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 (one person or thing). For example, 'The cat runs fast.'

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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 (more than one person or thing). For example, 'The cats run fast.'

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What is the correct verb form for collective nouns?

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Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs 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).

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How do we treat subjects joined by 'and'?

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When subjects are joined by 'and', they are usually considered plural, so we use a plural verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

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How do we treat 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, 'Either the dog or the cats are outside.'

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What is the rule for 'each' and 'every'?

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When 'each' or 'every' is used, the verb is singular. For example, 'Each student has a book.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'none'?

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The verb form for 'none' can be singular or plural depending on the context. For example, 'None of the cake was left' (singular) vs. 'None of the cookies were eaten' (plural).

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What is the correct verb form for 'a number of'?

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When using 'a number of', the verb is plural. For example, 'A number of students are absent.'

Front

What is the correct verb form for 'the number of'?

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When using 'the number of', the verb is singular. For example, 'The number of students is increasing.'