SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

• Identify the true grammatical subject of a sentence.
• Determine whether a subject is singular or plural.
• Apply subject–verb agreement rules to simple and complex sentence structures.
• Recognize exceptions and common grammatical traps tested on the Digital SAT.

In the simple present tense, a third-person singular subject generally takes a verb ending in -s or -es, while a plural subject takes the base form of the verb.

Exception: I and YOU

The pronouns I and you do not follow the usual third-person singular pattern.

• I am responsible for the project.
• I have several questions.
• You are responsible for the project.
• You have several questions.

A prepositional phrase may separate the subject from its verb. The verb must agree with the head noun of the subject, not the noun inside the prepositional phrase.

Common prepositions include of, in, on, with, among, between, from, and to.

Examples:

1. The discovery of several previously unknown species has transformed scientists' understanding of the region.
2. The results of the experiment indicate that the hypothesis is incorrect.
3. A collection of rare manuscripts is displayed at the museum.
4. The differences between the two theories are significant.

Phrases introduced by along with, together with, as well as, accompanied by, in addition to, and including do not create compound subjects.

Examples:

1. The professor, along with several graduate students, is conducting the research.
2. The paintings, as well as the sculptures, are displayed in the exhibition.
3. The author, together with her editors, has revised the manuscript.
4. The primary cause of the decline, in addition to several contributing factors, remains uncertain.

Compare:

• The professor and her students are conducting research.
• The professor, along with her students, is conducting research.

An appositive or a nonessential relative clause may provide additional information about the subject, but it does not determine the number of the main verb.

Examples:

1. Marie Curie, one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century, was awarded two Nobel Prizes.
2. The researchers, who have conducted several experiments, believe that the hypothesis is correct.
3. The ancient manuscript, which contains numerous illustrations and detailed descriptions, provides valuable historical evidence.

Examples:

1. The architect and the engineer are collaborating on the project.
2. Climate change and habitat destruction threaten biodiversity.
3. The accuracy of the measurements and the reliability of the instruments are essential to the experiment.

Exception 1: Two nouns referring to one person or entity

When two nouns joined by and refer to the same person or entity, a singular verb is used.

• The founder and CEO of the company is delivering a speech.
• The author and illustrator of the book has received an award.

Compare:

• The author and illustrator is attending the event. (One person with two roles.)
• The author and the illustrator are attending the event. (Two different people.)

Exception 2: Two elements forming a single unit or concept

• Bread and butter is a common breakfast combination.
• Research and development is a major priority for the company.

When subjects are joined by either...or, neither...nor, or or, the verb generally agrees with the subject closest to it.

Examples:

1. Either the professor or the students are responsible for the presentation.
2. Either the students or the professor is responsible for the presentation.
3. Neither the director nor the actors were satisfied with the final scene.
4. Neither the actors nor the director was satisfied with the final scene.

Examples:

1. Everyone involved in the investigation has submitted a report.
2. Each of the participants was assigned a different task.
3. Neither of the proposed solutions is economically feasible.
4. Nobody among the researchers knows the exact cause of the phenomenon.

The following pronouns take plural verbs: both, few, many, several.

Examples:

1. Both of the experiments were successful.
2. Several of the proposed explanations remain controversial.
3. Few of the participants have completed the survey.

Common examples include all, some, most, any, none, half, and more.

Exception: NONE

None may take either a singular or plural verb depending on its meaning.

• None of the equipment is functioning.
• None of the students are available.
• None of the students is available. (Emphasizing not one.)

The number of + plural noun + singular verb

• The number of students enrolled in the program has increased.
• The number of endangered species is declining.

A number of + plural noun + plural verb

• A number of scientists have questioned the findings.
• A number of historical documents were discovered.

Examples:

1. One of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century was Marie Curie.
2. Each of the paintings has been carefully restored.
3. Every one of the participants was required to complete the questionnaire.

Exception: Relative clauses after ONE OF

• She is one of the researchers who have contributed to the project.
• She is the only one of the researchers who has contributed to the project.

In the first sentence, who refers to researchers (plural).

In the second sentence, who refers to the only one (singular).

Despite their plural meaning, these expressions are grammatically singular.

Examples:

1. More than one researcher has challenged the theory.
2. More than one explanation is possible.
3. Many a scientist has attempted to solve the problem.

Compare:

• More than one student has completed the assignment.
• More than two students have completed the assignment.

Examples:

1. Every researcher and assistant is required to attend the meeting.
2. Each book and manuscript has been cataloged.
3. Every student and teacher was invited to the ceremony.

Compare:

• The students and teachers are attending.
• Every student and teacher is attending.

The relative pronouns who, which, and that introduce clauses whose verbs agree with the noun or pronoun they refer to.

Examples:

1. The scientist who studies marine ecosystems has published several papers.
2. The scientists who study marine ecosystems have published several papers.
3. The discovery of several fossils that provide evidence of early human migration has attracted international attention.
4. The findings of a study that examines the relationship between sleep and memory are significant.

Important: A sentence may contain two verbs with different subjects.

In example 4:

• examines agrees with study (singular).
• are agrees with findings (plural).

When an entire noun clause functions as the subject of a sentence, it is generally treated as singular, even if the clause contains plural nouns or plural verbs.

Noun clauses functioning as subjects can be introduced by:

What, that, whether, who, whoever, which, whichever, where, when, how, why, whatever.

Structure:

Noun clause (subject) + singular verb + complement

Examples:

1\. WHAT

• What the researchers discovered during the excavation was unexpected.
• What causes the sudden decline in biodiversity remains unclear.

2\. THAT

• That the two species share a common ancestor is widely accepted.
• That several participants withdrew from the experiment has raised concerns about the reliability of the results.

3\. WHO / WHOEVER

• Who will lead the research team remains uncertain.
• Whoever completes the assignment first receives additional credit.

4\. WHICH / WHICHEVER

• Which of the proposed solutions will be implemented has not yet been determined.
• Whichever method the researchers select requires careful evaluation.

5\. WHERE

• Where the ancient civilization first emerged remains a subject of debate.
• Where the endangered species migrate during winter is still unknown.

6\. WHEN

• When the first humans arrived on the continent remains controversial.
• When the experiment should begin depends on the availability of the equipment.

7\. HOW

• How the ancient structures were constructed remains a mystery.
• How the researchers interpret the findings is crucial to the validity of their conclusions.

8\. WHY

• Why certain species survive in extreme environments is not fully understood.
• Why the two experiments produced different results remains unclear.

9\. WHETHER

• Whether the new treatment will be effective remains uncertain.
• Whether the findings support the original hypothesis is still being debated.

Exception 1: A WHAT-clause referring to plural entities may take a plural verb.

When a what-clause refers to multiple people or things rather than a single fact, idea, or situation, plural agreement may be appropriate.

Examples:

1. What the researchers discovered were several previously unknown species.
2. What appear to be minor differences are actually significant adaptations.
3. What the organization needs most are experienced researchers and additional funding.

Compare:

• What the researchers discovered was surprising. (The discovery as a whole.)
• What the researchers discovered were several ancient artifacts. (Multiple discovered objects.)

Exception 2: The verb inside the noun clause agrees with its own subject.

Examples:

1. What the experiments reveal is a significant relationship between temperature and reaction rate.
2. Why the two species exhibit different behaviors remains unclear.
3. That several researchers have questioned the findings does not necessarily invalidate the study.

Important distinction: Not every clause introduced by who, which, or that functions as a noun-clause subject. A clause modifying a noun follows Rule 14; an entire clause functioning as the subject follows Rule 15.

Gerund phrases

1. Studying the effects of climate change requires extensive data collection.
2. Analyzing large quantities of information is a challenging task.

Infinitive phrases

1. To understand the causes of the phenomenon requires further investigation.
2. To preserve endangered languages is an important goal.

Exception: Two gerund or infinitive phrases joined by AND

When they refer to separate activities, they generally take a plural verb.

– Reading scientific articles and conducting experiments are essential components of the course.

When the activities are treated as one combined process, singular agreement may be appropriate.

In some sentences, particularly those beginning with there or here, the subject appears after the verb.

Examples:

1. There are several explanations for the observed phenomenon.
2. There is a significant difference between the two groups.
3. Among the artifacts discovered at the archaeological site were several bronze sculptures.
4. At the center of the debate is the question of whether the policy is effective.

Important: There and here are not the grammatical subjects in these constructions.

Common collective nouns include team, committee, jury, audience, family, government, faculty, and staff.

Examples:

1. The committee has reached a unanimous decision.
2. The research team is investigating the phenomenon.
3. The audience was impressed by the performance.

Exception: British English

Collective nouns may take plural verbs in British English when emphasizing individual members.

– The committee are divided in their opinions.

SAT Convention: Singular agreement is generally expected in American English when a collective noun represents a single unit.

Common uncountable nouns include:

information, evidence, research, knowledge, equipment, furniture, advice, progress, news.

Examples:

1. The evidence collected from the excavation supports the hypothesis.
2. Recent research on cognitive development suggests a relationship between sleep and memory.
3. The equipment used in the experiments is expensive.
4. The news about the discovery has attracted international attention.

Examples include mathematics, physics, economics, linguistics, and statistics when referring to academic disciplines.

Examples:

1. Mathematics is essential to modern engineering.
2. Physics explains many natural phenomena.
3. Statistics is a branch of mathematics.

Exception: STATISTICS

When statistics refers to numerical data rather than an academic discipline, it takes a plural verb.

• Statistics is a challenging subject.
• The statistics presented in the report are misleading.

Examples include criteria, phenomena, analyses, and hypotheses.

Examples:

1. The criteria used to evaluate the proposals are clearly defined.
2. Several unusual phenomena have been observed.
3. The analyses of the samples reveal significant differences.

Special case: DATA

Data is traditionally plural in scientific writing, but singular usage is also accepted in some contemporary contexts.

• The data are consistent with the hypothesis.
• The data is stored on a secure server.

For SAT questions, use the intended meaning and grammatical context rather than assuming that data must always be plural.

Examples:

1. A pair of scissors is on the table.
2. The scissors are on the table.
3. A pair of glasses was discovered.
4. The glasses were discovered.

Examples:

1. Ten kilometers is a considerable distance to walk.
2. Five years is a relatively short period in evolutionary history.
3. Fifty dollars is sufficient to cover the expense.
4. Twenty percent of the budget is allocated to research.

Exception: When an expression refers to separate individual units rather than a single total amount, plural agreement is appropriate.

• The final five kilometers of the race are particularly difficult.
• The last three years have brought significant changes.

Examples:

1. Approximately 60 percent of the population lives in urban areas.
2. Approximately 60 percent of the residents live in urban areas.
3. One-third of the water has evaporated.
4. One-third of the samples have been contaminated.

Examples:

1. Great Expectations is one of Charles Dickens's most celebrated novels.
2. The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of fantasy novels.
3. Little Women explores themes of family, identity, and personal growth.

Examples:

1. The United States is home to numerous national parks.
2. The United Nations has adopted a new resolution.

Exception: Some plural-form names, particularly sports team names, take plural verbs.

– The New York Yankees are preparing for the season.

When solving subject–verb agreement questions on the Digital SAT:

1. Identify the verb being tested.
2. Locate the true subject of that verb.
3. Ignore interrupting phrases such as prepositional phrases, appositives, and nonessential clauses.
4. Determine whether the subject is singular or plural.
5. Check for special constructions such as each of, the number of, a number of, either...or, and neither...nor.
6. Identify clause boundaries when the sentence contains multiple verbs or a noun clause functioning as the subject.
7. Select the verb that agrees with its grammatical subject, considering tense and context.

Core Principle: The verb agrees with its grammatical subject, not necessarily the nearest noun.