Language Fundamentals
Subject–Verb Agreement
Match singular and plural subjects with the correct verb form.
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What it is
The grammatical rule requiring singular subjects to take singular verbs and plural subjects to take plural verbs, ensuring clarity and correctness in professional communication by maintaining proper concordance.
Before & after
Before
“Agreement error: "The list of requirements are attached" (should be "is")”
After
“Correct agreement: "The list of requirements is attached" (singular subject "list")”
When you’ll use it
Team presentations: "The data shows" (singular) vs "The data show" (plural in some contexts)
Meeting minutes: "The committee has decided" (singular collective) vs "The committee have disagreed" (plural emphasis)
Progress reports: "Neither the manager nor the employees were" (plural verb matches closest subject)
Policy documents: "Each of the departments is responsible" (singular with "each of")
Pro tip
Locate the true subject, ignore interrupting phrases.
Questions & answers
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