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.

Front

What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with singular subjects?

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When the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. For example, 'The cat runs.'

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What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with plural subjects?

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When the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example, 'The cats run.'

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How do you determine the correct verb form for collective nouns?

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Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team wins' (singular) vs. 'The team are arguing' (plural).

Front

What is the subject-verb agreement rule for compound subjects joined by 'and'?

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When two subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

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What is the subject-verb agreement rule for compound subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

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When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.'

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How does subject-verb agreement work with indefinite pronouns?

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Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', and 'nobody' are singular and take singular verbs. For example, 'Everyone is here.'

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What is the subject-verb agreement rule for titles of books, movies, or organizations?

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Titles of books, movies, or organizations are treated as singular, even if they are plural in form. For example, 'The Beatles is a famous band.'

Front

What is the subject-verb agreement rule for subjects separated by phrases?

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When subjects are separated by phrases, the verb should still agree with the main subject. For example, 'The dog, along with its puppies, is barking.'

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What is the subject-verb agreement rule for amounts of money, time, or distance?

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Amounts of money, time, or distance are usually treated as singular. For example, 'Five dollars is a lot of money.'