What is subject-verb agreement?

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with the verb. For example, 'The cat runs' (singular) vs. 'The cats run' (plural).

Identify the error: 'The group of students are going on a trip.'

The correct sentence should be 'The group of students is going on a trip.' The subject 'group' is singular, so it should take the singular verb 'is.'

How does subject-verb agreement work with collective nouns?

Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team wins' (acting as a unit) vs. 'The team are arguing among themselves' (individual actions).

Choose the correct verb: 'Neither of the answers (is/are) correct.'

'Neither of the answers is correct.' The word 'neither' is singular, so it requires the singular verb 'is.'

Which sentence is correct? 'Each of the players have a game plan.' or 'Each of the players has a game plan.'

'Each of the players has a game plan.' The word 'each' is singular and requires the singular verb 'has.'

What is the rule for subject-verb agreement with words like 'everyone' and 'anyone'?

Words like 'everyone' and 'anyone' are treated as singular, so they take singular verbs. For instance, 'Everyone is happy' and 'Anyone can join.'

Fill in the blank: 'The number of students (is/are) increasing each year.'

'The number of students is increasing each year.' The phrase 'the number' is singular, thus requiring the singular verb 'is.'

Identify the error: 'The jury were divided in their opinions.'

'The jury was divided in their opinions.' The collective noun 'jury' is treated as a singular entity, so it takes the singular verb 'was.'

Which of the following sentences is correct? 'A bouquet of flowers (sits/sit) on the table.'

'A bouquet of flowers sits on the table.' The subject 'bouquet' is singular, so the singular verb 'sits' is correct.

Choose the correct form: 'Neither the teacher nor the students (was/were) happy with the results.'

'Neither the teacher nor the students were happy with the results.' When using 'neither/nor,' the verb agrees with the nearest subject, which is plural here.

Identify the error: 'The committee have made their decision.'

'The committee has made its decision.' The collective noun 'committee' is singular in this context and requires the singular verb 'has.'