Subject verb agreement means that a verb form matches its subject in number and, in the present tense, sometimes person: “The lamp glows,” but “The lamps glow.” To check agreement, locate the subject that controls the verb rather than choosing the nearest noun. Purdue OWL highlights this common trap: a phrase between subject and verb does not change which noun the verb agrees with. [1]
Locate the subject before the verb
In a basic sentence, ask who or what performs the action or is described. In “The singer near the curtains waits,” singer is the subject and waits is the verb. Curtains is closer to the verb, but it sits inside a prepositional phrase and does not control agreement. A practical edit is to temporarily cross out the intervening phrase: “The singer waits.”
Relative clauses can also distract: “The notes that the drummer marked are on the stand.” The subject of the main clause is notes, so the verb is are. The drummer belongs to the embedded clause and does not determine the main verb. Purdue OWL advises writers not to be misled by phrases inserted between a subject and its verb. [1]
Apply the simple patterns
A singular subject typically takes a singular present-tense verb, while a plural subject takes a plural form: “The page turns”; “The pages turn.” The verb be changes more visibly: “I am,” “you are,” “she is,” “they are.” Past-tense verbs often do not show number differences, as in “the singer waited” and “the singers waited,” so agreement errors are easiest to spot in present-tense sentences.
Two subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb: “The poet and the host are ready.” With either/or or neither/nor, standard guidance often matches the verb to the nearer subject: “Either the speakers or the host is ready”; “Either the host or the speakers are ready.” When the result sounds clumsy, recast the sentence so the subject and verb sit naturally together.
Watch indefinite pronouns and collective nouns
Words such as everyone, each, somebody, and neither are grammatically singular in standard edited English: “Everyone is invited”; “Each has a page.” The people described may be numerous, but the pronoun takes a singular verb. Collective nouns such as team, family, and committee are often treated as singular when the group acts as a unit: “The team meets on Friday.” Usage can vary by dialect and by whether the sentence emphasizes individuals, so follow the variety and style expected in your context.
A noun ending in s is not automatically plural. “The news is brief” treats news as singular. Conversely, some paired items use plural agreement, as in “The scissors are blunt.” Purdue OWL lists these patterns and distinguishes a sum of money as an amount from individual currency units. [1]
Handle there is and there are
In sentences beginning there is or there are, there is not the subject. The subject follows the verb: “There is one chair by the door”; “There are two chairs by the door.” This pattern can become harder when the subject is separated from the verb or when a list follows. In careful writing, identify the noun that follows and match the verb to it.
Try this example exercise: revise “There is three envelopes on the table, beside the speaker notes.” Find the subject: envelopes. Because it is plural, write “There are three envelopes on the table, beside the speaker notes.” Now test a singular version: “There is one envelope.” The extra phrase about the notes does not affect either choice.
Proofread by stripping distractions
When a sentence feels uncertain, circle the verb, underline its subject, and cross out interrupting phrases for a moment. Check whether the subject is singular or plural, then restore the phrases and read for sense. Example: “The list of names, along with the room assignments, is on the clipboard.” List is the subject; along with the room assignments adds information but does not make the subject plural. Purdue OWL similarly notes that expressions like with, including, and together with do not change the subject’s number. [1]
If the sentence has multiple clauses, repeat the check for each main verb because each may have its own subject. A long sentence can contain several correct agreements, while one local mismatch distracts the reader. Recasting is always an option: “The room assignments and name list are on the clipboard” makes a compound subject and requires are. Choose the version that reflects the relationship you intend.
