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 'is' instead of 'are'?

Back

Use 'is' for singular subjects and when the subject is a collective noun or a phrase that refers to a single entity.

Front

What is the rule for using 'are'?

Back

Use 'are' for plural subjects and when the subject consists of two or more nouns connected by 'and'.

Front

How does the presence of phrases affect subject-verb agreement?

Back

Phrases that add information (e.g., 'with her bags') do not change the number of the subject; the verb should still agree with the main subject.

Front

What is the rule for using 'everybody' in a sentence?

Back

'Everybody' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it takes a singular verb (e.g., 'knows').

Front

What happens when subjects are connected by 'either/or'?

Back

When subjects are connected by 'either/or', the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.

Front

What is a collective noun?

Back

A collective noun refers to a group of individuals or things considered as a single unit (e.g., 'team', 'family'). It usually takes a singular verb.

Front

How do you determine the correct verb form with compound subjects?

Back

For compound subjects joined by 'and', use a plural verb; for those joined by 'or' or 'nor', use a verb that agrees with the nearest subject.

Front

What is the difference between 'has' and 'have'?

Back

'Has' is used with singular subjects, while 'have' is used with plural subjects and with 'I' and 'you'.

Front

What is an example of a sentence with correct subject-verb agreement?

Back

The box of candies is red.