Subject-Verb Agreement
Is there such a thing as grammar-math? Well, of course! We can't let grammar be the only fun thing we do on a Friday!
Does this subject make my verb look plural?
Subject-verb agreement has to do with numbers. If you only have one subject, then your verb needs to be singular. If you have two or more subjects linked together with “and,” then the verb is plural.
Simple enough...
Firefly takes place in a 'Verse far in the future. (Singular)
Firefly (subject) is singular, so the verb "to take" is also singular (3rd person, singular): takes.
Folks who fought for the Independence wear stylish brown coats. (Plural)
Folks (subject) is plural, so the verb "to wear" is plural (3rd person, plural): wear.
Mal and the crew of Serenity live by their own rules. (Plural)
Mal and the crew of Serenity (subjects) are plural (there's more than one), so the verb "to live" becomes the 3rd person plural, live.
Mal or Kaylee are in the engine room.
What’s happened here? We have two subjects and a verb ("to be") conjugated for the 3rd person plural, but it doesn't look right.
This is because singular subjects joined by “or” are still considered singular at the end of the line. The “or” keeps them standing alone.
Mal is in the engine room OR Kaylee is in the engine room.
Only one of them is actually in there. The other one is not.
Thus, Mal or Kaylee is in the engine room.
To be, or not to be…a singular or plural verb when the subjects can’t agree on numbers?
Mal's crew or his passengers is keeping Serenity in business.
When combined with “or,” your quantity-varying subjects can change the subject-verb agreement depending on their order.
Mal's crew is singular, but his passengers are plural. Since the phrase “his passengers” is physically closer to the verb "to be", "to be" needs to be plural:
Likewise, Mal's passengers or his crew is keeping Serenity in business.
Is this sentence correct?
The one problem with eBooks and iPads are their lack of new-book smell.
Look closely, grammar friends. If you’re kicking your feet up, and thinking, “my work here is done!” then think again! This sentence is having a subject-verb disagreement because of a prepositional phrase.
Just a reminder: What’s a prepositional phrase?
A prepositional phrase is a segment beginning with a directional word (a preposition).
…at the grocery store…
…in the suitcase…
…with my parakeet…
They act like adjectives or adverbs, and modify the subject: My friend at the grocery store has pink hair. The prepositional phrase “at the grocery store” explains which friend (the subject) I’m referring to.
So looking at our example again…
The one problem with eBooks and iPads are their lack of new-book smell.
The segment “with eBooks and iPads” is a prepositional phrase—which means it’s not the subject of our sentence. The subject of this sentence is “The one problem,” which is singular:
Resources:
Purdue OWL: Subject/Verb Agreement
Grammar Girl: Subject-Verb Agreement
Grammar Bytes!: Prepositional Phrase
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