Grammar and reading terms · SAT Reading and Writing, ACT English, ACT Reading
Subject-verb agreement
Subject-verb agreement: The rule that a verb must match its subject in number: singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.
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What it means
Agreement errors usually happen when words come between the subject and the verb, such as a prepositional phrase. Find the true subject by crossing out the phrase. Collective nouns (team, committee) are usually singular, and each, every and either are singular.
In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject comes after the verb.
Example
Incorrect: 'The list of required books are long.' Correct: 'The list of required books is long.' The subject is list, which is singular.
On the exam
SAT Form, Structure, and Sense questions and ACT usage questions test agreement with distracting phrases between subject and verb.