Y05W10GR Subject-verb agreement (foundation)
Subject-verb agreement (foundation)
When you write a sentence, the subject and the verb must match. If the subject is one person or thing, the verb must be the singular form. If the subject is more than one, the verb must be the plural form. When they match, the sentence sounds correct and reads smoothly. When they do not match, readers notice something is wrong — even if they cannot name the rule.
- Understand what subject-verb agreement means
- Identify the subject of a sentence and choose the correct verb form
- Fix agreement errors in your own and others' writing
- Subject — the person, animal or thing the sentence is about. In The teacher writes on the board, the teacher is the subject.
- Verb — the action or state word in the sentence. In The teacher writes on the board, writes is the verb.
- Subject-verb agreement — when the subject and verb match in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.
- Singular — one person, animal or thing. For example: the apostrophe, one student, a notebook.
- Plural — more than one. For example: the apostrophes, three students, two notebooks.
How it works
1Singular subject → singular verb
When the subject is singular, the verb in the present tense usually takes an -s or -es ending.
- The apostrophe shows possession. (one apostrophe)
- A student writes their name on the cover. (one student)
- The pen sits on the desk. (one pen)
2Plural subject → plural verb
When the subject is plural, the verb in the present tense does not take -s.
- The apostrophes show possession. (more than one apostrophe)
- Students write their names on the covers. (more than one student)
- The pens sit on the desk. (more than one pen)
3Finding the real subject
Sometimes extra words come between the subject and the verb. The verb must still agree with the subject — not with the nearest noun.
- The box of pencils is on the shelf. (The subject is box, not pencils.)
- A set of rules applies to every student. (The subject is set, not rules.)
- The trick: find who or what the sentence is really about, then match the verb to that word alone.
See it in action
These examples show that the verb must agree with the true subject, not with a nearby plural noun.
Subject with a phrase after it
The group of students are waiting for the teacher.
The group of students is waiting for the teacher.
Explanation: The subject is group (singular), so the verb must be is, not are. The word students sits between the subject and verb but does not change the agreement.
One of + plural noun
One of the apostrophes are missing from this sentence.
One of the apostrophes is missing from this sentence.
Explanation: The subject is one (singular). Even though apostrophes is plural, the verb agrees with one.
Plural subject with a phrase after it
The pencils in the box sits on the shelf.
The pencils in the box sit on the shelf.
Explanation: The subject is pencils, which is plural, so the verb must be sit. The phrase in the box gives extra detail but does not change the subject.
- The subject is who or what the sentence is about.
- The verb must agree with the subject — not with nearby nouns in between.
- Singular subjects take a singular verb (usually with -s in present tense).
- Plural subjects take a plural verb (without -s in present tense).
- Always find the true subject before choosing the verb form.
- subject(n.) the person, animal or thing the sentence is about — in The apostrophe shows possession, the apostrophe is the subject.
- verb(n.) the action or state word in a sentence — in The pen sits on the desk, sits is the verb.
- subject-verb agreement(n.) the rule that the subject and verb must match in number — The box is correct because box is singular.
- singular(adj.) referring to one person, animal, thing or idea — one student is singular.
- plural(adj.) referring to more than one person, animal, thing or idea — three students is plural.
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