Subject-Verb Agreement Review

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Within a sentence there are certain requirements for the relationship between the subject and the verb.

The subject and verb must agree both in number and person.

Example:
We have surpassed our sales goal of one million dollars.

Here, the first person plural verb "have" agrees with its first person plural subject "we."

Note, ironically, third person singular verbs often end in "s" or "es:"

He "seems" to be fair.

Intervening phrases and clauses have no effect on subject-verb agreement.

Example:
Only one of the President's nominees was confirmed.

Here, the singular verb "was" agrees with its singular subject "one." The intervening prepositional phrase "of the President's nominees" has no effect on the number or person of the verb.

When the subject and verb are reversed, they still must agree in both number and person.

Example:
Attached are copies of the contract.

Here, the plural verb "are attached" agrees with its plural subject "copies." The sentence could be rewritten as

Copies of the contract are attached.