Subject-Verb Agreement: Rules, Examples, and Common Errors

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement is one of those grammar rules that sounds simple until you actually sit down and write a complex sentence. The idea is straightforward: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. The dog barks. The dogs bark. Easy enough, right?

The trouble starts when sentences get longer, when phrases sneak in between the subject and the verb, or when the subject itself is hard to pin down. That's where most agreement errors happen, and that's exactly what this guide is going to walk through. By the time you finish reading, you'll have a solid handle on every major rule and the confidence to catch mistakes that slip past most writers.

If you want a quick way to catch agreement errors in your own writing, Rephrasely's grammar checker can flag them automatically.

The Basic Rule of Subject-Verb Agreement

Here's the foundation everything else builds on: a singular subject pairs with a singular verb form, and a plural subject pairs with a plural verb form. In English, the singular verb form usually ends in -s or -es in the present tense, while the plural form does not.

Notice something that trips people up: the -s works in opposite directions for nouns and verbs. A noun with -s is usually plural (dogs), but a verb with -s is usually singular (runs). Keep that distinction clear and you'll avoid a whole category of mistakes.

Compound Subjects: And, Or, and Nor

When two or more subjects are joined together, the connecting word determines whether the verb should be singular or plural. This is where many writers start second-guessing themselves.

Subjects Joined by "And"

Two subjects connected by and almost always take a plural verb, because you're talking about more than one thing.

• Correct: Tom and Jerry are classic cartoon characters.
• Correct: The manager and the assistant have reviewed the report.

There is one exception. When the two nouns refer to a single entity or concept, use a singular verb:

• Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich. (one combination)
• The CEO and founder has resigned. (one person holding both titles)

Subjects Joined by "Or" or "Nor"

When subjects are connected by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. This is called the proximity rule.

• Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared. (teacher is closest, singular)
• Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared. (students is closest, plural)
• Either the manager or the interns are handling it. (interns is closest, plural)

A practical tip: if the sentence sounds awkward either way, rearrange it so the plural subject falls closer to the verb. "Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared" reads more naturally than the other arrangement.

Indefinite Pronouns and Agreement

Indefinite pronouns are words like everyone, somebody, nothing, and each. They're called "indefinite" because they don't refer to a specific person or thing. The challenge is figuring out which ones are singular and which are plural.

Always Singular

These indefinite pronouns always take a singular verb, even when they feel plural:

• each
• every
• everyone, everybody, everything
• someone, somebody, something
• anyone, anybody, anything
• no one, nobody, nothing
• either, neither (when used alone)

Examples:

• Everyone has a seat.
• Each of the students is responsible for the assignment.
• Nobody knows the answer.

That second example is important. "Each of the students" has a plural noun (students) sitting right next to the verb, but the actual subject is each, which is singular. Don't let the prepositional phrase fool you.

Always Plural

A few indefinite pronouns are always plural:

• both
• few
• many
• several

Examples:

• Both are qualified for the position.
• Several have already responded.

Singular or Plural (Depending on Context)

Some indefinite pronouns can go either way. These include all, any, most, none, and some. The noun they refer to determines the verb form.

• All of the cake is gone. (cake is singular/uncountable)
• All of the cookies are gone. (cookies is plural)
• Some of the water has evaporated.
• Some of the files have been deleted.

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns name groups: team, family, committee, audience, jury, class, staff. Whether they take a singular or plural verb depends on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals.

In American English, singular verbs with collective nouns are far more common, even when the members are acting individually. British English is more comfortable with the plural. If "the team are" sounds odd to you, try rephrasing: "The team members are arguing among themselves." That sidesteps the issue entirely.

Prepositional Phrases Between Subject and Verb

This is the single most common source of subject-verb agreement errors. A prepositional phrase sits between the subject and the verb, and the noun inside that phrase tricks your ear into choosing the wrong verb form.

The rule is simple: the subject of a sentence is never inside a prepositional phrase. Mentally cross out the phrase, find the true subject, and match the verb to it.

Phrases like along with, together with, as well as, in addition to, and accompanied by work the same way. They do not make a subject plural.

• The professor, along with her students, is attending the conference.
• The cake, as well as the cupcakes, was delicious.

This catches people off guard because "the professor along with her students" feels plural. But grammatically, only the professor is the subject. If you mean to include both as equal subjects, use and instead: "The professor and her students are attending the conference."

Inverted Sentences

In most English sentences, the subject comes before the verb. But in inverted sentences, the verb comes first, and that makes it harder to spot the subject. You still need to find it and match the verb accordingly.

Questions

Questions naturally invert subject and verb. To check agreement, rearrange the question into a statement:

• Does the report include the latest data? (The report does include...)
• Have the files been uploaded? (The files have been...)

Sentences Beginning with "There" or "Here"

Neither there nor here is ever the subject of a sentence. The real subject comes after the verb.

• There is a problem with the engine. (subject: problem)
• There are several problems with the engine. (subject: problems)
• Here comes the bus. (subject: bus)
• Here come the runners. (subject: runners)

You'll hear "there's several problems" in casual speech all the time. In writing, though, "there are several problems" is the correct form. Watch for this one, because it's one of the most frequent mistakes in both student and professional writing, right alongside issues like comma splices and sentence fragments.

Relative Pronouns: Who, Which, and That

When a relative pronoun (who, which, that) serves as the subject of a clause, the verb in that clause must agree with the pronoun's antecedent—the word the pronoun refers back to.

• She is the student who studies the hardest. (who refers to student, singular)
• They are the students who study the hardest. (who refers to students, plural)
• He bought a car that runs on electricity. (that refers to car, singular)

A tricky pattern to watch for is "one of those [plural noun] who." The verb in the relative clause should be plural because who refers to the plural noun, not to one:

• She is one of those people who always arrive early. (who refers to people)

But if the sentence says "the only one of," the verb is singular:

• She is the only one of those people who always arrives early. (who refers to the only one)

Titles, Names, and Words Used as Words

A title of a book, movie, organization, or other work is treated as singular, even if it contains plural words. The same goes for company names and words referred to as words.

• The Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved series.
• Star Wars has influenced generations of filmmakers.
• The United Nations was founded in 1945.
• "Sheep" is both singular and plural.

This makes intuitive sense once you think about it. You're talking about one book, one movie, one organization, or one word. The plural elements inside the name are just part of the label.

Amounts, Measurements, and Units of Time

When an amount of money, a measurement, a distance, or a period of time is treated as a single unit, use a singular verb. When the individual units are emphasized, use a plural verb.

The key question to ask: am I thinking of this as one lump or as individual pieces? "Ten pounds of flour is enough" treats the flour as one quantity. "Ten pound coins were scattered on the floor" treats them as individual objects.

Tricky Cases: Each, Every, Neither, Either

These words deserve their own section because they cause more confusion than almost anything else in subject-verb agreement.

Each and Every

Each and every always signal a singular verb, even when they precede compound subjects. The logic is that each and every focus on individuals one at a time.

• Each boy and girl receives a certificate.
• Every student and teacher has a login.
• Each of the proposals needs review.

Compare that with using and alone: "The boy and girl receive certificates." Without each, the compound subject is simply plural.

Neither and Either (As Subjects)

When neither or either stands alone as a pronoun (not paired with nor or or), it takes a singular verb:

• Neither is acceptable.
• Either works for me.

When paired with nor or or, the proximity rule applies (as covered above under compound subjects).

Neither/Either with "Of"

Even when followed by "of" plus a plural noun, neither and either remain singular:

• Neither of the options is ideal.
• Either of the candidates has the qualifications.

You'll hear "neither of them are" in everyday conversation, and in informal writing it passes without notice. In formal or academic writing, the singular verb is the standard choice.

Subject-Verb Agreement with Linking Verbs

When the subject and the predicate nominative (the noun after a linking verb like is or was) differ in number, the verb agrees with the subject, not with what comes after the verb.

• The highlight of the show was the fireworks. (subject: highlight, singular)
• Fireworks were the highlight of the show. (subject: fireworks, plural)

Both sentences describe the same situation, but the verb changes because the subject changes. This is another place where strong action verbs can sometimes help you restructure sentences so agreement is more obvious.

Nouns That Look Plural but Are Singular

Some nouns end in -s but are actually singular. These include fields of study, diseases, and certain other words:

• Mathematics is my strongest subject.
• The news was shocking.
• Physics requires strong problem-solving skills.
• Measles is a contagious disease.
• Economics deals with the allocation of resources.

On the flip side, some nouns that look singular are actually plural (or are always used with a plural verb):

• The scissors are in the drawer.
• My trousers are wrinkled.
• The police have arrived.

Subject-Verb Agreement with "The Number of" vs. "A Number of"

This is a common stumbling block, and the rule is refreshingly clean:

• "The number of" takes a singular verb. You're talking about the number itself. The number of applicants has increased.
• "A number of" takes a plural verb. It essentially means "several" or "many." A number of applicants have been interviewed.

Think of "a number of" as a synonym for "many." You'd say "many applicants have been interviewed," and "a number of" works the same way.

Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors to Avoid

Here's a quick-reference list of the mistakes that show up most often in writing:

1. Ignoring prepositional phrases. "The list of items are ready" should be "The list of items is ready."
2. Mishandling "there is/there are." "There's many options" should be "There are many options."
3. Treating "each" and "every" as plural. "Each of the players have a role" should be "Each of the players has a role."
4. Confusing "a number of" and "the number of." "The number of complaints are rising" should be "The number of complaints is rising."
5. Using plural verbs with "neither/either." "Neither of the answers are correct" should be "Neither of the answers is correct" in formal writing.
6. Losing track of the subject in long sentences. The longer the gap between subject and verb, the easier it is to lose agreement. When in doubt, strip the sentence down to its core.
7. Misidentifying the subject in inverted sentences. "On the shelf sits the books" should be "On the shelf sit the books."

A reliable grammar checker can catch most of these automatically, but understanding the rules means you'll produce cleaner drafts from the start.

Quick Tips for Getting Agreement Right

• Find the subject first. Before choosing a verb form, identify the true subject. Cross out prepositional phrases, appositives, and parenthetical expressions.
• Don't trust your ear alone. Some incorrect forms sound natural because you hear them all the time. "Everyone have their own opinion" sounds fine in conversation but is grammatically incorrect in standard English (it should be "everyone has").
• Watch for distance. The farther the verb is from the subject, the more likely an error. Read long sentences carefully.
• When stuck, simplify. Replace compound or complex subjects with a simple pronoun to test: "The collection of rare stamps" = "It." Would you say "It are valuable" or "It is valuable"? Obviously the latter.
• Read your work aloud. This won't catch everything, but it flags a surprising number of agreement problems that your eyes skip over.

Frequently Asked Questions About Subject-Verb Agreement

What is the most basic rule of subject-verb agreement?

A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. In the present tense, singular verbs typically end in -s or -es (he runs, she watches), while plural verbs do not (they run, they watch). This rule applies regardless of what other words appear between the subject and the verb.

Does "everyone" take a singular or plural verb?

In standard English, everyone always takes a singular verb: "Everyone is welcome," "Everyone has arrived." This is true even though "everyone" refers to multiple people. The same rule applies to everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one, and nobody.

How do I handle subject-verb agreement when "or" or "nor" connects subjects of different numbers?

Use the proximity rule: the verb agrees with whichever subject is closest to it. For example, "Neither the teacher nor the students were happy" (students is closest, so plural). "Neither the students nor the teacher was happy" (teacher is closest, so singular). If one arrangement sounds awkward, place the plural subject closer to the verb for a more natural sentence.

Is "the team" singular or plural?

It depends on context. In American English, collective nouns like team, family, and committee are usually treated as singular: "The team is winning." In British English, they are often treated as plural: "The team are winning." When the group's individual members are emphasized, a plural verb is acceptable in both dialects: "The team are disagreeing about the strategy." If the plural sounds awkward, rephrase: "The team members are disagreeing."

Why does "a number of" take a plural verb while "the number of" takes a singular verb?

"A number of" functions as a quantifier meaning "several" or "many," so it pairs with a plural verb: "A number of guests have arrived." In contrast, "the number of" refers to the number itself as a single figure, so it takes a singular verb: "The number of guests has increased." Thinking of "a number of" as a replacement for "many" makes this easy to remember.

How can I quickly check for subject-verb agreement errors in my writing?

Three strategies work well together. First, identify the true subject of each sentence by mentally removing prepositional phrases and other interrupting elements. Second, read your work aloud, because your ear will often catch errors your eyes miss. Third, use a digital tool like Rephrasely's grammar checker to scan for errors automatically. Combining these approaches gives you the best chance of producing clean, grammatically correct writing.