Blog about English
Subject-verb agreement involving singular, plural and collective nouns.
The verb must agree with its subject in number and person.
Singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.
A singular subject normally takes a singular verb.
Examples include The dog barks. My brother lives in London.
A plural subject normally takes a plural verb.
Examples include The dogs bark. My friends live nearby.
Subjects connected by and usually take a plural verb.
The verb is plural because the subject refers to more than one person or thing.
When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb usually agrees with the subject closest to it.
This is known as the principle of proximity.
Collective nouns may take either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether the group is viewed as a unit or as individuals.
British English allows plural agreement more often than American English.
Expressions of amount, distance, money and time usually take a singular verb when considered as a single unit.
Examples include Ten dollars is enough. Five years is a long time.
Many indefinite pronouns take singular verbs, while others may take singular or plural verbs depending on the meaning.
Examples include Everyone is here. All are welcome.
The agreement of none, neither and either depends on the expression and the intended meaning.
Modern English often allows plural agreement with none when referring to plural nouns.
Titles of books, films, organizations and other proper names usually take singular verbs even if they appear plural.
Examples include The United Nations is... and Great Expectations was written by Charles Dickens.
Some compound subjects represent a single idea and therefore take a singular verb.
Examples include Fish and chips is my favorite meal. Bread and butter was served.
Always identify the true subject before choosing the verb form.
Common mistakes include agreeing with the nearest noun instead of the subject, using plural verbs with singular amounts and confusing collective nouns.