Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar that ensures the verb in a sentence matches the subject in number (singular or plural). Proper subject-verb agreement is key to constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

In subject-verb agreement:

  • Singular subjects take singular verbs.
  • Plural subjects take plural verbs.

Example:

  • The cat runs quickly. (singular subject and singular verb)
  • The cats run quickly. (plural subject and plural verb)

Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Singular Subjects Take Singular Verbs

For most verbs in the present tense, add an -s to the verb when the subject is singular.

Examples:

  • She walks to school.
  • The dog barks at strangers.
  • My friend is a teacher.

2. Plural Subjects Take Plural Verbs

When the subject is plural, the verb does not end in -s.

Examples:

  • They walk to school.
  • The dogs bark at strangers.
  • My friends are teachers.

Special Cases in Subject-Verb Agreement

There are some special situations where subject-verb agreement can be tricky. Below are key cases to watch out for.

1. Compound Subjects

  • Subjects joined by and take a plural verb.
    • John and Mary are coming to the party.
  • Subjects joined by or or nor: The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
    • Neither the teacher nor the students are ready for the test.
    • Either the dogs or the cat is making noise.

2. Indefinite Pronouns

Some indefinite pronouns are always singular and take a singular verb:

  • Everyone, Someone, Nobody, Each, Either, Neither, Anybody.

Examples:

  • Everyone is excited about the trip.
  • Neither of the options is appealing.

Other indefinite pronouns are always plural and take a plural verb:

  • Both, Few, Many, Several.

Examples:

  • Both are correct.
  • Few understand the question.

Some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural, depending on context:

  • All, Some, None, Any.

Examples:

  • All of the cake is gone. (singular)
  • All of the students are here. (plural)

3. Collective Nouns

Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, class) can take either singular or plural verbs, depending on whether the group is acting as a unit or as individuals.

  • Use a singular verb if the group is acting as one:
    • The team wins every game.
  • Use a plural verb if the individuals in the group are acting separately:
    • The team are arguing among themselves.

4. Subjects Separated by Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase (e.g., of the, in the) between the subject and the verb should not affect the verb. The verb must agree with the subject, not the object of the prepositional phrase.

  • The bouquet of flowers is beautiful.
    (Bouquet is the subject, not flowers.)

  • The book on the shelves was interesting.
    (Book is the subject, not shelves.)

5. Titles and Plural Forms

  • Titles of books, movies, or works are treated as singular, even if they seem plural.
    • “The Chronicles of Narnia” is a popular series.
  • Plural words with singular meanings (e.g., mathematics, news) take singular verbs.
    • Mathematics is difficult for some students.

Common Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Matching Verbs with the Wrong Subject

Be careful not to let words that come between the subject and verb cause confusion. The verb should match the main subject.

  • The girl with her friends is excited. (The subject is girl, not friends.)

2. Confusing Singular and Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Some indefinite pronouns can be confusing. Remember that words like everyone, each, and nobody are singular, while many, few, and both are plural.

  • Each of the players is ready. (Not are.)
  • Both of the books are interesting.

Quick Tips for Subject-Verb Agreement

  1. Identify the subject and make sure it agrees with the verb.
  2. Ignore phrases that come between the subject and verb.
  3. Be careful with indefinite pronouns (like everyone and some).
  4. Watch out for collective nouns and determine if the group is acting as one or as individuals.
  5. Remember that titles and singular-looking plurals like news take singular verbs.

Practice Sentences

Test your understanding of subject-verb agreement by correcting the following sentences:

  1. The boys runs fast every day.
  2. Each of the cars are expensive.
  3. Neither of the girls know the answer.
  4. The team is arguing about the strategy.
  5. Some of the cake are gone.

Answers:

  1. The boys run fast every day.
  2. Each of the cars is expensive.
  3. Neither of the girls knows the answer.
  4. The team are arguing about the strategy. (if individual members are arguing)
  5. Some of the cake is gone.

Conclusion

Mastering subject-verb agreement is essential for writing clear, grammatically correct sentences. Remember that singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. Pay attention to special cases like compound subjects, collective nouns, and indefinite pronouns, and you’ll avoid many common mistakes.