3.2 Subject-Verb Agreement

Why Agreement Dominates Section 2

Subject-verb agreement means a finite verb must match its subject in number (singular or plural) and person. In standard written English, a singular subject takes a singular present-tense verb (which usually ends in -s: the engine works), and a plural subject takes the base form (the engines work). This sounds simple, but it is the most frequently tested point in the entire Structure and Written Expression section — and ETS rarely tests it with a short, obvious sentence. Instead, the test buries the trap inside extra words so the verb appears to agree with the wrong noun.

The master technique is one move: find the true subject, then ignore everything between it and the verb. Once you can reliably locate the real subject, most agreement items become easy. The rest of this section walks through the specific patterns ETS recycles.

The Hidden-Subject Trap

The classic Written Expression item places a prepositional phrase between the subject and its verb, tempting you to make the verb agree with the closest noun rather than the real subject. Phrases beginning with of, in, with, along with, as well as, and together with are the usual culprits.

Worked Example: "The collection of rare manuscripts were donated to the museum." The plural-looking noun manuscripts sits right before the verb, so were feels natural. But the true subject is collection (singular), and of rare manuscripts is just a modifier. Delete the phrase: "The collection... was donated." The singular was is correct, and the underlined were is the error.

Note a key rule: phrases introduced by as well as, along with, together with, and in addition to do not make a singular subject plural. "The director, as well as the actors, is attending" — the subject is still the singular director. Only a true and joins two subjects into a plural.

Quantifiers: Singular vs Plural

Certain quantifying words have fixed agreement that must be memorized. The table below is high-yield; commit it to memory.

Notice the a number of vs the number of contrast — it is a favorite ETS trap. A number of means "several" and is plural; the number of names a single count and is singular.

Inverted Subjects: There Is / There Are

In sentences beginning with there is / there are or here is / here are, the word there or here is not the subject; it just fills the front slot. The verb must agree with the noun that follows it.

• There is a book on the desk. (singular noun book)
• There are several books on the desk. (plural noun books)
• On the wall hang two paintings. (After a fronted phrase, the verb agrees with the later plural subject paintings.)

This inversion also appears after fronted negative or place expressions, so always look past the verb to find the real subject.

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns name a group as a single unit: committee, team, faculty, government, family, audience, staff, jury, class. In standard written English used on the TOEFL ITP, a collective noun is normally treated as singular because it acts as one body: "The committee has reached a decision." Treat them as singular on the test unless the sentence clearly emphasizes the members acting separately.

Neither/Either with Nor/Or

When neither...nor or either...or joins two subjects, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to the verb (the "proximity rule"):

• Neither the manager nor the employees were informed. (nearer subject employees is plural → were)
• Neither the employees nor the manager was informed. (nearer subject manager is singular → was)

Noun-Clause and Compound Subjects

A noun clause acting as a subject is singular: "What the researchers discovered was unexpected." By contrast, two nouns truly joined by and form a plural compound subject: "Patience and practice are essential." The exception is when and joins two parts of a single idea (Bread and butter is a simple meal), but the test rarely uses that edge case — assume and = plural.