Subject Verb Agreement Flashcards
What does subject-verb agreement mean?
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must match in number—whether they are singular or plural.
Why can subject-verb agreement be confusing?
Sometimes, the subject is not right next to the verb, or extra words in between can make it tricky to determine whether the subject is singular or plural.
What is the basic rule for subject-verb agreement with singular subjects?
Singular subjects take singular verbs (verbs usually ending in s).
Example of subject-verb agreement with a singular subject?
The cat runs fast.
Example sentence: “cat” is singular, so the verb “runs” is singular.
What is the basic rule for subject-verb agreement with plural subjects?
Plural subjects take plural verbs (verbs without s).
Example of subject-verb agreement with a plural subject?
The cats run fast.
Example sentence: “cats” is plural, so the verb “run” is plural.
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement when words come between the subject and verb?
Sometimes extra words come between the subject and verb, making it hard to identify the subject.
Example of subject-verb agreement with words between the subject and verb?
The book, along with its chapters, is on the table.
Example sentence: “book” is singular, so the verb “is” is singular, even though “chapters” is plural.
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement when two subjects are joined by ‘and’?
When two subjects are joined by “and”, use a plural verb.
Example of subject-verb agreement with two subjects joined by ‘and’?
The dog and the cat are playing outside.
Example sentence: “Dog” and “cat” are two subjects, so we use “are” (plural verb).
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement when two subjects are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’?
When two subjects are joined by “or” or “nor”, the verb should agree with the subject closest to the verb.
Example of subject-verb agreement with two subjects joined by ‘or’?
Either the dog or the cats are outside.
Example sentence: “Cats” (plural) is closer to the verb, so we use “are” (plural verb).
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite Pronouns (like everyone, someone, anybody) are singular even though they refer to more than one person.
Example of subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronouns?
Everyone is excited for the trip.
Example sentence: “Everyone” is singular, so we use “is”.
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with collective nouns?
Collective Nouns (like team, family, group) are usually singular because they refer to a single unit.
Example of subject-verb agreement with collective nouns?
The team is winning.
Example sentence: “Team” refers to one group, so we use “is”.
What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with titles of books, movies, or organizations?
Titles of Books, Movies, or Organizations are treated as singular even if they appear plural.
Example of subject-verb agreement with titles of books, movies, or organizations?
The Avengers is a popular movie.
Example sentence: Though “Avengers” is plural, it refers to one movie title.
What are the quick tricks for subject-verb agreement?
If the subject ends in “s” (like cats, dogs), the verb doesn’t (e.g., “run”). If the subject doesn’t end in “s” (like dog, cat), the verb usually does (e.g., “runs”).
