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68 PLC, 346-3226 http://tlc.uoregon.edu SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT ERRORS
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? There’s at least five common reasons writers mismatch subjects and verbs.
Did you notice the error? Let’s take a closer look.
The subject of a sentence (the main who or what of the sentence) and its corresponding verb
(the word[s] expressing the subject’s action or state or being) must agree in number. An agreement error occurs when a singular subject is used with a plural verb or a plural subject is used with a singular verb.
The example above includes a subject-verb agreement error because the main part of the subject,
“reasons,” is plural, and the verb, “is” (contracted with “There”), is singular. We can avoid the error by making the verb plural:
There are at least five common reasons writers mismatch subjects and verbs.
WHY IS THIS ERROR SO COMMON?
Many writers can easily make the subject and verb of a sentence agree when the subject is simple and directly precedes the verb. However, there are many situations that make agreement more difficult. When a sentence begins with “There is” or “There are,” the true subject follows the verb:
There are many ways to complete general education requirements at UO.
There is plenty of time to choose courses for next term.
In long or complex subjects the main noun may be difficult to identify:
The benefits of earning a Bachelor’s Degree are worth the trials along the way.
In this example, “Degree” is the noun closest to the verb, and because it is singular, a writer may be tempted to use the singular verb “is” after it. However, “benefits,” a plural word, is the main noun of the subject and requires the verb “are.” The words “of earning a Bachelor’s Degree” simply expand on the idea of “benefits” and should not be mistaken for the main part of the subject.
Some words that may seem plural, such as everyone, anyone, no one, each, either, and neither, are grammatically singular:
Everyone enjoys having a
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? There’s at least five common reasons writers mismatch subjects and verbs.
Did you notice the error? Let’s take a closer look.
The subject of a sentence (the main who or what of the sentence) and its corresponding verb
(the word[s] expressing the subject’s action or state or being) must agree in number. An agreement error occurs when a singular subject is used with a plural verb or a plural subject is used with a singular verb.
The example above includes a subject-verb agreement error because the main part of the subject,
“reasons,” is plural, and the verb, “is” (contracted with “There”), is singular. We can avoid the error by making the verb plural:
There are at least five common reasons writers mismatch subjects and verbs.
WHY IS THIS ERROR SO COMMON?
Many writers can easily make the subject and verb of a sentence agree when the subject is simple and directly precedes the verb. However, there are many situations that make agreement more difficult. When a sentence begins with “There is” or “There are,” the true subject follows the verb:
There are many ways to complete general education requirements at UO.
There is plenty of time to choose courses for next term.
In long or complex subjects the main noun may be difficult to identify:
The benefits of earning a Bachelor’s Degree are worth the trials along the way.
In this example, “Degree” is the noun closest to the verb, and because it is singular, a writer may be tempted to use the singular verb “is” after it. However, “benefits,” a plural word, is the main noun of the subject and requires the verb “are.” The words “of earning a Bachelor’s Degree” simply expand on the idea of “benefits” and should not be mistaken for the main part of the subject.
Some words that may seem plural, such as everyone, anyone, no one, each, either, and neither, are grammatically singular:
Everyone enjoys having a