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TOEIC - Subject Verb Agreement
One of the most important skills on the reading section of
the TOEIC exam is subject verb agreement. This is especially
true in the incomplete sentences section. Many of these
questions make you choose between a plural and a single
verb. Understanding how subject verb agreement works will
allow you to choose the correct verb.
Every verb must agree with its subject. Some verbs are
plural, and some are singular.
- The chair is red.
- The chairs are red.
Pronouns
Singular Subjects
• Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns take a single verb, like the 3rd person
(He, She, It).
Someone is watching us.
Everyone lives in the apartment.
• Groups
Groups of people or things take singular verbs. Although they
are multiple people, there is still only one group. For
example, although you have brothers, sisters, and parents,
you only have one family. If it were plural, that would mean
there are two families.
My family is going to go on vacation.
The team plays at 7:00pm.
• Gerunds and Infinitives
Running is fun.
To play the guitar is difficult.
Be careful for actions followed by plural nouns. Remember
there is only one action.
Playing games is fun.
Buying toys was expensive.
Plural Subjects
• Subjects joined with and
Compound subjects joined with and must take a plural verb.
Ex: The boy and his dog are playing in the park.
• Plural Subjects
These words mean two or more things:
Both, several, many, most, all, few, none, some, any, etc.
Ex:
Some of the people are watching the movie.
Most of the people live in the city.
• Irregular plurals
Although these words may seem singular, they are all plural
nouns:
Children, men, women, people, mice, feet, teeth, fish, etc.
Ex:
The children are playing.
Exceptions
• Non-Count Nouns are always singular.
Ex: Some of the sugar is in the kitchen.
• Some subjects look plural, but are actually
singular.
Most ics words are singular
Mathematics is a difficult subject
Ten dollars is not a lot of money.
The news was on at 9pm last night.
• Compound subjects can be considered singular if
they act as one thing.
Peanut butter and banana is my favourite sandwich.
• Look out for phrases that do not affect the
subject, especially prepositional phrases.
Accompanied by, along with, either…or, neither…nor, among,
as well as, in addition to, together with, joined by, etc.
The box of socks and underwear is on the floor.
Tom, along with Bob, is going to the party.
My friend or my sister is going to help me move.
Either the dog, the cat, or the bird is sick.
Neither the man, nor his wife is coming to the party.
• The subject closer to the verb affects the verb
The teacher or the students are going to bring the money.
The students or the teacher is going to bring the money.
• Nationalities for people are plural, but languages
are singular.
The Spanish people are very friendly.
Spanish is an interesting language.
Practice subject verb agreement for the TOEIC exam with this
test:
TOEIC Subject Verb Agreement Test
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