A Quick Review of Subject-Verb Agreement
The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number. A singular subject needs a singular verb, and a plural subject needs a plural verb. The four rules below will help you avoid mistakes in subject-verb agreement. (The subjects and verbs in the example sentences are written in capital letters.)
1. The subject and verb must agree even when they are separated by a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition (such as “in,” “of,” “to,” and “across”) and ends with a noun or pronoun. A prepositional phrase never contains the subject of a sentence.
The GROCERIES in this store COST too much.
2. The subject and verb must agree even when the verb comes first.
Why ARE so many MOSQUITOES in here?
3. Some indefinite pronouns are singular (including “each,” “either,” “anyone,” “everybody,” and “nothing”), and therefore they take singular verbs.
EVERYBODY in the class HOPES the tests will be postponed.
4. A compound subject—two or more subjects joined by “and”—requires a plural verb.
ROLLERSKATING and PLAYING the piano ARE my favorite activities.
