Subject-verb agreement stands as one of the foundational pillars of English grammar, yet it remains a frequent stumbling block for writers at every proficiency level. Still, the English language is riddled with complex sentence structures, deceptive phrases, and exceptions that turn this basic principle into a common source of subject verb agreement errors. The rule appears deceptively simple: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. Mastering these nuances is essential for producing polished, credible, and professional writing, whether you are crafting an academic paper, a business email, or a creative story.
Understanding the Core Principle
Before diving into specific examples of subject verb agreement errors, it helps to visualize the mechanism. Plus, the subject is the "doer" of the action, and the verb is the action itself. They must align in number Simple as that..
- Singular: The cat sleeps on the mat.
- Plural: The cats sleep on the mat.
Errors typically arise when the subject and verb are separated by other words, when the subject is an indefinite pronoun, or when the sentence structure inverts the standard order. Recognizing these danger zones is the first step toward eliminating mistakes.
1. Intervening Phrases and Clauses
One of the most prevalent traps involves phrases that come between the subject and the verb. Worth adding: prepositional phrases (starting with in, on, at, of, with, along with, together with, as well as) often contain nouns that differ in number from the actual subject. Writers frequently match the verb to the nearest noun—the object of the preposition—rather than the true subject Took long enough..
Incorrect: The box of chocolates are open. Correct: The box of chocolates is open. Reasoning: The subject is "box" (singular), not "chocolates." The phrase "of chocolates" merely modifies the subject.
Incorrect: The student, along with his parents, attend the meeting. Correct: The student, along with his parents, attends the meeting. Reasoning: Phrases like "along with," "together with," and "as well as" do not compound the subject. Only "and" creates a plural subject. The subject remains "student" (singular).
Incorrect: The bouquet of red roses smell wonderful. Correct: The bouquet of red roses smells wonderful Which is the point..
Strategy: Mentally cross out the prepositional phrase to isolate the true subject.
2. Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific persons or things. Their number (singular or plural) is fixed, but intuition often leads writers astray, especially with pronouns that feel plural because they imply a group.
Always Singular
These pronouns require singular verbs: each, either, neither, one, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody, everything, something, anything, nothing.
Incorrect: Everyone are invited to the party. Correct: Everyone is invited to the party.
Incorrect: Each of the students have a textbook. Correct: Each of the students has a textbook. Reasoning: "Each" is the subject; "of the students" is a prepositional phrase.
Incorrect: Neither of the options seem viable. Correct: Neither of the options seems viable.
Always Plural
These require plural verbs: both, few, many, several.
Incorrect: Few was left after the sale. Correct: Few were left after the sale The details matter here. Took long enough..
Context Dependent (SANAM)
The pronouns Some, Any, None, All, Most (often remembered by the acronym SANAM) can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to (the object of the preposition following them) Worth knowing..
Singular Context (Uncountable Noun): Incorrect: Some of the water are spilled. Correct: Some of the water is spilled That's the part that actually makes a difference..
Plural Context (Countable Noun): Incorrect: Some of the cookies is missing. Correct: Some of the cookies are missing Worth keeping that in mind..
Incorrect: All of the cake were eaten. Correct: All of the cake was eaten Nothing fancy..
Incorrect: All of the slices was eaten. Correct: All of the slices were eaten.
3. Compound Subjects Joined by "And," "Or," and "Nor"
Joined by "And" (Generally Plural)
When two or more subjects are connected by and, they typically form a plural subject It's one of those things that adds up..
Incorrect: The CEO and the CFO is arriving tomorrow. Correct: The CEO and the CFO are arriving tomorrow.
Exception: If the compound subject refers to a single entity, concept, or person, use a singular verb. Incorrect: Peanut butter and jelly are my favorite sandwich. Correct: Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich. (One dish)
Incorrect: The chairman and CEO have resigned. Correct: The chairman and CEO has resigned. (One person holding two titles)
Joined by "Or," "Nor," "Either/Or," "Neither/Nor" (Proximity Rule)
When subjects are joined by these correlative conjunctions, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it (the principle of proximity).
Incorrect: Neither the manager nor the employees was satisfied. Correct: Neither the manager nor the employees were satisfied. (Plural "employees" is closest).
Incorrect: Either the tigers or the lion escape at night. Correct: Either the tigers or the lion escapes at night. (Singular "lion" is closest) And that's really what it comes down to. Still holds up..
Incorrect: Not only the students but also the teacher were surprised. Correct: Not only the students but also the teacher was surprised Took long enough..
4. Inverted Sentence Structures
In standard English, the subject precedes the verb. Even so, in questions, sentences beginning with here/there, and sentences starting with prepositional phrases, the subject follows the verb. This inversion often causes the writer to lose track of the subject.
Questions
Incorrect: Where is the keys to the car? Correct: Where are the keys to the car?
Incorrect: Does the children want ice cream? Correct: Do the children want ice cream?
Sentences Starting with "There" or "Here"
There and here are never the subject. The true subject follows the verb.
Incorrect: There is many reasons to stay. Correct: There are many reasons to stay.
Incorrect: Here comes the bus and the train. Correct: Here come the bus and the train. (Compound subject = plural).
Sentences Starting with Prepositional Phrases
Incorrect: Across the river lie the mountains. Correct: Across the river lies the mountain. (Singular subject "mountain"). Wait, let's check the plural version: Correct: Across the river lie the mountains. (Plural subject "mountains") Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
Incorrect: In the basket was apples and oranges. Correct: In the basket were apples and oranges.
5. Collective Nouns: The Singular/Plural Dilemma
Collective nouns (team, committee, family, audience, jury, class, staff, government, crowd) name a group of individuals. In American English, they are almost always treated as singular units. In British English
, however, collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the speaker or writer is thinking of the group as a single unit or as individual members Worth keeping that in mind..
American vs. British Usage
American English (singular focus):
- The committee has reached a decision.
- Our family is going to the beach this summer.
British English (flexible approach):
- The committee have reached their individual conclusions. (Emphasizing members' separate actions)
- Our family are always arguing about vacation plans. (Focusing on individual family members)
When to Use Plural with Collective Nouns
Even in American English, use a plural verb when the group members are clearly acting as individuals:
Example: The jury were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, so each juror was interviewed separately.
Example: The staff are submitting their individual reports by Friday.
Special Cases
Some nouns look singular but function as plurals:
- The media (short for "mediums") are covering the story extensively.
- Mathematics is my favorite subject. (Treated as singular)
- *Politics are discussed at every family gathering. (Can be plural when referring to political activities)
6. Titles, Names, and Words as Themselves
Words used as words, titles of books/articles, and company names typically take singular verbs:
Incorrect: "To Be or Not to Be" are Hamlet's most famous line. Correct: "To Be or Not to Be" is Hamlet's most famous line The details matter here. That's the whole idea..
Incorrect: The novel War and Peace were written by Tolstoy. Correct: The novel War and Peace was written by Tolstoy.
Incorrect: Google have announced new policies. Correct: Google has announced new policies.
7. Expressions of Time, Amount, and Distance
These expressions are singular when considered as single units, but plural when emphasizing individual components:
Singular focus:
- Ten dollars is a reasonable price. (The total amount)
- Twenty miles is too far to walk. (The distance)
Plural focus:
- Ten dollars are scattered across the table. (Individual bills)
- Twenty miles are marked on this map. (Separate mile markers)
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement may seem like a simple rule, but English grammar presents numerous exceptions and special cases that require careful attention. The key to mastering these concepts lies in understanding that the verb must agree with its subject in number, regardless of intervening phrases or modifiers It's one of those things that adds up..
This is the bit that actually matters in practice.
To ensure proper agreement:
- Apply the proximity rule for "or"/"nor" constructions
- Determine whether subjects joined by "and" function as one unit or separate entities
- Recognize inverted structures and locate the actual subject
- That's why understand how collective nouns function in your variety of English
- Consider this: identify the true subject by eliminating prepositional phrases and parenthetical expressions
- Treat titles, quotations, and company names as singular units
Some disagree here. Fair enough.
Mastering subject-verb agreement requires practice and attention to detail, but it's essential for clear, professional communication. Whether writing emails, academic papers, or creative works, proper verb agreement demonstrates grammatical competence and enhances your credibility as a writer. Remember that consistency within your chosen dialect of English—American, British, or otherwise—is more important than adhering to rigid rules that may vary across contexts.
