Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Basic Agreement: Singular and Plural

In English, a singular subject is paired with a singular verb, while a plural subject is paired with a plural verb. This agreement maintains grammatical consistency and clarity.

Examples:

∗She lives in China. (Singular subject and singular verb)

∗More people live in Asia than in any other continent. (Plural subject and plural verb)

2. Agreement with Complex Subjects

When dealing with complex subjects, the verb must agree with the main noun of the subject. The main noun is typically the most important or central noun in the subject.

Examples:

∗Many leading members of the opposition party have criticised the delay. (Main noun: members; verb: have)

∗The only excuse that he gave for his actions was that he was tired. (Main noun: excuse; verb: was)

3. Subject Following the Verb

When the subject comes after the verb, the verb must still agree with the subject. This construction often appears in sentences where the subject is introduced after the verb.

Example:

∗Displayed on the board were the exam results. (Subject: results; verb: were)

4. Agreement with Clauses as Subjects

When a clause serves as the subject, it usually takes a singular verb, regardless of the clause's length or complexity.

Examples:

∗To keep these young people in prison is inhuman. (Clause: To keep these young people in prison; verb: is)

∗Having overall responsibility for the course means that I have a lot of meetings. (Clause: Having overall responsibility for the course; verb: means)

∗Whoever took them remains a mystery. (Clause: Whoever took them; verb: remains)

However, with a what-clause, use a singular verb if the following main noun is singular. If the main noun is plural, a singular or plural verb can be used, though a plural verb is preferred in formal contexts.

Examples:

∗What worries us is the poor selection process. (Singular main noun: process; verb: is)

∗What is needed are additional resources. (Plural main noun: resources; verb: are)

5. Collective Nouns: Singular or Plural Verbs

Collective nouns, which refer to groups, can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the focus is on the group as a whole or its individual members.

Examples:

∗The council has postponed a decision on the new road. (Focus on the council as a whole unit; singular verb)

*The committee usually raise their hands to vote ‘Yes’. * (Focus on individual actions of the committee members; plural verb)

∗The school is to close next year. (Focus on the school as an institution; singular verb)

6. Names and Titles Ending in -s

When names or titles ending in -s refer to a single unit, use a singular verb. This rule applies to countries, newspapers, titles of books, films, and quoted phrases.

Examples:

∗At this time of the year, the Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK. (Singular unit: Netherlands; verb: is)

∗The Machine Gunners was one of Robert Westall’s most successful books. (Singular title: The Machine Gunners; verb: was)

∗‘Daps’ is the word used in the south-west of the country for sports shoes. (Singular word: Daps; verb: is)

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

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