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 agree in number (singular or plural) with its verb.

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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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Example of a correct subject-verb agreement with a singular subject.

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The cat runs fast.

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Example of a correct subject-verb agreement with a plural subject.

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The dogs bark loudly.

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What is the correct verb form for 'everyone'?

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The correct verb form for 'everyone' is 'is' because 'everyone' is considered a singular subject.

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What is the correct verb form for 'few'?

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The correct verb form for 'few' is 'are' because 'few' is a plural subject.

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How do compound subjects affect verb agreement?

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Compound subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb, while those joined by 'or' or 'nor' take a verb that agrees with the nearest subject.

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Example of a compound subject with 'and'.

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Tom and Jerry are friends.

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Example of a compound subject with 'or'.

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Either the teacher or the students are responsible.