Your essay says, “The list of sources are attached.” That verb is wrong. Subject verb agreement rules examples like this one help you find the true subject, choose the matching verb, and avoid errors that can make an otherwise strong essay look rushed. The subject is list, not sources, so the sentence needs is. Small fix. Subject verb agreement rules examples matter most when extra words sit between the subject and verb, because your eye may match the verb with the nearest noun instead of the noun that controls it.
Subject verb agreement rules examples
A subject and verb must match in number: singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. Start there. In the present tense, a singular third-person subject usually takes a verb ending in -s, while plural subjects use the base verb: “The student writes” but “The students write.” This can feel backward because plural nouns often end in -s, while singular present-tense verbs often end in -s.
Find the subject before you judge the verb. Ask, “Who or what performs the action or exists in this sentence?” Then temporarily cover descriptive phrases between that subject and its verb. Do this slowly. In “The argument in both articles supports the policy,” the subject is argument; “in both articles” only adds detail, so supports is correct.
| Pattern | Correct example | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Singular subject | The essay explains the issue. | Essay is singular, so the verb is singular. |
| Plural subject | The essays explain the issue. | Essays is plural, so the verb has no -s. |
| Subject plus extra phrase | The stack of drafts is on the desk. | Stack controls the verb, not drafts. |
| Two subjects joined by and | The introduction and conclusion need revision. | Two separate items usually create a plural subject. |
| Either or neither | Neither the sources nor the article is reliable. | The nearer subject, article, is singular. |
| Indefinite pronoun | Everyone has a perspective. | Everyone is grammatically singular. |
Watch for words between the subject and verb
Prepositional phrases cause many agreement mistakes in essay writing. Words such as of, in, with, among, and between often introduce a phrase that contains another noun. Ignore it first. “The effects of social media on attention are difficult to measure” is correct because effects is plural, even though media and attention appear nearby.
The same idea applies to phrases beginning with along with, as well as, together with, and including. These phrases do not usually turn a singular subject into a plural one. Keep the original subject. “The researcher, along with several assistants, examines the data” uses examines because the researcher is the subject; the assistants are additional information.
Relative clauses can also distract you. A relative clause often begins with who, that, or which, and it has its own verb. Read in pieces. In “The claims that the author makes are unsupported,” makes agrees with author inside the clause, while are agrees with claims in the main sentence.
Handle compound and tricky subjects
Subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb: “Evidence and reasoning strengthen the paragraph.” There are exceptions when two words name one unit or one idea, such as “Peanut butter and jelly is my usual lunch.” Context decides. In formal essays, separate academic nouns connected by and are usually plural, so check whether you are discussing two distinct things.
With or and nor, make the verb agree with the subject closest to it. This rule is useful. “Either the instructors or the student is responsible for the revision” is correct because student is closest to the verb. Reverse the order, and you need a plural verb: “Either the student or the instructors are responsible.”
Words like each, either, neither, everyone, someone, and anybody are usually singular, even when they refer to many people. Treat them as singular. Write, “Each of the interviews reveals a different concern,” not “Each of the interviews reveal.” The plural noun after of does not control the verb.
Some nouns look plural but name a single field, disease, activity, or title. “Economics is relevant to the argument” is standard because economics is a field of study. Book, film, and article titles are also usually singular: “The Hunger Games is a novel series.” Check the meaning, not the final letter.
Use agreement carefully with amounts and collective nouns
Amounts of time, money, distance, and measurement often take singular verbs when you treat the amount as one total. One unit. “Ten dollars is enough for the fee” and “Five years is a long commitment” both treat the amount as a single quantity. If individual units matter, a plural verb may make more sense, but that situation is less common in standard essay sentences.
Collective nouns such as team, committee, class, and audience can create uncertainty. In most US academic writing, use a singular verb when the group acts as one unit: “The committee recommends a revision.” Keep it consistent. If you need to emphasize members acting separately, revise for clarity: “Committee members disagree about the revision.”
A fast editing method for essay writing
Do not try to catch every agreement issue while drafting. Finish the idea first. Then make one focused grammar pass after your draft is complete, since agreement errors are easier to see when you are no longer deciding what evidence or wording belongs in the paragraph.
- Underline the main verb in each sentence. Start with long sentences.
- Circle the noun or pronoun that performs the action. Find the real subject.
- Cross out phrases between the subject and verb for a moment. Ignore the noise.
- Label the subject singular or plural, then check whether the verb matches.
- Read the sentence aloud after restoring the crossed-out words. Your ear can catch an awkward result.
Give extra attention to sentences that begin with “one of,” “the number of,” “a number of,” “there is,” or “there are.” These patterns are common. “The number of students who revise is increasing” treats number as singular, while “A number of students are revising” means several students and takes a plural verb.
Work through a revision example
Consider this draft sentence: “The reasons why the policy changes are necessary is explained in the final section.” It has two agreement problems. The main subject is reasons, so the first verb should be are: “The reasons why the policy changes are necessary…” Inside the why clause, changes is plural, so are necessary is already correct.
Now check the final verb. The word reasons is still the subject of the main sentence, so write “The reasons why the policy changes are necessary are explained in the final section.” Better yet, make it more direct: “The final section explains why the policy changes are necessary.” Clear sentences reduce agreement mistakes.
Grammar tools can catch obvious mismatches, but they may miss a sentence whose meaning is unclear or suggest a change that does not fit your point. Review every suggestion. If a checker flags a sentence, identify the subject yourself before accepting the revision. That habit helps on timed writing, where you may not have a tool available.
Related posts
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not academic, admissions, or legal advice. Tool features, detection accuracy, and academic integrity policies change, so always verify current guidelines with your school or the official tool provider before making a decision.