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 match the verb in number (singular or plural).

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When do we use a singular verb?

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We use a singular verb when the subject is singular (one person or thing). For example, 'The cat runs.'

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When do we use a plural verb?

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We use a plural verb when the subject is plural (more than one person or thing). For example, 'The cats run.'

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What is the rule for compound subjects joined by 'and'?

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When subjects are joined by 'and', they are considered plural, so we use a plural verb. For example, 'Alex and Joe like to read.'

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What is the rule for compound subjects joined by 'or'?

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When subjects are joined by 'or', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'The zookeeper or his helper feeds the animals.'

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What is a singular subject?

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A singular subject refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. For example, 'The dog barks.'

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What is a plural subject?

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A plural subject refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. For example, 'The dogs bark.'

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What is an example of a singular verb?

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An example of a singular verb is 'is'. For example, 'The kitten is soft.'

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What is an example of a plural verb?

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An example of a plural verb is 'are'. For example, 'The kittens are soft.'

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How do we treat collective nouns in terms of subject-verb agreement?

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