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 you use a singular verb?

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 you use a plural verb?

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 the rule for compound subjects joined by 'and'?

Back

When two subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb.

Front

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

Back

When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb should agree with the subject that is closest to the verb.

Front

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

Back

Phrases like 'as well as' do not change the number of the subject; the verb should agree with the main subject.

Front

What is the correct verb form for collective nouns?

Back

Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals.

Front

What is the subject-verb agreement rule for indefinite pronouns?

Back

Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', and 'anyone' are considered singular and take singular verbs.

Front

What is the subject-verb agreement rule for the word 'none'?

Back

The word 'none' can be singular or plural depending on the context; it takes a singular verb when referring to a singular noun and a plural verb when referring to a plural noun.

Front

How do you determine the correct verb form when using 'either/or' and 'neither/nor'?

Back

With 'either/or' and 'neither/nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.