Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement

Grammar

Subject Verb Agreement

You know how you have to conjugate the verb to match the subject in foreign languages? We have the same thing in English, and it can be tricky even though the simple cases seem so natural and obvious to us:

Wrong: You is smart.

Correct: You are smart.

Subject Verb Agreement

The subject is a noun (person, place, or thing) that is the "doer" or "main feature" in the sentence. A verb is an action word. Think about the simple sentence before and how awkward it would be to have verbs that don't agree with the subject. You don't even have to know what the subject and verb of each sentence is to know that it's awkward. Now the ACT won't make it that easy on you; they'll intentionally try to trick your ear. For example

Investigations into the scandal (shows/show) a lot more than we want to know.

Investigations into the scandal (shows/show) a lot more than we want to know.

To pick the right verb, we must first find the subject. Let's start by crossing out the prepositional phrase.

Investigations into the scandal (shows/show) a lot more than we want to know.

Investigations (shows/show) a lot more than we want to know.

Investigations (shows/show) a lot more than we want to know.

What's left is the subject - investigations! Now the second step is to ask yourself whether investigations is singular or plural. Well, it's plural because of the s, meaning there's more than one. Therefore, we need the plural verb show. And that's the whole process! Cross out the prepositional phrases and you'll be able to pick the subject from the nouns that are left. It's usually the remaining noun closest to the verb.

Subject Verb Agreement

If you're ever unsure of whether a verb such as show is singular or plural, test it by putting he and they in front and then asking yourself which sounds more correct:

He show...

OR

They show...

Hopefully, They show... sounds more correct to you, which means show is the plural form (since they is plural).

Let's Try It

Films by Miyazaki and Itami, including Miyazaki's Spirited Away, (excites/excite) the imagination

Step 1: Cross out the prepositional phrase/relative clause - by Miyazaki and Itami and including Miyazaki's Spirited Away

Step 2: What is the subject? Films.

Step 3: Is Films singular or plural? Plural.

Step 4: Films by Miyazaki and Itami, including Miyazaki's Spirited Away, excite the imagination

Example #2

Inside heaven's kingdom (rests/rest) Charlie and his angels.

Step 1: Cross out the prepositional phrase/relative clause - Inside heaven's kingdom

Step 2: What is the subject? Charlie and his angels.

Step 3: Is Charlie and his angels. singular or plural? Plural.

Step 4: Inside heaven's kingdom rest Charlie and his angels.

Note, the subject can appear after the verb, something the ACT loves to do to trip students up.

Example #3

The few ideas that I've come up with last night (has/have) given my team enough to work with.

Step 1: Cross out the prepositional phrase/relative clause - that I've come up with last night

Step 2: What is the subject? The few ideas

Step 3: Is The few ideas. singular or plural? Plural.

Step 4: The few ideas that I've come up with last night have given my team enough to work with.

Another Question Variation

Another question variation you might see is one in which the verb is in the phrase or clause you would normally cross out.

I visited my aunt, who (is/are) a panda caretaker, earlier today.

Note the underlined portion is a comma phrase. To find the subject if the verb is located in a phrase or clause like the one above, just ask yourself what it's describing. In this case, the phrase is describing my aunt, which is singular. Therefore, we need the singular verb is.

I visited my aunt, who is a panda caretaker, earlier today.

A Tricky Example

Now let's walk through a really tricky example that combines everything we've learned so far in this lesson.

Mastery of magic tricks that truly (surprises/surprise) the audience (requires/require) lots of time.

Here we have to figure out the subjects for two verbs. Cross out the prepositional phrases and relative clauses.

Mastery (requires/require) lots.

Mastery of magic tricks that truly (surprises/surprise) the audience (requires/require) lots of time.

Mastery (requires/require) lots.

Now it's easy to see that mastery is the main subject of the sentence. Mastery is singular so we need the singular verb requires. After all, it's the mastery that requires a lot of time.

Mastery of magic tricks that truly (surprises/surprise) the audience (requires/require) lots of time.

But let's get back to the first verb, which is crossed out within the relative clause, and ask ourselves what that relative clause is describing. What is truly surprising the audience? Magic tricks! Magic tricks is plural so we need the plural verb surprise.

Mastery of magic tricks that truly surprise the audience requires lots of time.

Multiple Choice

On every author's bookshelf (is/are) dusty and worn out reference books.

• Is

• Are

Multiple Choice

In every desk drawer (sits/sit) a stack of papers waiting to be edited.

• sits

• sit

Multiple Choice

A wide variety of pens, most of which are blue, red, or black, (is/are) scattered across the desk.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

The act of putting words on paper and editing them (is/are) mentally draining.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

The notion that because words come naturally to use when we're speaking, they should also come easily when we're writing, (misrepresents/misrepresent) the struggles that every author faces.

• misrepresents

• misrepresent

Multiple Choice

Research and investigation into their subject matter (plays/play) a crucial role in good writing.

• plays

• play

Multiple Choice

After all, perfect grammar and well-crafted sentences about a vague topic written off the top of one's head (does/do) not make for a good read.

• does

• do

Multiple Choice

A strong liberal arts education that (encompasses/encompass) grammar style, structure, and prose (fosters/foster) great writing.

• encompasses/fosters

• encompass/foster

• encompasses/foster

• encompass/fosters

Multiple Choice

This dedication to the craft and attention to detail that (rivals/rival) that of a surgeon (requires/require) discipline and work ethic.

• rivals/requires

• rival/require

• rivals/require

• rival/requires

Multiple Choice

Authors such as James Joyce (has/have) equated writing to torture.

• has

• have

Multiple Choice

Only when all the pages in the book are written (does/do) writers feel the true joy of writing.

• does

• do