What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement means that the verb in a sentence must match the subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
- The dog runs.
- The dogs run.
- She likes apples.
Always find the subject first. Then choose the verb that matches it.
Choosing the right subject
The subject is who or what the sentence is about. The subject tells us who is doing the action.
- The cat sleeps.
- My friend plays outside.
- The children laugh.
The subject is usually a noun or a pronoun and often comes at the beginning of the sentence.
Singular subjects and verbs
A singular subject means one person, place, animal, or thing. Singular subjects usually need verbs that end in -s.
- The boy jumps.
- The bird flies.
- She reads a book.
When the subject is just one, the verb often ends with -s.
Plural subjects and verbs
A plural subject means more than one person, place, animal, or thing. Plural subjects usually take verbs without -s.
- The boys jump.
- The birds fly.
- They read together.
If the subject means more than one, do not add -s to the verb.
Using subject-verb agreement in sentences
Good writers check that their subjects and verbs match in every sentence.
- My dog likes to run.
- My dogs like to run.
- The teacher helps the class.
Read your sentence aloud. If it sounds right, the subject and verb probably agree.