Subject Verb Agreement with Linking Verbs

Subject-Verb Agreement: contractions, linking verbs, and titles

​Contractions

​The verb part of the contraction must agree in number with the subject.

​Singular: doesn't, isn't wasn't, hasn't

​Plural: don't, aren't, weren't, haven't

​Singular Ex. The concert doesn't start until seven o'clock.

​The train wasn't going to arrive on time.

​Isn't he a brilliant director?

​Plural Ex. They haven't seen the movie yet.

​The planes weren't able to take off in the stormy weather.

​Don't you like this computer?

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​Subjects with Linking Verbs

​A verb should always agree with the subject, regardless of any other word in the sentence.

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Historical novels are a good way to learn history. (The plural verbare agrees with the plural subject novels - even though way is singular.)

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​The major reading problem is motivation and time. (Is agrees with the subject problem - not with motivation and time.)

​Titles

​A title is singular and takes a singular verb.

​Although a title may contain plural words, it is considered singular because it is the name of one book or one organization. Most multi-word names of businesses and organizations are also considered singular.

​Ex. Seven Gothic Tales was written by Isak Dinesen.

​The Home Owners Association is holding a mortgage seminar.

​The Girl Scouts was founded in Savannah, Georgia, by Juliette Gordan Low.

​Complete p. 100 in your Connections: Language Practice