1.14 Subject/Verb Agreement

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that states the subject of a sentence must match with the main verb of a sentence. More specifically, singular subjects must take singular verbs, and plural subjects must take plural verbs.

When do errors in subject-verb agreement occur?

Subject-verb agreement is a fairly easy concept to comprehend. However, errors sometimes occur when the following are used in sentence construction.

Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases are useful tools for providing additional content concisely and precisely. However, prepositional phrases are never the subjects of sentences. In the examples below the prepositional phrases have been struck through.

• The research on interpersonal skills in the workplace was very thorough.
• One of the reports needs editing.
• Not one of our members is pleased with the fee increase.
• Only one of your proposals meets the policy requirements.

Common longer prepositional phrases include:

• in addition to
• as well as
• together with
• other than
• including
• such as

When used after a subject these phrases are enclosed by commas, for they offer additional information and are not part of the subject.

• The proposal, including but not limited to recommendations on dealing with workplace bullying, is on your desk.
• The product, in addition to the labour used to produce it, should be investigated.
• Our branch, together with the local colleges, is hosting a job fair.
• The renovation, other than a few minor needed touch ups, was completed on Thursday.
• The major error, as well as a few minor ones, has been corrected on the draft.
• You, as well as your established clients, are invited to the customer appreciation dinner.
• Inappropriate on-line behavior, such as using your corporate email account for personal correspondence, is prohibited.

Sentences with Here and There

In sentences beginning with here or there,  the true subject comes after the verb.

• There is a file on your desk.
• There are many options to consider.
• There is only one option to consider.
• Here are the file and the ancillary documents you requested.
• Here are the shipping boxes and address labels.
• Here is a shipping box.

Either or/Neither nor Pairs

Word order determines whether a singular or plural verb is used. If the number of the subject closest to the verb is singular, use a singular verb.  If the number of the subject closest to the verb is plural, use a plural verb.

• Neither supervisor nor his employees know why the shipment is missing.
• Neither the employees nor the supervisor knows why the shipment is missing.
• Either the engineer or factory assemblers are to blame for the error.
• Either the factory assemblers or the engineer is to blame for the error.

Inverted Sentences

Inverted sentences are rarely used in business communications. Such constructions are used only for emphasis. In them, part of the verb formation comes before the subject, therefore, making them difficult to follow.

• Never again should you do that.
• Never a day had she missed personally greeting her entire staff.
• Rarely have I met a more capable employee.
• Hardly ever does he come to work on time.
• Not until our product is thoroughly checked for safety compliance does it leave our factory floor.

Expressions of Quantity and Subject-Verb Agreement

Expressions of time and money usually take singular verbs.

• Two weeks is not enough time in which to completely re-tool all of the machines.
• Twenty-minutes is the standard break time in most Canadian workplaces.
• Twenty dollars is a fair price point for our product.
• Two million dollars has been allocated for machinery upgrades.

Fractions, Percentages, and Decimals

Agreement for fractions, percentages, and decimals varies. It depends on what follows them.

If the word that follows the fraction or percentage is singular the singular verb is used.

• Three quarters of this year’s research and development budget was allocated to initiatives on reducing carbon emissions.
• Seventy-five percent of this year’s research and development budget was allocated to initiatives on reducing carbon emissions.

If the word that follows the fraction or percentage is plural, the plural verb is used.

• Two-thirds of our employees are functionally bilingual.
• Sixty-six percent of our employees are functionally bilingual.