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 of a sentence must match the verb 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 rule for subjects joined by 'and'?

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When subjects are joined by 'and', they are considered plural, so we use a plural verb. For example: 'Sarah and John love to eat.'

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What is the rule for subjects joined by 'or'?

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When subjects are joined by 'or', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example: 'Either the teacher or the students join the trip.'

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What is the rule for collective nouns?

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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).

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

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When using 'each' or 'every', the verb is always singular. For example: 'Each member receives a gift.'

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What is a subject?

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A subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. For example: 'The dog barks.' (The dog is the subject.)

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What is a verb?

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A verb is a word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. For example: 'run', 'is', 'jump'.

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What is the difference between 'inspire' and 'inspires'?

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'Inspire' is the base form of the verb, used with plural subjects or 'I/you'. 'Inspires' is the singular form, used with singular subjects. For example: 'The women inspire me.' vs. 'She inspires me.'