Subject-Verb Agreement
📋 What it is
The verb must match its subject in number: singular subject → singular verb, plural → plural.
🗣️ Coach says
The subject and verb are a team — they have to agree. “The dog runs” (one) vs “the dogs run” (many). The tricky part is finding the REAL subject when extra words sneak in between.
🧠 Memory hook
One subject → verb ends in -s. Many subjects → verb drops the -s. (Yes, it’s backwards from nouns!)
😂 Giggle
Why was the exclamation mark always so excited?
Because it couldn't contain its enthusiasm!
😲 Whoa!
English is weird here: add -s to a NOUN to make it plural, but add -s to a VERB to make it singular. “Cats” = many; “sits” = one.
✅ Quick check: “The box of crayons ___ on the shelf.” Is/Are?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
“Is” — the subject is “box” (singular), not “crayons”; the words between don’t change the verb.
The verb agrees with the true subject, ignoring phrases that come between.
🪄 Trick question: “Each of the players ___ a jersey.” has or have?
Careful — think it through, then reveal.
“Has” — “each” is singular, so it takes the singular verb even though “players” is plural.
Words like each/every/one-of are singular subjects.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Cover the words between the subject and verb in “The group of friends (is/are) here.” The subject is “group” → “is”.