Subject and Verb Agreement
The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural. Problems occur in the present tense because one must add an -s or -es at the end of the verb when the subjects or the entity performing the action is a singular third person: he, she, it, or words for which these pronouns could substitute.
Notice the difference between singular and plural forms in the following examples:
Singular | Plural |
The student sings. (He or she sings) | Your children sing. (They sing) |
The bird does migrate. (It does) | Those birds do migrate. (They do) |
In order to find out if your subject and verb agree, you need to be able to identify the subject of your sentence. Here are some helpful hints that will help you to decipher where your subject is and where it is not.
The Supreme Court judge decides the appropriate penalty. | |
Subject: judge | Verb: decides |
The committee members were satisfied with the resolution. | |
Subject: members | Verb: were |
Over the ripples glides a small canoe. | |
Subject: a small canoe | Verb: glides |
There was a well-known writer at the meeting. | |
Subject: a well-known writer | Verb: was |
The group of students is going on a field trip. | ||
Subject: the group | MP: of students | Verb: is |
The survey covering seven colleges reveals a growth in enrollment. | ||
Subject: the survey | MP: covering seven colleges | Verb: reveals |
The speaker whom you saw at the lecture is one of the state senators from | ||
Subject: the speaker | MP: whom you saw at the lecture | Verb: is |
The quarterback and the coach are having a conference. | |
Subject: the quarterback and the coach | Verb: are having |
Either the actors or the director is at fault. | |
Subjects: actors, director | Verb: is |
Either the director or the actors are at fault. | |
Subjects: director, actors | Verb: are |
The sales manager is a good researcher who spends a great amount of time surfing the Web for information. | |
Subject: the sales manager | Verbs: is, spends |
Sales managers are good researchers who spend a great amount of time surfing the Web for information. | |
Subject: sales managers | Verbs: are, spend |
Anyone who wants to pursue higher education has to pass entrance exams. | |
Subject: anyone | Verbs: wants, has |
Everyone on the committee is welcome to express his/her ideas. | |
Subject: everyone | Verb: is |
The jury is sequestered. | |
Subject: jury | Verb: is |
The jury are having an argument. | |
Subject: jury | Verb: are having |
The news of the discovery is spreading. | |
Subject: news | Verb: is |
The mass media have publicized the facts. | |
Subject: mass media | Verb: have publicized |
The data amaze everyone. | |
Subject: data | Verb: amaze |
Try this exercise by clicking on this link.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/sv_agr_quiz.htm
http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cw-svagreement.html