What Every Sentence Has: Subject and Verb

Subject-verb agreement is a basic rule of good sentence structure. Making sure that your subjects and verbs match in number is important for clear and effective communication. Whether you’re writing a report, an email, or just a weekly blog post, knowing and using subject-verb agreement rules will make your writing much better. Let’s look at the basics of subject-verb agreement and learn how to get good at this important grammar skill.

AGREEMENT

The Basics of Subject/Verb Agreement

One of the basic aspects of proper sentence structure is ensuring the correct agreement between the subject and verb.

A singular subject uses a singular verb; a plural subject uses a plural verb.

• Singular:       Loretta works here.

[Loretta (the subject) and works (the verb) are singular.]

• Plural:          The siblings work here.

[The siblings (the subject) work (the verb) are plural.]

• Plural:          A train and a bus hold many passengers.

[A train and a bus (the subject) is plural; therefore, hold (the verb) needs to be plural.]

Agreement with Compound Subjects Joined by "Or" or "Nor"

When parts of a subject are joined by or, or nor, the verb agrees with the nearer part. Meaning the one nearest to the verb.

            Neither Jeannie nor I work here.
[I is singular; therefore, work (the verb) needs to be singular.]

            The sales team or the directors are not here.
[directors is plural; therefore, are (the verb) needs to be plural.]

Indefinite Pronouns and Subject-Verb Agreement

Indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural, depending on the situation. It’s important to know which pronouns need a singular verb and which need a plural verb. This knowledge is key to getting subject and verb agreement right.

Singular indefinite pronouns use singular verbs. These pronouns include each, either, neither, and words that end in –body, –one, or –thing.

• Singular:    Each worker must do her/his job.

[Each worker (the subject) is always singular; therefore, do (the verb) needs to be singular.]
 

Plural indefinite pronouns always take plural verbs. These pronouns include several, few, both, and many.

• Plural: Several were eager to go further.

[Several (the subject) is always plural; therefore, were (the verb) needs to be plural.]

For indefinite pronouns that end in –body, –one, or –thing, imagine adding “single” to reinforce the pronoun’s need for a singular verb.

•  Everyone → Every (single) one                      Everyone needs a friend.
•  Somebody → Some (single) body                  Somebody needs help.
•  Anything → Any (single) thing                      Anything goes.
•  No one → No (single) one                              No one knows.

Learning to match subjects and verbs correctly is a vital skill for clear and effective writing. By knowing the basic rules and using them all the time, you can make your writing better. Whether it is a work email, a report, or a press release post, making sure your subjects and verbs agree will make your writing look more professional. So, take the time to go over these rules and practice them in your writing. Your hard work will pay off with clearer and more effective communication.

This information is from the Business Grammar & Usage class curriculums. If you’re looking for ways to improve your communication skills, register for one of our public classes.

Other Resources:

Examples of Subject/Verb Agreement

Subject and Verb Agreement | Grammar Rules

Test Yourself on Subject/Verb Agreement

Learn more about improving your professional writing skills in our upcoming Email Etiquette class.