3.1 Parts of Speech & Complex Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

Parts of Speech & Complex Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

The Verbal section of the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST) evaluates your practical command of English grammar within workplace and vocational contexts. With 50 questions to answer in just 20 minutes, you have an average of only 24 seconds per item. At this rapid pace, you cannot rely on "what sounds right"—colloquial speech patterns frequently mask grammatical errors. Instead, you need an exact, structural understanding of parts of speech and the complex subject-verb agreement rules that appear throughout the test.

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1. Core Parts of Speech in Workplace English

Every word in an English sentence performs a specialized syntactic function. Understanding how parts of speech operate allows you to strip away distracting modifiers and quickly isolate a sentence's structural core: the subject and its verb.

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2. Subject-Verb Agreement Fundamentals

The foundational law of English syntax is simple: a verb must agree in number with its subject. A singular subject requires a singular verb; a plural subject requires a plural verb.

In the present tense, English verbs follow an inverse relationship with nouns regarding the suffix -s:

• Singular nouns do not typically end in -s (the technician), but singular present-tense verbs do end in -s or -es (the technician operates).
• Plural nouns usually end in -s (the technicians), but plural present-tense verbs take the base form without -s (the technicians operate).

Irregular Auxiliary and Primary Verbs

Wonderlic test items frequently employ irregular auxiliary verbs (to be, to have, to do), where agreement errors are easy to overlook if reading hurriedly:

• Singular Agreement: The senior architect approves the revised floor plan.
• Plural Agreement: The senior architects approve the revised floor plan.

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3. The Intervening Prepositional Phrase Trap

The single most common subject-verb agreement error on the WBST involves intervening prepositional phrases. Test creators intentionally insert lengthy descriptive phrases between the subject and the verb. Because the noun inside the prepositional phrase is physically closest to the verb, test-takers instinctively make the verb agree with that adjacent noun rather than the true subject.

The Mental Elimination Technique

To solve these questions in under 10 seconds:

1. Locate the verb.
2. Scan backwards and mentally place brackets around every prepositional phrase beginning with prepositions such as of, in, to, for, with, on, at, from, by, about, between, during.
3. Ignore parenthetical modifying phrases introduced by as well as, along with, together with, in addition to, accompanied by, or including.
4. Read the isolated subject directly with the verb.

Example 1:

• Sentence: The shipment [of replacement parts for the diesel generators] (has / have) arrived at the loading dock.
• Analysis: Cross out "of replacement parts" and "for the diesel generators." The true subject is the singular noun "shipment."
• Correct: The shipment has arrived. (NOT "have arrived")

Example 2:

• Sentence: The lead software developer, [along with three system analysts], (was / were) assigned to the security breach.
• Analysis: The phrase "along with three system analysts" is an interrupting parenthetical phrase, not a compound subject. The true subject remains the singular "lead software developer."
• Correct: The lead software developer... was assigned to the security breach. (NOT "were assigned")

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4. Compound Subjects: "And" vs. Correlative Conjunctions

How subjects are joined dictates whether the verb must be singular or plural.

Compound Subjects Joined by "And"

When two or more distinct subjects are joined by the coordinating conjunction and, they form a compound subject that almost always takes a plural verb, regardless of whether the individual nouns are singular or plural:

• Marcus and Elena manage the distribution facility.
• The forklift and the pallet jack are stored in Bay 4.

Exception: If the two nouns joined by "and" refer to a single unified object, role, or concept, the verb is singular:

• Research and development is crucial to long-term company growth.
• Breaking and entering is a serious felony.

Correlative Conjunctions and the Proximity Rule

When subjects are connected by correlative conjunction pairs—such as either...or, neither...nor, or not only...but also—the compound rule does not apply. Instead, you must follow the Proximity Rule (or Rule of Proximity): the verb agrees in number with the subject that is physically closest to it.

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5. Collective Nouns in Workplace Settings

Collective nouns name a collection of individuals, objects, or units: team, staff, committee, department, crew, board, jury, audience, management, faculty, union.

On the Wonderlic test, collective nouns almost always function as a single, unified entity, which requires a singular verb:

• The executive committee has decided to postpone the quarterly shareholder conference.
• The sanitation crew works the overnight shift throughout the winter months.
• The human resources department requires all applicants to submit transcripts.

Test Note: A collective noun takes a plural verb only in rare instances where the individual members within the group are acting independently or in disagreement (e.g., The committee were arguing among themselves). However, formal standard English and WBST test items overwhelmingly favor rephrasing such cases (The committee members were arguing...) and treat collective nouns acting in concert as strictly singular.

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6. Indefinite Pronouns: Singular, Plural, and Variable

Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people, places, or things. They are among the most heavily tested grammar traps on employment exams. You must memorize which indefinite pronouns are inherently singular, which are inherently plural, and which vary based on context.

Category 1: Always Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Any pronoun ending in -one, -body, or -thing, as well as each, either, neither, and one, is grammatically singular. Even when followed by a plural prepositional phrase, the verb must remain singular:

• Always Singular: everyone, someone, anyone, no one, everybody, somebody, anybody, nobody, everything, something, anything, nothing, each, either, neither, one

Examples:

• Each [of the new employees] is required to sign the non-disclosure agreement. (NOT "are")
• Neither [of the proposed structural blueprints] satisfies state safety codes. (NOT "satisfy")
• Everyone [on the hospital floor] understands the emergency evacuation procedures. (NOT "understand")

Category 2: Always Plural Indefinite Pronouns

A smaller group of indefinite pronouns refers to multiple distinct entities and always takes a plural verb:

• Always Plural: both, few, many, several

Examples:

• Both of the certified nursing assistants have completed their clinical rotations.
• Several of the microchips were damaged during transport.

Category 3: Variable Indefinite Pronouns (The "SANAM" Rule)

Five common indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural depending entirely on the noun in the prepositional phrase that immediately follows them:

• S — Some
• A — Any
• N — None
• A — All
• M — Most

To determine the correct verb:

1. Identify the object of the preposition (of the...).
2. If the object is a countable plural noun, use a plural verb.
3. If the object is an uncountable singular mass noun, use a singular verb.

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7. The 24-Second Subject-Verb Agreement Rapid Execution Drill

When facing a subject-verb agreement question on the WBST verbal section, apply this standardized 4-step sequence:

1. Locate the Main Verb: Identify whether the question asks you to select a verb or spot an error in an existing verb phrase.
2. Eliminate Modifiers: Mentally strike out prepositional phrases (of..., in..., for...), appositives (, the lead mechanic,), and parenthetical phrases (along with..., as well as...).
3. Classify the True Subject:
   • Single noun: Singular or plural?
   • Compound with and: Plural (unless a single combined entity).
   • Correlative (either...or, neither...nor): Check the noun closest to the verb.
   • Indefinite pronoun: Is it an always-singular -one/-body word, an always-plural word, or a variable SANAM pronoun?
4. Select or Verify the Matching Verb: Match singular with singular (is, was, has, does, runs) or plural with plural (are, were, have, do, run).