Subject verb agreement
52 flashcards covering Subject verb agreement for the SAT Reading & Writing section.
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule that ensures the subject of a sentence and its verb match in number—singular subjects pair with singular verbs, and plural subjects with plural verbs. For instance, in "The team wins," the singular subject "team" requires the singular verb "wins," while "The teams win" uses a plural verb. This concept is essential for clear and precise writing, as it helps avoid confusion and demonstrates strong language skills, which are critical for success on standardized tests like the SAT.
On the SAT, subject-verb agreement shows up in the Reading and Writing section through multiple-choice questions that require you to identify and correct errors in sentences or passages. Common traps include intervening phrases that might make a subject seem plural when it's not, or collective nouns that can be tricky to classify. Focus on pinpointing the main subject, ignoring any distractions like prepositional phrases, and double-checking for agreement to avoid careless mistakes.
A helpful tip: Always identify the subject first before selecting a verb.
Terms (52)
- 01
Subject-verb agreement
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject of a sentence and its verb must both be singular or both be plural to match in number, ensuring the sentence is grammatically correct.
- 02
Singular subject
A singular subject, which refers to one person, place, thing, or idea, requires a singular verb form to maintain agreement.
- 03
Plural subject
A plural subject, which refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea, requires a plural verb form for proper agreement.
- 04
Compound subject with and
A compound subject joined by 'and' is usually plural and takes a plural verb, except when the parts refer to a single entity.
- 05
Compound subject with or/nor
When a compound subject is joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to the verb for correct agreement.
- 06
Intervening phrases
Intervening phrases between the subject and verb do not affect agreement; the verb must still match the subject's number.
- 07
Collective nouns
Collective nouns, such as team or family, are singular when referring to the group as a whole and take a singular verb, but plural if emphasizing individuals.
- 08
Indefinite pronouns as subjects
Indefinite pronouns like everyone or somebody are singular and require a singular verb, even though they imply more than one.
- 09
Each and every as modifiers
Words like 'each' or 'every' before a subject make it singular, so the verb must be singular regardless of what follows.
- 10
None as a subject
None can be singular or plural depending on context; it takes a singular verb if referring to a singular idea, or plural if to plural items.
- 11
Either and neither as subjects
Either and neither are singular pronouns, so they require a singular verb even when followed by a plural noun.
- 12
All and some with of-phrases
All or some as subjects are singular if the object of the of-phrase is singular, and plural if it is plural, to ensure agreement.
- 13
Fractions as subjects
A fraction or percentage as a subject is singular if the object it refers to is singular, and plural if that object is plural.
- 14
The number vs. a number
The phrase 'the number' is singular and takes a singular verb, while 'a number' is plural and takes a plural verb.
- 15
Relative pronouns in clauses
A relative pronoun like 'who' or 'which' agrees with its antecedent; the verb in the clause must match the number of that antecedent.
- 16
Inverted sentences
In inverted sentences, such as questions, the subject still determines the verb's number, even if it follows the verb.
- 17
There is/there are constructions
In sentences starting with 'there is' or 'there are', the verb agrees with the real subject that follows, not the word 'there'.
- 18
Agreement with titles
A title of a book or work is treated as singular, so it takes a singular verb, regardless of the words in the title.
- 19
Gerund phrases as subjects
A gerund phrase acting as the subject is singular and requires a singular verb, treating the phrase as a single unit.
- 20
Infinitive phrases as subjects
An infinitive phrase as the subject is singular and needs a singular verb, since it functions as one idea.
- 21
Appositive phrases and agreement
An appositive phrase does not change the subject's number; the verb agrees with the main subject, not the appositive.
- 22
Parenthetical elements
Parenthetical elements inserted in a sentence do not affect subject-verb agreement; ignore them when matching subject and verb.
- 23
Verbs with -s endings
A verb ending in -s is singular in present tense, which can trap students into mismatches with plural subjects.
- 24
Agreement in complex sentences
In complex sentences, each clause must have subject-verb agreement independently, especially with subordinate clauses.
- 25
Subjects after verbs in questions
In questions, the subject follows the verb or auxiliary, but the verb still must agree with the subject's number.
- 26
Quantities like five dollars
Quantities such as 'five dollars' are treated as singular and take a singular verb when referring to a total amount.
- 27
Measurements like ten miles
Measurements such as 'ten miles' are singular when expressing a single unit and require a singular verb.
- 28
Time expressions like five years
Time expressions like 'five years' are singular when referring to a period as a whole and need a singular verb.
- 29
Money expressions
Expressions of money, like 'ten dollars', are singular and take a singular verb when viewed as a single amount.
- 30
Strategy for identifying the subject
To ensure agreement, first locate the main subject by stripping away prepositional phrases and modifiers.
- 31
How to check verb agreement
Check verb agreement by ensuring the verb form matches the subject's number, and rephrase the sentence if needed for clarity.
- 32
Avoiding distractors in SAT questions
On the SAT, ignore words that might seem to change the subject, like those in phrases, to avoid incorrect agreement choices.
- 33
Example of basic agreement
A simple sentence like 'The dog barks' shows correct agreement because the singular subject 'dog' pairs with the singular verb 'barks'.
- 34
Example of agreement error
An error occurs in 'The dogs bark' if changed to 'The dogs barks', as the plural subject 'dogs' requires the plural verb 'bark'.
- 35
Correcting compound subject errors
For a sentence like 'John and Jane go to school', ensure the plural verb 'go' matches the compound subject.
- 36
Trap with phrases like along with
Phrases like 'along with' do not make a subject plural, so 'The teacher along with students is here' uses a singular verb.
- 37
Agreement with everyone
The indefinite pronoun 'everyone' is singular, so a sentence must use a singular verb, like 'Everyone is ready'.
- 38
Agreement in relative clauses
In a clause like 'The student who studies hard succeeds', the verb 'succeeds' agrees with the singular antecedent 'student'.
- 39
Subjects in subordinate clauses
Each subordinate clause must have its own subject-verb agreement, independent of the main clause.
- 40
None with singular reference
When 'none' refers to a singular noun, as in 'None of the cake is left', it takes a singular verb.
- 41
Either in compound subjects
In 'Either the cat or the dogs are noisy', the verb agrees with the nearer subject 'dogs', making it plural.
- 42
All with plural reference
If 'all' refers to plural items, like 'All of the books are expensive', the verb is plural.
- 43
Fractions with singular objects
A fraction with a singular object, such as 'Half of the pie is gone', requires a singular verb.
- 44
The number of items
In 'The number of students is increasing', 'the number' is singular, so the verb is singular.
- 45
Who as a subject
The pronoun 'who' as a subject in a clause agrees with its antecedent's number, like 'The man who is tall'.
- 46
Expletive constructions
In expletive constructions like 'It is the dogs that bark', the verb agrees with the real subject 'dogs'.
- 47
Agreement with pairs
Pairs like 'scissors' are plural and require a plural verb, as in 'The scissors are sharp'.
- 48
Nouns ending in -ics
Nouns like 'physics' are singular and take a singular verb, even though they end in -s.
- 49
Strategy for plural forms
When a subject appears plural but is singular, like 'news', use a singular verb to avoid agreement errors.
- 50
Common SAT trap with modifiers
SAT questions often use modifiers to mislead, so always identify the true subject before selecting a verb.
- 51
Example of inverted agreement
In a question like 'Are the birds flying?', the plural verb 'are' correctly agrees with the plural subject 'birds'.
- 52
Correcting indefinite pronoun errors
For 'Each of the players have a role', change to 'Each of the players has a role' for singular agreement.