Subject-verb agreement
EnglishDefinition
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. Errors often occur with compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, or when phrases separate the subject from the verb.
Examples
- 'The dog runs' (singular) vs. 'The dogs run' (plural)
- 'Neither the teacher nor the students were ready' — the verb agrees with the closer subject
- 'Everyone has a seat' — indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' take singular verbs
Key Fact
When 'or' or 'nor' joins subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
Study This Concept
Practice subject-verb agreement with free review games in these units: