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 dog barks.'

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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 dogs bark.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'Some of the father's answers ____ particularly amusing'?

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The correct verb form is 'are'. The sentence should read: 'Some of the father's answers are particularly amusing.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'The band ____ playing Irish music tonight'?

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The correct verb form is 'is'. The sentence should read: 'The band is playing Irish music tonight.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'Anybody who is interested in boats ____ to know how to swim'?

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The correct verb form is 'needs'. The sentence should read: 'Anybody who is interested in boats needs to know how to swim.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'Many of us ____ been fascinated by the wonders of outer space'?

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The correct verb form is 'have'. The sentence should read: 'Many of us have been fascinated by the wonders of outer space.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'Your friends ____ gone home by now'?

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The correct verb form is 'have'. The sentence should read: 'Your friends have gone home by now.'

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What is a compound subject?

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A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by 'and' that share the same verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

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What happens when a compound subject is joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

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When a compound subject is joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'Neither the cat nor the dogs are outside.'