Subject-Verb Agreement in English: A Complete Guide with Examples
Subject-verb agreement: What it is and how to get it right
Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammar concept in the English language. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb of a sentence, meaning that the verb must agree with the subject in number and person. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example, ‘She walks to the park’ is correct because ‘she’ is singular and ‘walks’ agrees with it. However, ‘She walk to the park’ is incorrect because ‘walk’ is plural and doesn’t agree with the singular subject ‘she’.
You’ve probably noticed that subject-verb agreement can be tricky, and even native speakers can make errors. In this article, we’ll look at some common mistakes and examples that should help you to understand the concept of subject-verb agreement and avoid making errors in your writing.
Common mistakes to avoid
One of the most common mistakes in subject-verb agreement is when the subject is separated from the verb by a long phrase or clause. This can make it difficult to match the verb with the subject correctly. For example, ‘The book, along with the pen and the pencil, is on the table’ is correct because the subject is singular (‘the book’) and ‘is’ agrees with it. On the other hand, ‘The book, along with the pen and the pencil, are on the table’ is incorrect because ‘are’ is plural and doesn’t agree with the singular subject ‘the book’.
Another common mistake is when the subject is a collective noun, such as ‘team’ or ‘family’. In this case, the verb should agree with the noun in terms of whether it is singular or plural. For example, ‘The team is playing well’ is correct because ‘team’ is singular, even though there are multiple players on that team. However, ‘The team are playing well’ is incorrect because ‘are’ is plural and doesn’t agree with the singular collective noun ‘team’. ‘Are’ would only be correct if you were talking about two or more teams, because then the collective noun would be plural too: ‘The teams are playing well’.
Quick reference list
Here’s a handy list you can use as a reference guide. We’ll look at 10 short examples of common subjects and verbs that are a bit tricky and often lead to agreement errors.
- Collective Nouns – A collective noun refers to a group of people or things, and it can be either singular or plural, depending on how it is used in a sentence. Examples include team, family, group, and staff.
- Singular: The team is playing well.
- Plural: The team are arguing about the strategy.
- Indefinite Pronouns – An indefinite pronoun refers to a person, place, thing, or idea that is not specifically named. Examples include anyone, someone, nobody, and everybody.
- Singular: Everyone has their own way of doing things. (Note: This is a common mistake. It should be ‘Everyone has his or her own way of doing things.’)
- Plural: None of the students have finished their homework.
- Interruptive Prepositional Phrases – Interruptive prepositional phrases are phrases that interrupt the subject and verb of a sentence. When using such phrases, the verb should agree with the subject of the sentence, regardless of the prepositional phrase in between
- Singular: ‘The book on the table, which is about a family of cats, belongs to me’. The singular subject is ‘book,’ and the singular verb ‘belongs’ agrees with it.
- Plural: ‘The books on the table, which is about my favourite cat, belong to me.’ The plural subject is ‘books,’ and the plural verb ‘belong’ agrees with it.
- Summation Plurals – Summation plurals refer to subjects that are made up of multiple parts, such as percentages, fractions, amounts of money or certain objects. When referring to such subjects, it is important to pay attention to whether they are singular or plural.
- Singular: ‘My set of keys is on the table.’ Here, the keys make up a single set.
- Plural: ‘My keys are on the table.’ Here, it’s implied there are multiple keys.
- Plural: ‘Three sets of keys are on the table.’
- Subject-Verb Inversion – In some sentences, the subject and verb are inverted, meaning that the verb comes before the subject. This often happens in questions, but it can also happen in sentences that start with negative adverbs like ‘never’ or ‘rarely.’
- Singular: Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.
- Plural: Rarely do they agree on anything.
- Numbers – Referring to numbers is usually easy. One or a fraction of one is singular, and more than one is plural.
- Singular: Half an apple is left.
- Plural: Two apples are rolling down the hill.
- Singular: Five dollars is all I have.
- Plural: Five one-dollar bills are on the table.
- Compound Subjects – A compound subject is made up of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and.’ In general, compound subjects are plural and require a plural verb.
- Plural: The dog and the cat are playing in the yard.
- Plural: My sister and I are going to the movies.
- Gerunds – A gerund is a verb that functions as a noun and ends in ‘-ing.’ Gerunds are always singular and require a singular verb.
- Singular: Running is my favourite form of exercise.
- Singular: Singing in the choir is a great way to meet new people.
- Titles of Works – When using the title of a work, such as a book or movie, as a subject, it should be treated as singular, regardless of whether the title is plural or singular.
- Singular: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a classic novel.
- Singular: ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a popular movie series.
- ‘Either/Or’ and ‘Neither/Nor’ – When using ‘either/or’ or ‘neither/nor’ to connect two subjects, the verb should agree with the subject that is closest to it.
- Singular: Neither the cat nor the dog likes to take a bath.
- Singular: Either both my brothers or my sister is coming to visit me.
It’s a difficult topic, so let’s take a look at some more detailed and specific examples of subject-verb agreement errors and how to correct them:
- ‘The group of students are studying for their exams.’ In this sentence, ‘group’ is the subject, but ‘are’ is plural, and it doesn’t agree with the singular subject. The correct sentence should be: ‘The group of students is studying for their exams.’
- ‘Everyone in the room were excited to hear the news.’ In this sentence, ‘everyone’ is a singular subject, but ‘were’ is plural. The correct sentence should be: ‘Everyone in the room was excited to hear the news.’
- ‘The number of students in the class are increasing.’ In this sentence, ‘number’ is a singular subject, but ‘are’ is plural. The correct sentence should be: ‘The number of students in the class is increasing.’
- ‘My brother, along with his friends, are planning a trip.’ In this sentence, ‘brother’ is the subject, but ‘are’ is plural and doesn’t agree with the singular subject. The correct sentence should be: ‘My brother, along with his friends, is planning a trip.’
Subject-verb agreement is important because it helps to ensure that sentences are grammatically correct and easy to understand. When subject-verb agreement is incorrect, sentences can be confusing or even nonsensical. For non-native speakers, subject-verb agreement can be particularly challenging, so it’s essential to practice and understand the rules.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar concept in the English language. By understanding the rules and avoiding common mistakes, you can improve your writing and communication skills. With practice and attention to detail, you can master subject-verb agreement and avoid errors that can detract from the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.
