Subject-Verb Agreement

Front

What is subject-verb agreement?

Back

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its verb.

Front

When should a singular verb be used?

Back

A singular verb should be used when the subject is singular, meaning it refers to one person, place, thing, or idea.

Front

When should a plural verb be used?

Back

A plural verb should be used when the subject is plural, meaning it refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

Front

What is an example of a singular subject with a singular verb?

Back

An example is: 'The cat runs fast.' Here, 'cat' is singular and 'runs' is the singular verb.

Front

What is an example of a plural subject with a plural verb?

Back

An example is: 'The dogs bark loudly.' Here, 'dogs' is plural and 'bark' is the plural verb.

Front

What is the rule for compound subjects joined by 'and'?

Back

When subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

Front

What is the rule for compound subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

Back

When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.'

Front

How does the presence of phrases like 'along with' or 'as well as' affect subject-verb agreement?

Back

Phrases like 'along with' or 'as well as' do not change the number of the subject. For example, 'The cat, along with its kittens, is sleeping.'

Front

What is the rule for collective nouns?

Back

Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team wins' (singular) vs. 'The team are arguing' (plural).

Front

How do indefinite pronouns affect subject-verb agreement?

Back

Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'each', and 'someone' are singular and take singular verbs. For example, 'Everyone is here.'