SAT Reading & Writing – Standard English Conventions
Subject-Verb Agreement
Ensuring verbs match their subjects in number and person
Subject-Verb Agreement questions test your ability to identify subjects correctly, determine whether they are singular or plural, and ensure verbs match subjects in number regardless of intervening phrases, inverted word order, or compound subjects. On the SAT, you'll recognize when subjects and verbs don't agree and select the verb form that matches the subject.
Success requires identifying the true subject of a sentence, ignoring distracting prepositional phrases and modifiers, understanding special cases like indefinite pronouns and collective nouns, and selecting verb forms that grammatically match subjects. These agreement skills aren't just grammar rules—they represent fundamental sentence structure essential for academic writing, professional communications, clear expression, and any context where grammatical correctness matters for credibility.
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement
Basic Agreement Rule
Verbs must match their subjects in number.
Plural subject: Takes plural verb (The students write.)
Remember: Singular verbs usually end in -s; plural verbs usually don't
Example: He walks (singular) vs. They walk (plural)
Present tense: Agreement most visible in present tense verbs
Intervening Phrases (The Main Trap!)
Words between subject and verb don't affect agreement.
Example: The box of cookies IS (not are) on the table
Modifying clauses: Who/that/which clauses don't change subject
Strategy: Cross out or ignore everything between subject and verb
Find core: Identify the actual subject, not nearby nouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Special pronouns with specific agreement rules.
Always plural: Both, few, many, several
Depends on context: Some, all, most, none (look at prepositional phrase)
Example: Everyone HAS (singular) arrived
Example: Both HAVE (plural) arrived
Compound Subjects
How to handle multiple subjects.
"Or" or "nor": Verb agrees with closest subject
Example: Neither the teacher nor the students WERE ready
Example: Neither the students nor the teacher WAS ready
Each/Every before compound: Singular (Each student and teacher HAS...)
Essential Agreement Identification Strategies
Find the True Subject
Ask "Who or what?": Who/what is performing the verb's action?
Ignore intervening words: Cross out prepositional phrases mentally
Watch for inversions: Subject may come after verb
Find the core: Strip away all modifiers to find subject
Test Singular vs. Plural
Count the subject: Is it one thing or multiple things?
Indefinite pronouns: Memorize which are always singular/plural
Collective nouns: Usually singular (team, group, family)
Substitute simple pronouns: Replace subject with he/she (singular) or they (plural)
Cross Out Distractors
Prepositional phrases: Everything after of, in, with, to, by, for
Relative clauses: Who/which/that clauses are modifiers
Appositives: Phrases set off by commas are non-essential
Focus on core: Subject verb without intervening material
Check Special Cases
Inverted sentences: There/Here sentences put verb before subject
Questions: Verb splits from subject in question form
Titles and names: Plural-looking titles are singular (The United States IS...)
"The number" vs. "A number": "The number" is singular; "a number" is plural
Common Pitfalls & Expert Tips
❌ Matching verb to nearest noun instead of actual subject
"The collection of stamps ARE valuable" is wrong! Subject is "collection" (singular), not "stamps." Should be "IS valuable."
❌ Thinking "everyone" and similar words are plural
Everyone, everybody, each, every are ALWAYS singular despite seeming to refer to multiple people. "Everyone HAS" not "Everyone HAVE."
❌ Getting confused by "there is/are" sentences
In "There is/are..." sentences, the subject comes AFTER the verb. Look at what follows: "There IS a book" (singular) vs. "There ARE books" (plural).
❌ Not recognizing inverted word order
In questions and sentences beginning with adverbs, verb often comes before subject. Identify subject first, then match verb.
✓ Expert Tip: Draw a line through prepositional phrases
Mentally or physically cross out all "of/in/with/by/for..." phrases. This reveals the true subject without distractors.
✓ Expert Tip: Memorize the "each/every" rule
Any subject preceded by "each" or "every" is singular, always. "Each of the students HAS" / "Every person IS"—no exceptions!
✓ Expert Tip: Replace complex subjects with simple pronouns
If confused, substitute "he/she/it" (singular) or "they" (plural) for the subject to hear which verb sounds right.
Fully Worked SAT-Style Examples
Passage:
The discovery of several ancient manuscripts ______ provided historians with new insights into medieval life.
Question:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer Choices:
A) have
B) has
C) are having
D) were having
Correct Answer: B
Subject identification: The subject is "discovery" (singular), NOT "manuscripts." The phrase "of several ancient manuscripts" is a prepositional phrase that modifies "discovery" but doesn't affect verb agreement.
Strategy: Cross out "of several ancient manuscripts" → "The discovery...provided" Test: "The discovery HAS provided" (singular) matches.
Why B is correct: "Has" is singular, matching the singular subject "discovery." The sentence means one discovery (which happened to involve multiple manuscripts) has provided insights.
Why A is wrong: "Have" is plural. Common trap—students match verb to "manuscripts" (plural) instead of actual subject "discovery" (singular).
Why C is wrong: "Are having" is plural and uses progressive tense unnecessarily. Subject is singular.
Why D is wrong: "Were having" is plural past progressive. Subject is singular, and simple present perfect ("has provided") is correct tense.
Passage:
Each of the participants in the clinical trial ______ required to complete a detailed health questionnaire.
Question:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer Choices:
A) were
B) are
C) was
D) is
Correct Answer: C
Subject identification: The subject is "each" (singular indefinite pronoun). "Of the participants" is a prepositional phrase that doesn't affect agreement. "Each" is ALWAYS singular.
Rule: Each, every, either, neither, one, everyone, someone, anyone are always singular, even when followed by plural prepositional phrases.
Why C is correct: "Was" is singular past tense, matching singular subject "each." The sentence refers to past requirement, so past tense is appropriate.
Why A is wrong: "Were" is plural past tense. Common trap—"participants" is plural but it's not the subject; "each" is the subject and it's singular.
Why B is wrong: "Are" is present tense, but context ("required to complete") suggests past event. Also, some contexts might accept present, but C's past tense better matches typical trial language.
Why D is wrong: "Is" is present tense singular. While number matches, past tense ("was") is more appropriate for completed clinical trial context.
Passage:
At the center of the galaxy ______ a supermassive black hole millions of times more massive than the sun.
Question:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer Choices:
A) lies
B) lie
C) are lying
D) have lain
Correct Answer: A
Inverted sentence analysis: The sentence begins with prepositional phrase "At the center of the galaxy," followed by verb, then subject. The subject is "a supermassive black hole" (singular), which comes AFTER the verb.
Strategy: Reorder mentally to standard form: "A supermassive black hole lies at the center of the galaxy." Now subject-verb relationship is clear.
Why A is correct: "Lies" is singular present tense, matching the singular subject "a supermassive black hole." Despite inverted order, agreement must be correct.
Why B is wrong: "Lie" is plural. The subject is "a...black hole" (singular), not "millions" which is just part of a descriptive phrase.
Why C is wrong: "Are lying" is plural progressive. Subject is singular, and progressive tense isn't appropriate for permanent location.
Why D is wrong: "Have lain" is plural present perfect. Subject is singular (requires "has lain"), and present perfect isn't appropriate for ongoing state.
Passage:
Neither the director nor the actors ______ satisfied with the final cut of the film.
Question:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer Choices:
A) was
B) were
C) is
D) are
Correct Answer: B
Compound subject rule: With "neither...nor" or "either...or," the verb agrees with the subject CLOSEST to it. Here, "actors" (plural) is closest to the verb position.
Analysis: "Neither the director (singular) nor the actors (plural)..." → Verb matches "actors" (the closer subject) → plural verb needed.
Why B is correct: "Were" is plural past tense, matching "actors" which is the subject closest to the verb. Context suggests past dissatisfaction.
Why A is wrong: "Was" is singular. Would be correct if sentence were "Neither the actors nor the director was..." (director closer), but here actors are closer.
Why C is wrong: "Is" is present tense, but past tense ("were") better fits context of completed film.
Why D is wrong: "Are" is present tense plural. While number matches, past tense is more appropriate for discussing feelings about completed work.
Passage:
The committee, which consists of representatives from multiple departments, ______ meeting next week to discuss the budget proposal.
Question:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer Choices:
A) are
B) is
C) were
D) have been
Correct Answer: B
Subject identification: The subject is "committee" (singular collective noun). The relative clause "which consists of representatives from multiple departments" is set off by commas and is non-essential—it doesn't affect agreement.
Strategy: Remove the clause: "The committee...meeting next week." Committee (singular) requires singular verb.
Why B is correct: "Is" is singular present tense, matching the singular collective noun "committee." Future action ("meeting next week") uses present progressive form "is meeting."
Why A is wrong: "Are" is plural. Common trap—"representatives" is plural, but it's inside the non-essential clause. The subject "committee" is singular.
Why C is wrong: "Were" is past tense plural. Subject is singular, and action is future ("next week"), not past.
Why D is wrong: "Have been" is plural present perfect. Subject is singular (requires "has been"), and present perfect doesn't fit future context ("meeting next week").
Subject-Verb Agreement Quick Reference
| Subject Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular noun | Singular verb (adds -s) | The student writes. |
| Plural noun | Plural verb (no -s) | The students write. |
| Each, every, one | Always singular | Each of them is ready. |
| Both, few, many | Always plural | Both are coming. |
| Compound (and) | Usually plural | Tom and Sue are here. |
| Compound (or/nor) | Match closest subject | Neither Tom nor they are... |
Agreement Testing Checklist
Step-by-Step Process
1. Find the subject (who/what does verb?)
2. Cross out prepositional phrases
3. Determine if subject is singular/plural
4. Match verb number to subject
Always Singular Words
Each / Every / Either / Neither
One / Everyone / Someone / Anyone
Everybody / Somebody / Nobody
Memorize these!
Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring Grammatical Consistency in Every Sentence
Subject-verb agreement questions assess your ability to match verbs correctly to their subjects in number—a fundamental grammatical skill transcending standardized testing to become essential for clear academic writing, professional communications, credible expression, and any context where grammatical correctness signals competence and attention to detail. The SAT tests this competency because proper agreement represents basic writing proficiency: understanding that verbs must align with their subjects in singular or plural form, recognizing that intervening phrases and modifiers don't change this relationship, knowing special rules for indefinite pronouns and compound subjects, and developing sensitivity to how agreement errors undermine writing quality and credibility. When ensuring "the text conforms to conventions of Standard English," you practice the same grammatical awareness required for academic papers where agreement errors mark careless writing, professional documents where grammatical mistakes damage credibility with clients and colleagues, technical communications where precision in all details including grammar reflects overall reliability, and any formal writing where mechanical correctness serves as a baseline expectation for educated writers. Subject-verb agreement follows systematic, learnable rules with predictable patterns and common traps that test-makers exploit—the key to consistent accuracy lies in identifying true subjects by stripping away distractors, applying memorized rules for special cases, and systematically testing whether subjects and verbs match in number through strategic approaches like mentally crossing out intervening material, substituting simple pronouns to hear correct agreement, and checking both sides of compound subjects to apply appropriate rules. Every time you revise writing to fix agreement errors, catch mistakes before submitting work, or automatically produce correct agreement in first drafts, you're exercising the grammatical awareness that enables not just error-free but professionally credible writing where proper mechanics signal competence and care.