Common mistakes: Subject verb agreement

​Common mistakes: Subject verb agreement

What you thought you knew​

​Mistake 1

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When there is more than one noun before the verb, you make the verb agree with the wrong one.

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Multiple Choice

The characters in this extremely modern version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth are no longer believable.

• Shakespeare's Macbeth

• characters

• version

Multiple Choice

The installation of high speed cameras on busy intersections in Sydney has caused a lot of dissatisfaction.

• cameras

• Sydney

• installation

​Mistake 2

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You make mistakes when there is more than one head noun joined by words like and, or, nor.

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Two singular head nouns linked by and take a plural verb.

1. Chelsea and Mariza own a racehorse.

2. Both Greece and Ukraine have won the Eurovision Song Contest in past years.

but

two singular head nouns linked by or or nor take a singular verb.

1. Either Chelsea or Mariza owns the grey car.

2. Neither Greece nor Ukraine has won the Eurovision Song Contest as many times as the Netherlands.

Multiple Choice

Democracy and education is closely linked.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Either the eyewitness or the victim have recalled the incident inaccurately.

• Correct

• Incorrect

​Mistake 3

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​You don't know what to do with some types of pronouns.

If we asked you whether a pronoun like each takes a singular or plural verb, you might not be able to answer. But if you think about the meaning of each in a sentence - about whether it's referring to 'one' or 'more than one' - you could probably figure it out.​

Multiple Choice

Each of the compartments contain several litres of water.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Few of the students has gone on to become doctors.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Some of the water runs off if you don’t hold the tray straight.

• Correct

• Incorrect

IPronouns like each that refer to just one entity are every, either and neither.

• They are singular pronouns, so they always require a singular verb. (The word none doesn’t refer to any entities at all, but it’s usually put into this group too.)

Other pronouns like few that refer to more than one entity are both, many, some and several.

• They are plural pronouns, so they always require a plural verb.

Some pronouns are neither singular nor plural themselves

• it depends on what they are referring to.

Pronouns such as some, all, any and most, which refer to quantity, take:

• a singular verb when they refer to a quantity of something you can’t count at all (non-count nouns like money and metal)

• a plural verb when they refer to a quantity of something you can count (plural count nouns like theories and mice).

​Mistake 4

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​You don't know what to do with collective nouns.

1. The committee have circulated the proposal amongst their members.

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This sentence is correct. The first sentence draws attention to the individual members of the committee, that is, to the fact that there are a number of individuals involved. 

2. The committee has met and has rejected the proposal.

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This sentence is correct. The second sentence focuses on the committee as a single entity, acting as one.

English has many other nouns like this including community, government, family, team, public, population, aristocracy, majority and minority.​

If you are in doubt as to whether to use a singular or plural verb with them, ask yourself whether these words are being used to:

• focus on the group as a single unit - use singular verb

• focus on the group as a collection of different individuals - use plural verb.

Multiple Choice

The cricket team ______ always arguing amongst themselves.

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

 A minority of those who took part in the survey ______ with this point of view.

• agree

• agrees

​Mistake 5

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​You are confused by words that look plural but are ALWAYS singular.

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Multiple Select

Select the words that always take the singular verb.

• robotics 

• news

• blitzes

• cities

• taxes

Multiple Select

Select the words that always take the singular verb.

• wives

• forensics

• mathematics

• apendices

• physics

​Mistake 6

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​You make plurals of some words that are only ever singular.

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Multiple Choice

The knowledges needed to run the organisation are not something everyone possesses.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

All the evidences support her findings. 

• Correct

• Incorrect