Subject-Verb Agreement

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What is subject-verb agreement?

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

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When should a singular verb be used?

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

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When should a plural verb be used?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.'

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

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Phrases like 'along with' or 'as well as' do not change the number of the subject. The verb should agree with the main subject only.

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What is an example of a collective noun and its verb agreement?

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An example is: 'The team wins the championship.' Here, 'team' is a collective noun treated as singular.

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How do indefinite pronouns affect verb agreement?

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Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' or 'somebody' are usually treated as singular, so they take singular verbs. For example, 'Everyone is here.'