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Subject-Verb
Agreement
English Grammar for Govt. Exams
Subject Verb Agreement
DANCE FORMS OF INDIA
Subject-Verb Agreement
English basic grammar is asked in various govt. and competitive exams. In that verb agreement is an
important part. In this e-book, you will learn about subject-verb agreement.
Introduction
No one enjoys struggle, and that incorporates sentences! We realize that each sentence requires a subject
and a predicate, yet we additionally need to ensure that these two concur with each other. In the language
world, this is called subject-action word arrangement.
As per the journal by the Albert team grammar, the two spots where subjects and action words most
frequently differ are in number and tense. On the off chance that the subject is plural, the action word
likewise must be plural. Moreover, on the off chance that the subject is plural, the action word should
likewise be plural. This appears like an easy decision, yet things can get convoluted when you are
discussing cash, time, aggregate things, endless pronouns, and intruding on phrases.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement refers to the relationship between the subject and predicate of the sentence.
Subjects and verbs must always agree in two ways: tense and number. For this post, we are focusing on the
number, or whether the subject and verb are singular or plural.
For example:
The light in the lamppost flickers each night.
In this sentence, the subject light is singular; therefore, the verb that describes the action of the subject
must also be singular: flickers.
If the subject was plural, the verbs would have to change form to agree with the subject.
For example:
The lights in the lampposts flicker each night.
In this sentence, since the subject is now plural, the -s have to be removed from the verb in order to have a
subject-verb agreement.
Subject-Verb Agreement and Time
The rules for time are very similar to the rules for money when it comes to subject-verb agreement.
Just as a singular verb is used with an amount of money, a singular verb is also used with a period of time.
For example:
The 1920s is the backdrop for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby.
However, even though a plural verb is used when referring to individual dollar bills or coins, we normally
do not refer to individual units of time since time is abstract. Therefore, singular verbs are always used
instead of plural verbs whenever a writer refers to a period of time or a unit of measurement.
For example:
225 pounds is the maximum weight that I can deadlift right now.
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Subject Verb Agreement
DANCE FORMS OF INDIA
Subject-Verb Agreement and Collective Nouns
Collective nouns, or nouns that name groups composed of members, use either singular or plural verbs
based on the context of the sentence.
When collective nouns like family, squad, or committee act in unison in a sentence, a singular verb is used.
For example:
The committee votes to build a new park downtown.
When collective nouns act individually or separately from the group, a plural verb is used.
For example:
The herd of cows are running sporadically in every direction.
Subject-Verb Agreement and Indefinite Pronouns
Even though indefinite pronouns are nonspecific, most of these pronouns can still be divided into singular
and plural categories.
However, for indefinite pronouns that can be either singular or plural depending on the sentence, writers
must reference a different noun in the sentence to find out whether a singular or plural verb is needed.
Always singular example:
Does anybody want to take Precalculus with me this semester?
Always plural example:
Several kittens need to be adopted this weekend.
When an indefinite pronoun like some, more, none, or all is used, writers must refer to the noun or noun
phrase immediately following this pronoun to know whether the verb is singular or plural.
For example:
None of my clothes are clean. (the verb is plural because clothes are plural)
None of the pizza is left. (the verb is singular because pizza is singular)
Subject-Verb Agreement and Interrupting Phrases
Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether a verb should be singular or plural because it is so far away
from the subject of the sentence. It is easy to be confused by appositive phrases, prepositional phrases, or
direct objects and think that these indicate the number of the verb. This is not the case! The subject is the
only noun that decides if the verb is singular or plural.
For example:
Chris Hemsworth, one of many successful actors in Hollywood, has an intense workout regimen.
In this sentence, even though the appositive phrase uses the plural noun actors, the subject, Chris
Hemsworth, is still singular, which means that the verb “has” must also be singular.
For example:
The knot-hole in the tree, typically full of treasures for Scout and Jem, was instead filled with cement.
In this sentence, it can be tricky to find the true subject since there are several prepositional phrases that
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Subject Verb Agreement
DANCE FORMS OF INDIA
interrupt the subject and verb. Even though there are many nouns, both singular and plural, the true
subject, knot-hole, is singular, so the singular verb was is needed.
Simple ways to understand Subject-verb agreement
• Objects and appositives can never be the subject of the sentence
For example:
Jacob, one of my next-door neighbors, is a werewolf.
In this sentence, Jacob, not “neighbors”, is the subject of the sentence, because “neighbors” is part of the
appositive phrase.
• When referring to sums of money or collective nouns acting in unison, a singular verb is used
For example:
The herd of bison is grazing in the field.
In this sentence, because the bison are acting as a unified group, the verb is singular.
• Regardless of where it is in the sentence, the subject always determines whether a verb is singular
or plural
For example:
Her palms sweaty and mind racing, she begins her descent down the mountain.
In this sentence, the subject does not appear until the middle of the sentence. Do not get tricked by
modifiers like in this sentence!
References
1. Mouse Finbar’s main weakness was cake.
In this sentence, weakness is the singular subject of the sentence, which means that the verb, was, must
also be singular.
2. Ruby Roundhouse knew that the only way to save her friends was to win a dance fight.
In this sentence, there are two clauses, each with its own subject and verb. The subject and verb of the
first clause are singular: Ruby Roundhouse knew. The subject and verb of the second clause are also
singular: way and was. However, since there are two clauses with two separate verbs, we have to make
sure that there is also agreement intense. Since the verb “knew” is in the past tense, the verb “was” must
also be in the past tense.
3. Spencer, Fridge, and Martha were separated from the group during the attack.
In this sentence, the subject (Spencer, Fridge, and Martha) is plural because three different people are
included. Therefore, the verb phrase (were separated) must also be plural.
4. In Jumanji: The Next Level, a new character, Ming, is introduced.
In this sentence, the character is the singular subject. It is difficult to find the true subject because there is
both a prepositional phrase and an appositive; however, since the character is the true singular subject,
the verb “is” must also be singular.
5. In order to win the game, Jumanji, the characters were instructed to return the Jaguar’s Eye to its
home.
In this sentence, characters is the plural subject, and were instructed is the plural verb.
The grammer journal by the albert team says that Subjects and verbs within the same clauses must agree
with one another in number, while verbs in separate clauses within the same sentence must agree with
one another in tense.
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Subject Verb Agreement
DANCE FORMS OF INDIA
Rules for Subject-Verb agreement
According to the Touro College Writing Write-up rules of Subject-verb agreements are given below.
• A subject made up of nouns joined by and takes a plural subject, unless that subject’s intended
sense is singular.
She and I run every day.
Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich. (Intended sense of singular)
• When a subject is made up of nouns joined by or, the verb agrees with the last noun.
She or I run every day.
Potatoes, pasta, or rice goes well with grilled chicken. (Last noun: rice)
• Collective nouns (team, couple, staff, etc.) take a singular verb.
The football team is practicing night and day for the Super Bowl.
Boston’s school committee disagrees about what to cut from the school budget.
• Connectives, phrases such as combined with, coupled with, accompanied by, added to, along with,
together with, and as well as, do not change the number of the subject. These phrases are usually
set off with commas.
Oil, as well as gas, is a popular heating choice.
Peanut butter combined with bread and jelly is a tasty snack.
(Here, the peanut butter, bread, and jelly are one unit, a sandwich, so no commas are needed and we keep
the singular verb.)
• Collecting noun phrases (a bunch of, a group of, a set of, etc.) take a singular verb.
A set of 12 dishes is all you need for the dinner party.
• “Each” takes a singular verb.
Each boy is excited about the meet; each is well prepared.
• “None” takes a singular verb if what it refers to is singular and a plural verb if its referent is plural.
None of the book is reproducible without permission.
None of the peas are left on Sean’s plate. (“peas” is the referent and is plural)
• With fractions, the verb agrees with the whole.
One-fourth of the books are gone. (“books” is a plural noun)
One-fourth of the sand is white. (“sand” is a singular noun)
• With money, if the amount is specific, use a singular verb; if the amount is vague, use a plural verb.
Within a year, 5 million was spent on building a new factory, and millions more were spent on training
future factory workers. (“5 million” is a specific amount. Therefore, the verb is singular.)
Funds are allocated each year to help medical research. (“Funds” is a vague term rather than a specific
amount. Therefore, the verb is plural.)
• The phrase “more than one” takes a singular verb.
More than one box is sitting in the hallway.
More than one car was involved in the race.
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