Lesson 7: Subject/Verb Agreement

The subject and the verb of a clause must agree in number and person.  The primary problem is the agreement by number.

First, memorize the following chart:

Singular subject = singular verb
Plural subject = plural verb
Singular subject joined by and to a singular subject = plural verb
Plural subject joined by and to a plural subject = plural verb

Singular subject joined by or, nor to a singular subject = singular verb
Plural subject joined by or, nor to a plural subject = plural verb
Singular subject joined by or, nor to a plural subject = plural verb
Plural subject joined by or, nor to a singular subject = singular verb

Other special problems with subject/verb agreement:
 

• Singular subjects followed by a phrase beginning with as well as, along with, in addition to, or together with.  Example:  The senator, along with his office workers, is planning to be at the banquet tonight.

• Indefinite pronouns must agree in number.  See glossary for indefinite pronouns.  These pronouns are troublesome because some sound plural but are singular.  Example  Everyone is going to the banquet.

        The group of indefinite pronouns that can be either singular or plural (some, all, any
       more, and none).  Example:  All of the cake was eaten.  The verb is singular because all referred
        to cake which is singular.  All of the students were going to the library.  In the second example the
        verb is plural because all referred to students which is plural.

• In a sentence that begins with an expletive, the subject is after the verb in most cases.  Therefore,  the writer must look after the verb for the subject to see if they agree.  Example:  There are two students who are not present today.

How does one find subject/verb agreement errors?

The writer needs to analyze each independent clause and each dependent clause to find the subject and see if it indeed does agree with the verb.

Remember in English, the singular form of many verbs ends in s.
Example:  The student studies very long hours.
                The library closes at midnight.