject-Verb Agreement for Person
When the subject and the verb agree in a way that is determined by the type of pronoun used as the subject, the first type, grammatical person, happens.
The form of the verb depends on whether the subject is in the first, second, or third person, as illustrated in the examples below.
Observe how the first, second, and third-person pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’, and ‘we’ affect the verb ‘be’:
| Subject | Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | sick |
| You | are | smart |
| He | is | happy |
Almost all other verbs in English, on the other hand, have the same first and second-person inflection and only differ in the third-person form.
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| I | study | French |
| You | study | literature |
| She | studies | economics |
The only verbs that are unaffected by a grammatical person are modal verbs like ‘can’, ‘should’, and ‘may’, which are the same regardless of which pronoun they refer to:
| Subject | Modal | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | should | eat | dinner |
| You | should | bring | your books |
| She | should | write | a letter |
Subject-Verb Agreement for Number
The second, and most prevalent, sort of subject-verb agreement has to do with the number, or whether the subject is singular or plural. This has an impact on pronouns.
Although we still use the first, second, and third-person pronouns in the instances below, first-person ‘we’ and third-person ‘they’ now require an agreement for a number rather than a person because they are plural and not singular:
| Subject | Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| We | are | hungry |
| You | are | kind |
| They | are | friendly |
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| We | eat | sweets |
| You | eat | fruits |
| They | eat | bread |
Of course, verbs agree with more than just pronouns.
In English, almost all noun phrases can be singular or plural, and the verbs that correspond with these nouns must always be properly formed.
The usual rule in English is that if a subject is singular, then must its verb be singular as well.
Verbs, on the other hand, become plural when they agree with a plural subject, as indicated in the tables below:
| Singular Subject | Singular Verb |
|---|---|
| The boy | plays |
| The dog | barks |
| Plural Subject | Plural Verb |
|---|---|
| The boys | play |
| The dogs | bark |
Function and Importance of Subject-Verb Agreement
The importance of grammar and sentence structure cannot be overstated in speaking and in academic writing.
The subject-verb relationship lies at the heart of grammatically acceptable English speaking and writing.
It is critical to make sure that subjects and verbs are always in agreement. A sentence’s subject-verb agreement unifies it and makes it easier to comprehend.
The key to getting your subject and verb to agree is to figure out the number of your subject and then match the verb to it.
Many nouns appear to be plural nouns, indicating that there are anomalies in the English language.
These nouns appear to be plural, however, they are singular nouns. To ensure grammatical correctness in your writing, you must first comprehend these instances.
It is necessary to adhere to specific guidelines when writing in English. Neglecting subject-verb agreements has major effects on academic writing.
These include failing to communicate your message, perplexing your readers, and losing credibility.
Perfect syntax, sentence structure, and grammar are hallmarks of academic writing. These factors cannot be overlooked, and when you are writing, you must pay close attention to subject-verb agreements.
What are Some Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors?
Now that you have mastered the foundations of subject-verb agreement, it is critical that you can spot and correct your own mistakes.
Nobody is flawless all of the time, and no teacher will expect you to be. However, you will be expected to recognize and fix errors before submitting your paper.
Nouns that End in -s
Some nouns appear plural at first look but are actually singular, necessitating the use of a singular verb.
Because the English language employs the letter ‘s’ to pluralize, nouns like ‘linguistics’ (which ends in an ‘s’) necessitate a singular verb:
| Singular Subject | Singular Verb | Complement |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistics | is | fascinating |
| Mumps | is | painful |
Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects
Because their position as singular or plural subjects might change depending on what they refer to, indefinite pronouns can be confusing.
For example, the pronoun ‘all’ can be plural in the sentence “All (of the cards) are missing” or singular in the sentence “All (of the juice) is gone” whereas the pronoun ‘none’ can be either depending on the speaker’s preference. The following table categorizes such variation:
| Always Singular | Sometimes Plural | Singular or Plural |
|---|---|---|
| anyone
everyone someone no one nobody |
all
some |
none |
Two Subjects that are Connected by ‘and’
When combining two or more subjects with the conjunction ‘and’, recall the rule that a verb should be plural:
Examples:
- “The cat and the dog run after their owner.”
- “Her father and mother watch her performance.”
Compound nouns, on the other hand, should be watched out for.
Because they act as a single subject and can be replaced by ‘it’, such nouns as in the following example will be singular:
- “The bed and breakfast offers laundry service for free.”
- “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite.”
Connecting Two Singular Subjects
In contrast to ‘and’, you should employ a singular verb to connect two singular subjects with the following four words:
| or | Max or Dan is hosting the event. |
| either and or | Either the pink dress or the white gown is best. |
| neither and nor | Neither the brother nor the sister wants to admit to the mishap. |
Connecting a Plural and Singular Subject
The verb should agree with the subject it is nearest to when the terms ‘neither/nor’ and ‘either/or’ are used to connect subjects of mixed numbers.
When revering the following lines show that the same subject pairs have varied subject-verb agreement.
Examples:
- “Neither the chocolates nor the salad tempts her.”
- “Neither the salad nor the chocolates tempt her.”
Embedded Prepositional Phrases
Some readers and speakers may become perplexed when subjects contain embedded prepositional phrases inside their structure.
This is particularly true when the preposition ‘of’ is used.
Examples:
- “That bouquet of flowers looks beautiful.”
- “The groups of students finish their tasks early.”
What are Some Difficult Subject-Verb Agreement Errors?
This section should assist you in identifying any residual subject-verb agreement issues that may be hindering your English fluency.
Although the following are more difficult to detect than those in the previous section, they are still simple to correct once you know how.
Collective Nouns
When it comes to agreeing on subjects with verbs, some nouns signify a group or collective, such as ‘staff’ or ‘family’, and these nouns might cause difficulty for English learners.
Depending on what they are referring to (as well as the writer or speaker’s intent), these nouns can either be singular or plural.
Examples:
- “The staff on duty is friendly.”
- “The staff in my department are hardworking.”
- “Your family is bigger than mine.”
- “Your family are assigned to different rooms.”
The first statement uses the collective noun singularly to express the same group but as a collective, whereas the second sentence utilizes the collective noun plural to represent the members of the group.
Expletive Constructions
The two instances below are expletive constructions, which are constructs that start with words like ‘there’ or ‘here’.
Even though ‘there’ and ‘here’ appear to be the clause’s subjects due to their fronted positions, they are not.
Examples:
- “Here is the bag you want to borrow.”
- “There are four books I love to read.”
In these illustrations, the subject comes after the verb, as shown in these instances.
You must first select the proper subject before constructing a person or number agreement to decide on an agreement.
Intervening Words
Certain phrases, such as ‘along with’, ‘together with’, and ‘as well as’, can be used to connect two noun phrases in a singular subject.
Examples:
“My niece, as well as my nephew, is sick.”
“My niece, as well as my nephew, are sick.”
“My purse, along with my keys, is on the table.”
“My purse, along with my keys, are on the table.”
However, unlike when we use ‘and’ to combine two such noun phrases, when we employ intervening words like ‘as well as’, the verb only agrees with the real subject, which is the first noun phrase.
Example:
- “The puppies, as well as the cat, play with the owner.”
- “His cap, along with his clothes, are all wet.
Numbers and Units
If you want to retain correct agreement, always use the singular form of the verb when a number follows the main word, and when writing or speaking about durations of time, sums of money, or distances as units.
Even if the topic appears to be plural, this is correct.
.
Examples:
- “Eight years is how long she has been working overseas.”
- “Two thousand dollars is needed for her operation.”
Moreover, if you want to retain correct agreement, always use a singular form of the verb when speaking or writing about amounts of money, durations of time, or distances as units, and when a number follows the main noun.
Even though the topic appears to be plural, this is still true.
Examples:
“Four pounds are scattered on the floor.”
“Four pounds is scattered on the floor.”
“The first two miles are easier than the last two miles.”
“The first two miles is easier than the last two miles.”
Fractions and Portions
When phrases like ‘some’, ‘all’, or ‘a lot’ are used to denote fractions or portions, the subject will frequently appear to be contained in a prepositional phrase containing the word ‘of’.
Examples:
- “A lot of the cake has been given out.”
- “A lot of the cakes have been given out.”
- “Some of the room is occupied.”
- “Some of the rooms are occupied.”
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood, which is used to convey wishes or situations that are not real but aren’t true, can be difficult to understand since it deviates from the usual subject-verb agreement requirements.
Singular subjects are associated with plural verbs in this mood, as shown in the examples below. The ‘be’ verb is particularly prone to this mood.
Examples:
“If she were there, she’d be screaming for joy.”
“If she was there, she’d be screaming for joy.”
“I hope it were snowing.”
“I hope it was snowing.”
Practice Questions for Every Subject-verb Agreement Rule
Just like any other grammar rule, the best way to master subject-verb agreement is to practice.
There is no better way to become acquainted with these guidelines than to practice them.
Here are questions to make you understand subject-verb agreement.
Basic Rules: Number Agreement
- My feet ______________ because of so much walking.
- The nearest shop ______________ located three kilometers away.
- Physics ______________ a challenging subject.
- She ______________ her parents every now and then.
- I ______________ to pop music all the time.
Answers
- hurt
- is
- is
- visits
- listen
Compound Subjects
- The employees and the manager ______________ every 3rd Wednesday of each month.
- He jogs to the park every morning and ______________ there for at least an hour.
- Her sister and her friends ______________ to the same school.
- The shop opens at 8 in the morning and ______________ at 10 in the evening.
- I ______________ to go to the city next week and stay there for a month.
Answers
- meet
- stays
- go
- closes
- plan
Subject Separated from Verbs
- My passport, along with my wallet, ______________ missing.
- The host nor the guests ______________ not know the woman.
- The notes on the fridge ______________ me remember the things I need to do for the day.
- The driver nor the passengers ______________ in shock.
- The tourists, as well as the tour guide, ______________ photos in each of the statues.
- A puppy or a cat ______________ is what she wants as a pet.
- My cousins or my sister ______________ me with my homework.
- A friend who ______________ with you through thick in thin is a treasure.
- The books that are on the top shelf ______________ all outdated.
- Only students who ______________ the prescribed uniform are allowed to enter.
Answers
- is
- do
- help
- are
- take
- is
- assists
- sticks
- are
- wear
Indefinite Pronouns
- Somebody ______________ to tell her what happened.
- Every tree in the neighborhood ______________ been cut.
- No one ______________ a word he says.
- Each of the nominees ______________ good intentions for the company.
- Neither my brother nor my sister ______________ to do the dishes.
Answers
- needs
- has
- believes
- has
- wants
Collective and Uncountable Nouns
- Music ______________ me happy when I am sad.
- Her odds of winning the contest ______________ slim.
- The committee ______________ with the amendments stated in the contract.
- The band ______________ their new album as promised.
- Your valuables ______________ to be kept in the safe.
- Bread ______________ enough to last me the whole day.
- The class ______________ as the teacher explains the lesson.
- Art ______________ my way of expressing my thoughts.
- Her surroundings ______________ her daily mood.
- The crew ______________ their new uniform proudly.
Answers
- makes
- are
- agrees
- release
- need
- is
- listens
- is
- affect
- wear
Numbers and Amounts
- A lot of students ______________ to obey the rules.
- Two weeks without using his phone ______________ him mad.
- A quarter of the city ______________ power outage.
- Fifty percent of the pizza ______________ cheese.
- Twenty dollars ______________ not an expensive amount for that shirt.
Answers
- refuse
- makes
- experiences
- has
- is
Subjects that Come After the Verb
- There ______________ more solutions than problems.
- Here ______________ my proposal, think about it.
- ______________ there any other questions?
- There ______________ a note on the table.
- ______________ there something you would like to say?
Subjunctive Mood
- The teacher requested that Sue ______________ her voice louder.
- I wish it ______________ Friday.
- She wishes she ______________ taller.
- The host demanded that he ______________ his hand higher.
- If she ______________ there, she’d be sad.
Answers
- make
- were
- were
- raise
- were
Summary of Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
Subject-Verb Agreement is not as simple as it sounds, but it is also not as difficult as it appears. It is, nonetheless, necessary and even important that you master it.
To guarantee that your message is grammatically correct, check the subject-verb agreement. It not only makes your writing more accessible, but it also ensures that you are stating exactly what you mean.
We hope that this article is able to cover everything you need to know about the subject-verb agreement and eventually make you more confident in speaking and in writing in English.
Additional FAQs – Subject-Verb Agreement
How Can I Easily Learn Subject-Verb Agreement Rules and Adapt Them to My Writing?
The first step is for you to know the basic rule: a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Beware, however, as some nouns can be confusing on whether they are singular or plural.
The key is for you to study and learn about regular and irregular nouns.
Get yourself acquainted with collective and uncountable nouns as these also lead to confusion when it comes to subject-verb agreement.
What are the Basic Subject-Verb Agreement Rules?
The basic rule in subject-verb agreement is that subjects and verbs must agree with each other.
That means singular subjects must take singular verbs and that plural subjects must take plural verbs.
You will only know which verb form to use once you identify whether your subject is singular or plural.
Are All Words that End in -s Plural in Number?
No, not all words that end in -s are plural in number.
Words such as ‘mathematics’, ‘physics’, ‘economics’, ‘mumps’, and ‘measles’ end in -s but are considered singular. Thus, they should take singular verbs as well.
Are There Nouns that Have the Same Singular and Plural Form?
Yes, there are nouns that have the same singular and plural form.
Examples of these nouns are ‘sheep’, ‘fish’, ‘deer’, and ‘species’.
Therefore, these words may take either a singular or plural verb, depending on their use and the speaker’s or author’s intention.
Additional Reading — ENGLISH GRAMMAR