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 should a singular verb be used?

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A singular verb should be used when the subject is singular, meaning it refers to one person, place, thing, or idea.

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When should a plural verb be used?

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A plural verb should be used when the subject is plural, meaning it refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

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What is a compound subject?

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A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction (e.g., 'and' or 'or').

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How does a compound subject affect verb agreement?

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If the compound subject is joined by 'and', a plural verb is used. If joined by 'or', the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

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Example of a singular subject with a singular verb.

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The cat runs fast.

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Example of a plural subject with a plural verb.

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The dogs bark loudly.

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What is an intervening phrase?

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An intervening phrase is a group of words that comes between the subject and the verb but does not affect the subject-verb agreement.

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How does an intervening phrase affect subject-verb agreement?

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An intervening phrase does not change the number of the subject; the verb must still agree with the subject.

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What is the rule for subjects joined by 'neither/nor'?

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When subjects are joined by 'neither/nor', the verb should agree with the nearest subject.