Subject-Verb Agreement

subject verb agreement

Subject-verb agreement means that a singular subject is matched with a singular verb or that a plural subject is matched with a plural verb. For example:

Look at this example though: Later in this lesson, we will discuss 13 issues that cause errors with subject-verb agreement.

More about Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is linked to "verb conjugation." Verb conjugation just means "how a verb changes to agree with various subjects." For example, here are the conjugations of the verb "to be" and "to play" in the present tense:

SubjectConjugation of "To Be"Conjugation of "To Play"
Iamplay
youareplay
he / she / itisplays
weareplay
youareplay
theyareplay
So, when you match "I" with "am" or "he" with "plays," they are examples of subject-verb agreement.

Subject-Verb Agreement Mistakes

Even though subject-verb agreement is a simple concept, sometimes, it is difficult to know whether your subject is singular or plural. In other words, it is not always easy to know whether you should be using a singular verb (e.g., "is" and "plays") or a plural one (e.g., "are" and "play").

Below are 13 issues that cause problems with subject-verb agreement. In all of these examples, the subject is shaded and the verb is in bold.

(Issue 1) "Someone" and "Anyone" Take Singular Verbs

subject-verb agreement, someone is singular

The indefinite pronouns "anyone," "each," "everyone," "no one," "nobody," and "someone" are singular. For example:

Be careful. Look at these examples: If you have to use a possessive determiner (e.g., "his," "her") in the same sentence, problems start to arise. What if the person isn't male? The English language doesn't handle this well, but here are two options: Read more about the "singular they/their."

(Issue 2) "All" and "Some" Can Take a Singular or a Plural Verb

subject-verb agreement, all and some singular or plural?

The indefinite pronouns "all," "any," "more," "most," and "some" are singular when they refer to something singular but plural when they refer to something plural. For example:

(Issue 3) "Number Of" Takes a Plural Verb. Most of the Time

Is number singular or plural

If it helps, you can think of "number" as following the same rules as "all" and "some" (see Issue 2 above). Therefore, the term "a number of" will nearly always be plural because the object of the preposition "of" (i.e., the word that follows it) will be plural. For example:

Beware though because "number" can be a singular noun referring to an arithmetical value.

(Issue 4) Terms Like "Half Of," "the Majority Of," and "a Percentage Of" Can Be Singular or Plural

Is half of singular or plural?

Expressions such as "half of," "a part of," "a percentage of," "a proportion of," and "a majority of" are singular when they refer to something singular but plural when they refer to something plural. For example:

(Issue 5) "None" Can Take a Singular or Plural Verb

Is none singular or plural?

The indefinite pronoun "none" can be singular or plural. However, be aware that treating "none" as plural might irk some of your readers as many people believe "none" can only be singular. For example:

Here's a tip: If your "none" translates best as "not one of," then treat it as singular. If it translates best as "not any of," then treat it as plural. If this doesn't work for your example, then try to treat it as singular. If the singular version sounds wrong, be brave and go for plural.

Also, keep an eye out for the problem with "his/her/their" (see Issue 1 above). Look at this example:

As you often have the choice whether to treat "none" as singular or plural, you can avoid this untidiness.

(Issue 6) The Words after "As Well As" Are Not Part of the Subject

subject-verb agreement, along with and

The words that follow terms like "as well as," "along with," and "together with" are not part of the subject. They do not compound the subject like "and" does. For example:

(Issue 7) "Either" and "Neither" Are Singular

either and neither, singular or plural?

The pronouns "either" and "neither" take singular verbs. This often causes confusion because they naturally refer to two things. For example:

(Issue 8) "Or" Does Not Conjoin

subject-verb agreement with or

Unlike "and," the conjunctions "or" and " nor" do not conjoin. For example:

The pairings "either/or" and "neither/nor" demand a singular verb when both elements (shaded) are singular, but a plural verb when one of them is plural. For example: Let's call this the "Logic Rule." Be aware that there is another well-followed rule called the "Proximity Rule," which offers different guidance. Under the Proximity Rule, the verb is determined by the nearest element to the verb. For example: You can follow the "Logic Rule" or the Proximity Rule. You should adopt whatever convention those around follow. If you can't find such guidance, pick one and be consistent.

Here's a good tip: Edit your words to adhere to both rules. For example:

Read more about the Logic Rule and the Proximity Rule.

(Issue 9) Beware Modifiers between the Subject and the Verb

subject-verb agreement, interfering modifiers

Sometimes modifiers (shown in blue) get between a subject and its verb. Do not let these words interfere with the subject-verb agreement.

(Issue 10) A List of Words That Cause Confusion

Is data singular or plural?

The words listed below often cause singular/plural confusion.

WordSingular or Plural?
AgendaSingular
(even though it is the plural of "agendum")
Read more about "agenda" being singular.
CriteriaPlural
(Unlike "data" and "agendum," "criteria" has retained its plural status because the singular "criterion" is still in common usage.)
Read more about "criteria" being plural.
DataMostly singular nowadays
(even though it is the plural of "datum")
Read more about "data" being singular.
GlassesPlural
(Note: "Pair of glasses" is singular.)
MeaslesSingular
MediaSingular or Plural
(Treat "media" like a collective noun as opposed to the plural of "medium.")
NewsSingular
PliersPlural
(Note: "Pair of pliers" is singular.)
ScissorsPlural
(Note: "Pair of scissors" is singular.)
UnderpantsPlural
(Note: "Pair of underpants" is singular.)

(Issue 11) Collective Nouns Can be Singular or Plural

subject-verb agreement, collective nouns

A collective noun is a word that represents a group (e.g., "board," "team," "jury"). A collective noun can be singular or plural depending on the sense of the sentence. Look at these two examples.

Often, it is difficult to make a decision on whether to opt for singular or plural. A good trick is to precede your collective noun with words like "members of," forcing you to go plural. For example:

(Issue 12) The Term "More Than One" Is Singular!

subject-verb agreement, more than one

Somewhat counter-intuitively, the expression "more than one" takes a singular verb. For example:

(Issue 13) The Positive Element Governs the Verb

positive element governs the verb

When a subject is made up of a positive element and a negative element, the positive one governs the verb. For example:

This page was written by Craig Shrives.