SAT WRITING
SUBJECT-VERB DISAGREEMENT
BIG CONCEPT
The rule of the game is pretty simple: The verb must agree with the
subject in number.
Seems pretty easy right?
BIG CONCEPT
Verb: The word that conveys the central idea of a sentence.
Subject: The thing that does the thing that the verb refers to.
⊡ What makes such straightforward things complicated?
• When words that are weird and pointless and which ultimately has no value
whatsoever and whose sole purpose is to make the sentence long and redundant
and verbose and awkwardly long to read, intervenes between the subject and the
verb.
• When plural and singular words are hard to differentiate that is to say either plural
or singular OR neither plural nor singular is a tough decision to make.
• When reversed is the sentence.
INTERVENING PARTS
• Delivery of today’s newspapers and magazines have been delayed.
• Delivery of today’s newspapers and magazines have been delayed.
INTERVENING PARTS
• The technology behind high-definition television, DVDs, and CDs
have transformed nearly every aspect of the home entertainment
industry.
• The technology behind high-definition television, DVDs, and CDs
have transformed nearly every aspect of the home
entertainment industry.
INTERVENING PARTS
• Tucker’s talent in chess and weight lifting, two of our school’s
most popular teams, prove his mental and physical strength.
• Tucker’s talent in chess and weight lifting, two of our school’s
most popular teams, prove his mental and physical strength.
INTERVENING PARTS
• The sale of computers in a market that has nearly a billion
potential customers have created enormous hope for the
company’s future.
• The sale of computers in a market that has nearly a billion
potential customers have created enormous hope for the
company’s future.
INTERVENING PARTS
• Amy, along with Jamie and Jen, is applying to Mount Holyoke.
• Amy, along with Jamie and Jen, is applying to Mount Holyoke.
INTERVENING PARTS
• Amy, along with Jamie and Jen, is applying to Mount Holyoke.
• Amy, along with Jamie and Jen, is applying to Mount Holyoke.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
Mathematics and history is my favorite subjects.
Mathematics and history are my favorite subjects.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
Pride and Prejudice are my favorite Jane Austen novel.
Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen novel.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
Nouns, both singular and plural, when joined by and, are called
compound subjects, which need plural verbs.
Until and unless such compound subjects are thought of as units.
All collective nouns though they appear plural are singular. Eg.
group, crowd, team, jury, soybeans, audience, herd, public, dozen,
class, band, flock, majority, committee, heap, and lot.
Note: “in addition to”, “as well as”, “along with” while being similar
to “and” are singular.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
The picture and the text goes inside this box.
The picture and the text go inside this box.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
Green eggs and ham are Sam’s favorite breakfast.
Green eggs and ham is Sam’s favorite breakfast.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: AND
How important is your strength training and your diet to your daily
regimen?
How important are your strength training and your diet to your daily
regimen?
BIG CONCEPT
Verbs that follow subjects of the form either A or B and neither A
nor B must agree with B, the noun closer to the verb.
Neither the headmaster nor the boy wants his car towed
Neither the boys nor the headmaster wants their car towed
Neither the headmaster nor the boys want their car towed
TWISTED SUBJECTS: NORR
Either Ben or his brothers is in charge of bringing the drinks.
Either Ben or his brothers are in charge of bringing the drinks.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: NORR
Either the Donovans or Dave is going to bring the plates.
Either the Donovans or Dave is going to bring the plates.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: NORR
Either Don or you is going to lead the class discussion on Tuesday.
Either Don or you are going to lead the class discussion on Tuesday.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: PRONOUNS
Neither of the cars are equipped with antilock brakes.
Neither of the cars is equipped with antilock brakes.
BIG CONCEPT
These words ending in –one, -body and – thing, are singular: anyone,
anybody, anything, another, **neither**, **either**, everyone,
someone, no one, somebody, everything, little, and much.
These words are plural: both, many, few, several.
These pronouns are singular/ plural depending on the nouns they
take: Some, Any, None, All, Most
Some of the meat has gone bad
Some of the paintings are breathtaking.
BIG CONCEPT
Each, every, one mainly take singular verbs
Every dog has paws.
Every dog and cat has paws.
Each of these shirts is pretty.
One of my friends wants a Porsche.
Exception
When each and every follow a subject they have no influence on the
verb
They each are great tennis players
TWISTED SUBJECTS: PRONOUNS
Neither of the twins are allergic to penicillin.
Neither of the twins is allergic to penicillin.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: PRONOUNS
Every player on both teams are concerned about the goalie’s injury.
Every player on both teams is concerned about the goalie’s injury.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: PRONOUNS
Neither of the twins are allergic to penicillin.
Neither of the twins is allergic to penicillin.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: REVERESED
There is, in my opinion, far too many smokers in this restaurant.
Far too many smokers, in my opinion, is in this restaurant.
Far too many smokers, in my opinion, are in this restaurant.
BIG CONCEPT
Sometimes the sentences are confusing when the subject comes after
the verb. For such sentences convert them into a regular sentence
mentally and see where you get.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: REVERESED
Riding on the bus among the children were over a dozen commuters.
Among the children, over a dozen commuters were riding on the
bus.
Among the children, over a dozen commuters were riding on the
bus.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: REVERESED
Absent from the article were any mention of the director’s previous
Broadway failures.
Any mention of the director’s previous Broadway failures were absent from
the article.
Any mention of the director’s previous Broadway failures was absent from
the article.
TWISTED SUBJECTS: REVERESED
Near the office buildings sit a lonely house, inhabited by squatters.
A lonely house, inhabited by squatters, sit near the office building.
A lonely house, inhabited by squatters, sits near the office building.
END DRILL
