16 Rules of Subject Verb Agreement

Tuesday June 7th, 2022

As a copy editor, one of the most important aspects of writing is subject-verb agreement. This means that the subject of the sentence must agree with the verb that follows it, both in number and tense. The importance of this agreement cannot be overstated, as it can greatly affect the clarity and readability of the… View Article

As a copy editor, one of the most important aspects of writing is subject-verb agreement. This means that the subject of the sentence must agree with the verb that follows it, both in number and tense. The importance of this agreement cannot be overstated, as it can greatly affect the clarity and readability of the text. Here are 16 rules to keep in mind to ensure proper subject-verb agreement:

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs. For example: “The dog barks.”

2. Plural subjects take plural verbs. For example: “The dogs bark.”

3. Singular nouns that end in “s” or “ss” still take singular verbs. For example: “The bus passes by.”

4. Collective nouns can take singular or plural verbs, depending on the intent of the sentence. For example: “The team is practicing” versus “The team are arguing amongst themselves.”

5. Compound subjects joined by “and” take plural verbs. For example: “The cat and the dog play together.”

6. Compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor” take a singular verb that agrees with the subject closest to the verb. For example: “Neither the cat nor the dog is barking.”

7. Indefinite pronouns, such as “everyone” or “anyone,” take singular verbs. For example: “Everyone is here.”

8. Some indefinite pronouns, such as “both” and “few,” take plural verbs. For example: “Both of the cats are sleeping.”

9. When the subject is a fraction or a percentage, the verb should agree with the noun following “of.” For example: “Two-thirds of the pizza is gone.”

10. When the subject is a distance or a measurement, the verb should agree with the noun following “of.” For example: “Ten miles is a long way to run.”

11. When there are two singular subjects joined by “either/or,” the verb should agree with the subject closest to the verb. For example: “Either the cat or the dog is hungry.”

12. When there is a singular subject and a plural subject joined by “either/or,” the verb should agree with the closest subject to the verb. For example: “Either the cats or the dog is causing the mess.”

13. When there is a subject and a predicate nominative (a noun that renames the subject), the verb should agree with the subject. For example: “The winner is the cat.”

14. When there is a subject and a relative pronoun (such as “who” or “which”) serving as the subject of a dependent clause, the verb should agree with the subject of the independent clause. For example: “The cat that lives next door is very friendly.”

15. In questions, the subject often follows the verb, but the verb should still agree with the subject. For example: “Are the dogs barking?”

16. In sentences that begin with “there” or “here,” the verb should agree with the subject that follows the verb. For example: “There is a dog in the yard.”

Subject-verb agreement may seem like a small detail, but it can greatly impact the clarity and understandability of a text. Keeping these 16 rules in mind can help ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read.