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 and verb in a sentence must agree 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, place, or thing). For example, 'The cat runs fast.'

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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, place, or thing). For example, 'The cats run fast.'

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What is the 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, 'The dog and the cat are friends.'

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What is the 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 are here.'

Front

What is a singular subject?

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A singular subject refers to one person, place, or thing. For example, 'The book is on the table.'

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What is a plural subject?

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A plural subject refers to more than one person, place, or thing. For example, 'The books are on the table.'

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What is an example of a collective noun?

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A collective noun refers to a group of individuals or things treated as a single unit. For example, 'The team is winning.'

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

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Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team is winning' (singular) vs. 'The team are arguing among themselves' (plural).

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What is an example of a subject with an indefinite pronoun?

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Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' or 'somebody' are always singular. For example, 'Everyone is invited to the party.'