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 and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural).

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When do we use a singular verb?

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We use a singular verb when the subject is singular (e.g., 'The cat runs').

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When do we use a plural verb?

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We use a plural verb when the subject is plural (e.g., 'The cats run').

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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 (e.g., 'The dog and the cat 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 (e.g., 'Neither the teacher nor the students are here').

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What is a collective noun?

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A collective noun refers to a group of individuals or things (e.g., 'team', 'flock'). It can take either a singular or plural verb depending on context.

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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 agrees with the main subject (e.g., 'The teacher, along with the students, is going').

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What is the rule for subjects that are indefinite pronouns?

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Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', and 'anybody' are singular and take a singular verb (e.g., 'Everyone is here').

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What is the exception for the subject 'none'?

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The word 'none' can be singular or plural depending on what it refers to (e.g., 'None of the cake is left' vs. 'None of the cookies are left').

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What is the rule for titles of books, movies, or organizations?

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Titles of books, movies, or organizations are treated as singular and take a singular verb (e.g., 'The Hunger Games is a popular series').