6.1 Subject-Verb Agreement
Key Takeaways
- A verb must always agree with its grammatical subject in number (singular or plural), regardless of intervening phrases.
- Prepositional phrases and appositives placed between the subject and the verb are common traps designed to distract from the true subject.
- Compound subjects joined by 'and' are typically plural, while those joined by 'or' or 'nor' take the verb form that agrees with the noun closest to the verb.
- Many indefinite pronouns (like 'each,' 'everyone,' 'nobody') are strictly singular, even if they logically refer to multiple people.
Introduction to Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is one of the most frequently tested concepts on the ACCUPLACER Writing test. The fundamental rule is straightforward: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. However, the test writers do not present simple sentences like 'The dog runs.' Instead, they construct complex sentences filled with distractions to obscure the relationship between the subject and the verb. Your primary task is to strip away the "fluff" and identify the core subject-verb pair.
To excel on these questions, you must become adept at ignoring the words that separate the subject from its verb. This requires a solid understanding of sentence structure and the ability to recognize prepositional phrases, relative clauses, and appositives. Let's delve into the specific traps and rules you need to know.
Intervening Phrases and Clauses
The most common ACCUPLACER trap involves placing a phrase or clause between the subject and the verb. This intervening text often contains a noun that differs in number from the true subject, leading your ear to choose the incorrect verb form.
Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition (e.g., of, in, on, at, for, with, by, about) and ends with a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition). The subject of a sentence will never be found inside a prepositional phrase.
- Incorrect: The collection of rare stamps and coins are highly valuable.
- Correct: The collection of rare stamps and coins is highly valuable.
In the incorrect sentence, the plural noun "coins" is right next to the verb, making "are" sound correct. However, "of rare stamps and coins" is a prepositional phrase. If you cross it out mentally, you are left with "The collection are," which is clearly wrong. The singular subject "collection" requires the singular verb "is."
Appositives and Non-Essential Clauses
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames the noun beside it. A non-essential (or non-restrictive) clause adds extra information and is usually set off by commas. Like prepositional phrases, these interrupters do not affect subject-verb agreement.
- Incorrect: Dr. Smith, along with her team of researchers, have published a groundbreaking study.
- Correct: Dr. Smith, along with her team of researchers, has published a groundbreaking study.
The phrase "along with her team of researchers" is an interrupter. The true subject is the singular "Dr. Smith," so the verb must be the singular "has."
Compound Subjects
Subjects joined by conjunctions follow specific rules depending on the conjunction used.
The Conjunction "And"
When two or more subjects are joined by and, they form a compound subject that is almost always plural.
- Example: The manager and the assistant review the reports daily.
Exception: If the two nouns joined by "and" refer to a single entity or idea, the subject is singular (e.g., "Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich").
The Conjunctions "Or" and "Nor"
When subjects are joined by or, nor, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to it.
- Example: Neither the manager nor the employees expect a bonus this year.
- Example: Neither the employees nor the manager expects a bonus this year.
In the first sentence, the plural "employees" is closest to the verb, so the plural "expect" is used. In the second, the singular "manager" is closest, so the singular "expects" is used. This rule is often tested, so commit it to memory.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people or things. The ACCUPLACER frequently tests your knowledge of which indefinite pronouns are singular and which are plural.
Always Singular Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are always singular, even if they seem to refer to multiple people or things: anybody, anyone, anything, everybody, everyone, everything, nobody, no one, nothing, somebody, someone, something, each, either, neither, one.
- Incorrect: Each of the students have completed the assignment.
- Correct: Each of the students has completed the assignment.
Although "students" is plural, it is part of the prepositional phrase "of the students." The true subject is "Each," which is singular.
Always Plural Indefinite Pronouns
These are less commonly tested but still important: both, few, many, others, several.
- Example: Several of the candidates are highly qualified.
SANAM Pronouns (Singular or Plural)
The acronym SANAM helps remember pronouns that can be either singular or plural depending on the context: Some, Any, None, All, Most. To determine whether to use a singular or plural verb, look at the noun in the prepositional phrase that follows the pronoun.
- Singular: All of the pie is gone. (Pie is singular)
- Plural: All of the pieces are gone. (Pieces is plural)
Inverted Sentence Structures
In standard English syntax, the subject comes before the verb. In inverted sentences, the verb precedes the subject. This often happens in questions or sentences beginning with "Here" or "There."
- Incorrect: There is many reasons to support the new policy.
- Correct: There are many reasons to support the new policy.
The word "There" is never the subject. The true subject is the plural "reasons," which comes after the verb, so the plural verb "are" is required.
Similarly, prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence can cause inversion.
- Example: Beyond the mountains lies a hidden valley.
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns represent a group of individuals (e.g., team, committee, family, jury, audience). In American English, collective nouns are almost always treated as singular entities because the group acts as a single unit.
- Example: The committee has reached a decision.
- Example: The flock of birds is flying south.
Even though a committee is made up of multiple people, the word itself is singular.
Subject-Verb Agreement Strategy Guide
When evaluating a sentence for subject-verb agreement on the ACCUPLACER:
- Identify the Verb: Locate the verb that is underlined or given as an option in the answers.
- Ask "Who or what is performing this action?" This will lead you to the subject.
- Cross Out Interrupters: Mentally (or physically, if using scratch paper) cross out prepositional phrases, appositives, and non-essential clauses that separate the subject and verb.
- Determine Number: Decide if the isolated subject is singular or plural.
- Match the Verb: Select the verb form that corresponds to the subject's number.
By systematically applying these steps, you can confidently navigate even the most convoluted sentence structures the test presents. Always rely on grammatical structure rather than what "sounds" correct, as intervening plural nouns are specifically designed to make incorrect singular verbs sound right to the ear.
Choose the option that maintains standard English conventions for subject-verb agreement: The intricate details of the ancient tapestry, which was woven by highly skilled artisans over several decades, ______ to the dedication and artistry of the culture.
Choose the option that maintains standard English conventions for subject-verb agreement: Neither the lead architect nor the structural engineers ______ fully convinced that the innovative building materials can withstand the region's frequent seismic activity.
Choose the option that maintains standard English conventions for subject-verb agreement: Despite the overwhelming evidence presented during the lengthy trial, each of the jurors ______ to render a guilty verdict without further deliberation.