How do I make sure the verb matches its subject, so I can spot and fix agreement errors?
Identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors, matching singular subjects to singular verbs and plural subjects to plural verbs, including tricky cases
How to spot and fix subject-verb agreement errors in the Editing section: matching singular subjects to singular verbs and plural to plural, including tricky cases that catch students out.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
SEAB wants you to find and fix subject-verb agreement errors in the Editing section of Paper 1. The rule is simple: a verb must match its subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb ("the dog barks"); a plural subject takes a plural verb ("the dogs bark"). The Editing section tests a predictable set of errors, and agreement is one of the most common. The skill is to find the true subject of each verb, decide if it is singular or plural, and check the verb matches.
The answer
The basic rule
A verb agrees with its subject in number. In the present tense, a singular subject usually takes a verb with an s (he walks, she eats, the bird sings), and a plural subject takes a verb without an s (they walk, we eat, the birds sing). The verb "to be" changes form too: "is" for singular, "are" for plural; "was" for singular, "were" for plural.
Find the true subject
The most common trap is matching the verb to the nearest noun instead of the real subject. In "the box of chocolates is on the table", the subject is "box" (singular), not "chocolates", so the verb is "is". When a phrase comes between the subject and the verb, ignore it and find the head noun that the verb belongs to.
Tricky words: each, every, everyone
Words like each, every, everyone, somebody, nobody are singular, even though they feel like they refer to many. "Each of the students has a book" (not have). "Everyone is here" (not are). Treat these as singular and use a singular verb.
"There is" and "there are"
After "there", the verb agrees with what follows it. "There is one reason" (singular) but "there are many reasons" (plural). Look past "there" to the real subject to choose "is" or "are".
Examples in context
Example 1. A phrase between subject and verb. "The bunch of keys (was / were) missing." The subject is "bunch" (singular), so the correct verb is "was". The plural-sounding "keys" is part of a phrase and is not the subject, which is the trap this sentence sets.
Example 2. A compound subject. "My sister and my brother (is / are) coming." Two subjects joined by "and" make a plural subject, so the correct verb is "are". Recognising that "and" creates a plural subject is the key to choosing the right verb here.
Try this
Cue. Correct: "The team of players have won." The subject is "team" (singular), so it should be "The team of players has won."
Cue. Choose the right verb: "Everyone in the class (is / are) ready." "Is", because "everyone" is singular even though it refers to many people.
Cue. Explain why "There is many problems" is wrong. After "there", the verb agrees with what follows; "problems" is plural, so it should be "There are many problems."
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original4 marksFind and correct the subject-verb agreement error in each sentence: (a) 'The list of items are on the table.' (b) 'My brother walk to school every day.' (c) 'There is many reasons to recycle.' (d) 'Each of the students have a book.'Show worked answer →
(a) "are" should be "is" - the subject is "list" (singular), not "items". The list is on the table.
(b) "walk" should be "walks" - the subject "my brother" is singular, so the verb needs an s.
(c) "is" should be "are" - the subject "reasons" is plural. There are many reasons.
(d) "have" should be "has" - "each" is singular, so it takes "has".
What markers reward: finding the true subject of each verb (not the nearest noun), and matching the verb correctly to a singular or plural subject, including the tricky cases "each" (singular) and a phrase like "the list of items" (singular head noun).
Original3 marksExplain the rule for subject-verb agreement, and describe one tricky case where students often choose the wrong verb.Show worked answer →
The rule is that a verb must agree with its subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb (he walks, the dog barks), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (they walk, the dogs bark). In the present tense, singular verbs often add an s and plural verbs do not.
One tricky case: when a phrase comes between the subject and the verb, such as "the box of chocolates", students often match the verb to the nearest noun ("chocolates") instead of the real subject ("box"). The correct verb is singular: "the box of chocolates is on the table", because the subject is "box".
What markers reward: a clear statement of the agreement rule, and awareness of a tricky case (a phrase between subject and verb, or words like "each") where the true subject must be found.
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