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.'

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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.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'He/She/It'?

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The correct verb form is singular, for example, 'He eats,' 'She runs,' 'It falls.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'I/You/We/They'?

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The correct verb form is plural, for example, 'I eat,' 'You run,' 'We fall,' 'They play.'

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What do we do with 'or' in a subject?

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When 'or' is used, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. For example, 'Lisa or her brother is going.'

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What do we do with 'and' in a subject?

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When 'and' is used, the verb is plural. For example, 'Alex and Joe like to read.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'The team ... winning'?

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The correct verb form is singular: 'The team is winning.'

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What is the correct verb form for 'The dogs ... barking'?

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The correct verb form is plural: 'The dogs are barking.'

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What happens when the subject is a collective noun?

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Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as one unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team wins' (singular) vs. 'The team are arguing' (plural).