Subject-verb agreement is one of the most important aspects of English grammar. Without proper agreement, your writing will be confusing and difficult to read. Subject-verb agreement ensures that the subject of a sentence and the verb that follows it agree in number, tense, and person. This rule is essential in making sure your writing maintains its clarity. In this article, we’ll go over 20 subject-verb agreement rules that you need to know to make sure your writing is grammatically correct.
1. The subject and verb must agree in number. Singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs.
2. The subject and verb must agree in tense. A present tense verb is used for a present tense subject, and a past tense verb is used for a past tense subject.
3. A singular subject requires a singular verb even if it has plural parts, such as “The group of students is studying.”
4. A compound subject (two or more subjects) connected by the conjunction “and” requires a plural verb, such as “Tom and Jerry are playing.”
5. When “either/or” and “neither/nor” are used, the verb agrees with the noun closest to the verb, such as “Neither the cat nor the dog is eating.”
6. When words such as “each,” “every,” and “none” are used as the subject, they are always singular and require a singular verb.
7. When “none” is used to mean “not one,” it is singular and requires a singular verb. When “none” refers to more than one thing, it is plural and requires a plural verb.
8. When expressing periods of time or amounts of money, use a singular verb, such as “Five dollars is a lot to pay for a cup of coffee.”
9. When the subject is a collective noun, such as “team,” “family,” or “group,” it can be singular or plural, depending on context.
10. When a noun has both a singular and a plural form, use the singular form when referring to a specific item or amount, and the plural form to refer to a general group.
11. When a singular noun is followed by a prepositional phrase, the verb agrees with the noun, such as “The group of students is studying.”
12. When a plural noun is followed by a prepositional phrase, the verb usually agrees with the noun and is plural, such as “The students in the class are studying.”
13. When the subject is a fraction, the verb agrees with the numerator, such as “One-third of the cake is gone.”
14. Collective nouns, such as “committee,” “jury,” and “faculty,” can be singular or plural, depending on the writer’s intent.
15. Indefinite pronouns, such as “everyone,” “anyone,” and “someone,” are always singular and require a singular verb.
16. When “there” is used as the subject, the verb agrees with the following noun or pronoun, such as “There are two apples on the table.”
17. When a question is asked, the verb agrees with the subject, even when the subject comes after the verb, such as “Are you going to the party?”
18. When a subject is separated from the verb by words such as “along with,” “together with,” or “as well as,” the verb agrees with the subject closest to it, such as “The dog, along with the cat, is sleeping.”
19. When a subject is a proper noun, such as a name, use the verb that matches the number of the noun, such as “John is eating.”
20. When a subject is a title, such as a book, movie, or song, use a singular verb, such as “The Lord of the Rings is a classic.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential part of English grammar. Improper agreement can make your writing difficult to read and understand. By following these 20 subject-verb agreement rules, you can ensure your writing is grammatically correct and clear.
