ACT Subject-Verb Agreement: Find the Real Subject Before You Choose the Verb

Master ACT subject-verb agreement with prepositional phrases, compound subjects, collective nouns, inverted sentences, relative clauses, and common agreement traps.

Reviewed by Aakash S. · Cornell University '14 · Counselling Advisor, World ViralPublished 29 September 2026Last updated 29 September 2026

Subject-verb agreement on ACT English is often easy in short sentences and difficult in long ones.

Compare:

The experiment works.

Easy.

Now:

The series of experiments conducted by researchers at three universities works / work as a model for the new procedure.

The words nearest the verb are plural:

experiments;
researchers;
universities.

But the subject is:

series

Singular.

So:

works

The central ACT habit is:

Find the subject. Ignore distracting nouns. Then match the verb.

The basic rule

Singular subject → singular present-tense verb.

The scientist measures the sample.

Plural subject → plural present-tense verb.

The scientists measure the sample.

In the simple present tense, English can feel backward because the singular verb often ends in -s.

Remember:

he runs;
they run.

The -s on the verb usually marks singular third-person present, not plural.

Agreement is about grammatical subject, not nearest noun

This is the most important trap.

The collection of rare books belongs to the university.

Subject:

collection

Not:

books

The prepositional phrase:

of rare books

does not control the verb.

Cross out prepositional phrases mentally

Common prepositions:

of;
in;
on;
with;
by;
near;
among;
between;
around;
through.

Example:

The effects of prolonged drought on several plant species are visible.

Main subject:

effects

Plural.

Ignore:

of prolonged drought
on several plant species

Verb:

are

"Of" phrases create classic traps

The quality of the samples is consistent.

Subject:

quality

Singular.

The results of the experiment are consistent.

Subject:

results

Plural.

Do not let the noun after of control the verb.

Long modifiers do not change the subject

The bridge, along with several nearby roads, requires repair.

Subject:

bridge

The phrase:

along with several nearby roads

does not make the subject plural.

Similarly:

together with;
accompanied by;
as well as;
in addition to

usually do not create a compound subject.

"And" usually creates a plural subject

Maya and Elena are presenting.

Two subjects joined by and → plural.

The engine and transmission were inspected.

Plural.

But ACT can test exceptions.

One unit joined by "and" can be singular

Sometimes two nouns describe one combined thing or one concept.

Peanut butter and jelly is a common sandwich filling.

Depending on context, the phrase can function as one combined item.

ACT questions usually provide enough context to show whether the writer means one unit or multiple separate things.

Do not force every and construction into plural if the meaning clearly treats it as one entity.

"Or" and "nor": match the nearer subject

With or / nor, agreement often follows the subject closer to the verb.

Neither the teachers nor the principal is attending.

Nearest subject:

principal

Singular.

Neither the principal nor the teachers are attending.

Nearest:

teachers

Plural.

This is sometimes called the proximity rule.

Either/or examples

Either the technicians or the manager has the key.

Nearest subject:

manager

Singular.

Either the manager or the technicians have the key.

Nearest:

technicians

Plural.

Collective nouns

Words like:

team;
committee;
class;
family;
audience;
group

can describe many people but function grammatically as singular units in standard American English when acting as one group.

The committee has reached a decision.

The team is traveling tomorrow.

ACT generally follows standard American usage.

But meaning can matter

If members are acting separately, formal usage can vary.

However, ACT questions are usually designed so one standard agreement choice is clearly preferable.

Focus on the grammatical treatment presented in the sentence rather than importing British usage patterns.

Indefinite pronouns that are usually singular

Common singular forms:

each;
either;
neither;
everyone;
everybody;
anyone;
anybody;
someone;
somebody;
no one.

Examples:

Each of the proposals is expensive.

Everyone in the rooms has a badge.

The plural noun inside the phrase does not control the verb.

"Each" is a major ACT trap

Each of the researchers has submitted a report.

Subject:

each

Singular.

Not:

researchers

Likewise:

Every one of the machines requires calibration.

Indefinite pronouns that are plural

Common:

both;
few;
many;
several.

Several of the samples were contaminated.

Both are available.

Some pronouns depend on what follows

Words such as:

all;
some;
most;
none

can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.

Some of the water is contaminated.

Water:

uncountable singular.

Some of the samples are contaminated.

Samples:

plural.

Relative clauses can hide agreement

Consider:

The scientist who studies coral reefs is speaking tonight.

Within the relative clause:

who studies coral reefs

who refers to:

scientist

Singular.

Now:

The scientists who study coral reefs are speaking tonight.

who refers to:

scientists

Plural.

You may need to identify the antecedent of who or that.

One of the students who...

This pattern can be tricky.

Maya is one of the students who have completed the project.

The relative pronoun who refers to:

students

Plural.

So:

have

Compare:

Maya is the one student who has completed the project.

Now who refers to:

one student

Singular.

Small wording changes matter.

Inverted sentences: verb before subject

ACT can hide the subject after the verb.

On the table are three samples.

Subject:

three samples

Plural.

Do not assume table is the subject.

Another:

There is one reason for the delay.

Subject:

one reason

Singular.

There are several reasons for the delay.

Subject:

several reasons

Plural.

"There is/are" questions

The word there is not the true subject.

Look after the verb.

There are two possible explanations.

Subject:

explanations

Plural.

There is a possible explanation.

Singular.

This is one of the cleanest agreement rules once you know where to look.

Questions can invert word order

Where are the missing samples stored?

Subject:

samples

Plural.

Why is the device malfunctioning?

Subject:

device

Singular.

Verb position does not change agreement.

Titles and names can be singular

A title may look plural.

Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens.

The title names one work.

Similarly, an organization with a plural-looking name can still function as singular if it refers to one entity.

Context decides.

Amounts can function as singular units

Ten dollars is enough.

Three hours is a long wait.

Even though the noun appears plural, the phrase represents one amount.

But:

Ten dollar bills are on the table.

Now we mean ten separate bills.

Fractions and percentages depend on the noun

Fifty percent of the water is gone.

Fifty percent of the students are absent.

Agreement follows what the percentage refers to.

Subject after a long introductory phrase

After several months of testing under extreme conditions, the new battery performs reliably.

The long opening is a distraction.

Subject:

battery

Singular.

Verb:

performs

Interrupting clauses are distractions too

The new battery, which engineers tested under extreme conditions, performs reliably.

The clause:

which engineers tested under extreme conditions

contains another subject and verb.

But the main clause subject is still:

battery.

Verb tense can hide agreement

Agreement differences are easiest in present tense:

is/are;
has/have;
does/do;
runs/run.

In simple past, many verbs do not show number:

The researcher measured.

The researchers measured.

So if choices differ by tense and number, solve both issues separately.

Has vs have

Singular:

The device has failed.

Plural:

The devices have failed.

Watch long phrases:

The set of devices has failed.

Subject:

set

Singular.

Does vs do

The experiment does require more time.

The experiments do require more time.

Again, singular takes the form with -s.

Is vs are

The cause of the errors is unclear.

Subject:

cause

The causes of the error are unclear.

Subject:

causes

Agreement and parallelism can interact

The program reduces costs and improves access.

Subject:

program

Both verbs agree with singular subject:

reduces;
improves.

Wrong:

reduces costs and improve access.

If the verbs share the same subject, they should match the subject and the parallel structure.

Agreement and punctuation can interact

Sometimes punctuation hides the subject boundary.

The collection of photographs, along with several letters, was donated.

The commas mark interrupting material.

If you remove it:

The collection was donated.

The agreement becomes obvious.

For punctuation structure, see ACT Punctuation Rules.

The compression method

Long sentence:

The rapid expansion of several suburban neighborhoods near the city's eastern boundary has/have increased traffic.

Compress:

The expansion has increased traffic.

Ignore:

of several suburban neighborhoods
near the city's eastern boundary

This is one of the fastest ACT techniques.

Worked example 1: prepositional phrase

The effects of the new policy was/were visible within a month.

Subject:

effects

Plural.

were

Worked example 2: each

Each of the paintings was/were photographed.

Subject:

each

Singular.

was

Worked example 3: or

Either the coach or the players is/are responsible for bringing the equipment.

Nearest:

players

Plural.

are

Worked example 4: inverted sentence

Near the entrance stands/stand two stone columns.

Subject:

columns

Plural.

stand

Worked example 5: relative clause

The students who works/work in the laboratory wear protective glasses.

who refers to:

students

Plural.

work

Worked example 6: amount

Twenty minutes is/are enough time for the demonstration.

One amount of time.

Worked example 7: percentage

Nearly half of the forest was/were damaged.

Forest:

singular mass.

was

Nearly half of the trees was/were damaged.

Trees:

plural.

were

ACT agreement traps

Trap 1: nearest noun

Wrong noun attracts the verb.

Trap 2: plural noun inside "of" phrase

Subject is often before of.

Trap 3: "along with" treated like "and"

It usually does not make a compound subject.

Trap 4: each/everyone

Grammatically singular despite plural meaning.

Trap 5: there is/are

Subject comes after verb.

Trap 6: relative clause antecedent

who/that must agree with the noun it represents.

Trap 7: amount treated as separate items

Time/money/distance can act as one unit.

A 10-second agreement routine

1. Find the verb under question.

2. Ask:

Who or what is doing/being this?

3. Cross out mentally:

prepositional phrases;
nonessential clauses;
interrupting phrases.

4. Identify number:

singular or plural?

5. Match verb.

Do not start by comparing how the options sound.

Harder example: nested distractions

The availability of advanced sensors in several research laboratories has/have made the measurement easier.

Potential distractors:

sensors;
laboratories.

Main subject:

availability

Singular.

has

Harder example: one of those...

This is one of the techniques that allows/allow researchers to detect small changes.

that refers to:

techniques

Plural.

allow

But:

This is the one technique that allows researchers to detect small changes.

Now antecedent:

one technique

Singular.

Harder example: either/or mixed number

Either the researchers or the laboratory director has/have access to the file.

Nearest:

director

Singular.

has

Reverse order:

Either the laboratory director or the researchers have access.

Conventions of Standard English on the enhanced ACT

The current enhanced ACT English section has 50 questions in 35 minutes. Conventions of Standard English accounts for roughly 38–43% of English reporting content and includes sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.

Subject-verb agreement is therefore part of a large, high-value grammar category.

The good news is that agreement questions are rule-based.

Once you reliably identify the true subject, many become fast.

Practice set

1

A series of unexpected delays has/have affected the schedule.

has

2

The students in the advanced workshop needs/need additional materials.

need

3

Neither the students nor the instructor was/were prepared for the power outage.

Nearest:

instructor

was

4

There is/are several possible explanations.

are

5

Each of the solutions contains/contain the same amount of salt.

contains

6

The percentage of participants who completed the survey was/were higher this year.

Main subject:

percentage

was

How to review agreement mistakes

Bad note:

singular/plural mistake.

Better:

I matched the verb to "samples," but the true subject was "collection."

Or:

I treated "along with" as if it created a compound subject.

Name the distraction.

FAQ: ACT subject-verb agreement

What is the most common ACT agreement trap?

A plural noun between the subject and verb.

Does the noun closest to the verb control agreement?

Not necessarily. Find the grammatical subject.

Is "each" singular or plural?

Usually singular.

What happens with "either...or"?

The verb usually agrees with the nearer subject.

Is "there" the subject in "there are"?

No. The true subject follows the verb.

Are collective nouns singular?

In standard American English, they are usually singular when the group acts as one unit.

How do I handle long sentences?

Compress the sentence to its main subject and verb.

Final takeaway

ACT subject-verb agreement is mostly a subject-identification problem.

find subject → ignore distractors → match number

When a sentence looks complicated:

strip away prepositional phrases;
strip away nonessential clauses;
locate the real subject;
decide singular/plural;
choose the verb.

That turns long ACT sentences back into simple grammar.

Official ACT references:
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/description-of-english-test.html
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act-educator/the-act-test/enhancements-k12/faqs.html
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/college-and-career-readiness/standards/english-standards.html

Trademark note: ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. MastaPrep is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT Education Corp.

Ready to put this into practice?

Try MastaPrep free

Free to start. No credit card.

ACT Subject-Verb Agreement: Find the Real Subject Before You Choose the Verb

Master ACT subject-verb agreement with prepositional phrases, compound subjects, collective nouns, inverted sentences, relative clauses, and common agreement traps.

Reviewed by Aakash S. · Cornell University '14 · Counselling Advisor, World ViralPublished 29 September 2026Last updated 29 September 2026

Subject-verb agreement on ACT English is often easy in short sentences and difficult in long ones.

Compare:

The experiment works.

Easy.

Now:

The series of experiments conducted by researchers at three universities works / work as a model for the new procedure.

The words nearest the verb are plural:

experiments;
researchers;
universities.

But the subject is:

series

Singular.

So:

works

The central ACT habit is:

Find the subject. Ignore distracting nouns. Then match the verb.

The basic rule

Singular subject → singular present-tense verb.

The scientist measures the sample.

Plural subject → plural present-tense verb.

The scientists measure the sample.

In the simple present tense, English can feel backward because the singular verb often ends in -s.

Remember:

he runs;
they run.

The -s on the verb usually marks singular third-person present, not plural.

Agreement is about grammatical subject, not nearest noun

This is the most important trap.

The collection of rare books belongs to the university.

Subject:

collection

Not:

books

The prepositional phrase:

of rare books

does not control the verb.

Cross out prepositional phrases mentally

Common prepositions:

of;
in;
on;
with;
by;
near;
among;
between;
around;
through.

Example:

The effects of prolonged drought on several plant species are visible.

Main subject:

effects

Plural.

Ignore:

of prolonged drought
on several plant species

Verb:

are

"Of" phrases create classic traps

The quality of the samples is consistent.

Subject:

quality

Singular.

The results of the experiment are consistent.

Subject:

results

Plural.

Do not let the noun after of control the verb.

Long modifiers do not change the subject

The bridge, along with several nearby roads, requires repair.

Subject:

bridge

The phrase:

along with several nearby roads

does not make the subject plural.

Similarly:

together with;
accompanied by;
as well as;
in addition to

usually do not create a compound subject.

"And" usually creates a plural subject

Maya and Elena are presenting.

Two subjects joined by and → plural.

The engine and transmission were inspected.

Plural.

But ACT can test exceptions.

One unit joined by "and" can be singular

Sometimes two nouns describe one combined thing or one concept.

Peanut butter and jelly is a common sandwich filling.

Depending on context, the phrase can function as one combined item.

ACT questions usually provide enough context to show whether the writer means one unit or multiple separate things.

Do not force every and construction into plural if the meaning clearly treats it as one entity.

"Or" and "nor": match the nearer subject

With or / nor, agreement often follows the subject closer to the verb.

Neither the teachers nor the principal is attending.

Nearest subject:

principal

Singular.

Neither the principal nor the teachers are attending.

Nearest:

teachers

Plural.

This is sometimes called the proximity rule.

Either/or examples

Either the technicians or the manager has the key.

Nearest subject:

manager

Singular.

Either the manager or the technicians have the key.

Nearest:

technicians

Plural.

Collective nouns

Words like:

team;
committee;
class;
family;
audience;
group

can describe many people but function grammatically as singular units in standard American English when acting as one group.

The committee has reached a decision.

The team is traveling tomorrow.

ACT generally follows standard American usage.

But meaning can matter

If members are acting separately, formal usage can vary.

However, ACT questions are usually designed so one standard agreement choice is clearly preferable.

Focus on the grammatical treatment presented in the sentence rather than importing British usage patterns.

Indefinite pronouns that are usually singular

Common singular forms:

each;
either;
neither;
everyone;
everybody;
anyone;
anybody;
someone;
somebody;
no one.

Examples:

Each of the proposals is expensive.

Everyone in the rooms has a badge.

The plural noun inside the phrase does not control the verb.

"Each" is a major ACT trap

Each of the researchers has submitted a report.

Subject:

each

Singular.

Not:

researchers

Likewise:

Every one of the machines requires calibration.

Indefinite pronouns that are plural

Common:

both;
few;
many;
several.

Several of the samples were contaminated.

Both are available.

Some pronouns depend on what follows

Words such as:

all;
some;
most;
none

can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.

Some of the water is contaminated.

Water:

uncountable singular.

Some of the samples are contaminated.

Samples:

plural.

Relative clauses can hide agreement

Consider:

The scientist who studies coral reefs is speaking tonight.

Within the relative clause:

who studies coral reefs

who refers to:

scientist

Singular.

Now:

The scientists who study coral reefs are speaking tonight.

who refers to:

scientists

Plural.

You may need to identify the antecedent of who or that.

One of the students who...

This pattern can be tricky.

Maya is one of the students who have completed the project.

The relative pronoun who refers to:

students

Plural.

So:

have

Compare:

Maya is the one student who has completed the project.

Now who refers to:

one student

Singular.

Small wording changes matter.

Inverted sentences: verb before subject

ACT can hide the subject after the verb.

On the table are three samples.

Subject:

three samples

Plural.

Do not assume table is the subject.

Another:

There is one reason for the delay.

Subject:

one reason

Singular.

There are several reasons for the delay.

Subject:

several reasons

Plural.

"There is/are" questions

The word there is not the true subject.

Look after the verb.

There are two possible explanations.

Subject:

explanations

Plural.

There is a possible explanation.

Singular.

This is one of the cleanest agreement rules once you know where to look.

Questions can invert word order

Where are the missing samples stored?

Subject:

samples

Plural.

Why is the device malfunctioning?

Subject:

device

Singular.

Verb position does not change agreement.

Titles and names can be singular

A title may look plural.

Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens.

The title names one work.

Similarly, an organization with a plural-looking name can still function as singular if it refers to one entity.

Context decides.

Amounts can function as singular units

Ten dollars is enough.

Three hours is a long wait.

Even though the noun appears plural, the phrase represents one amount.

But:

Ten dollar bills are on the table.

Now we mean ten separate bills.

Fractions and percentages depend on the noun

Fifty percent of the water is gone.

Fifty percent of the students are absent.

Agreement follows what the percentage refers to.

Subject after a long introductory phrase

After several months of testing under extreme conditions, the new battery performs reliably.

The long opening is a distraction.

Subject:

battery

Singular.

Verb:

performs

Interrupting clauses are distractions too

The new battery, which engineers tested under extreme conditions, performs reliably.

The clause:

which engineers tested under extreme conditions

contains another subject and verb.

But the main clause subject is still:

battery.

Verb tense can hide agreement

Agreement differences are easiest in present tense:

is/are;
has/have;
does/do;
runs/run.

In simple past, many verbs do not show number:

The researcher measured.

The researchers measured.

So if choices differ by tense and number, solve both issues separately.

Has vs have

Singular:

The device has failed.

Plural:

The devices have failed.

Watch long phrases:

The set of devices has failed.

Subject:

set

Singular.

Does vs do

The experiment does require more time.

The experiments do require more time.

Again, singular takes the form with -s.

Is vs are

The cause of the errors is unclear.

Subject:

cause

The causes of the error are unclear.

Subject:

causes

Agreement and parallelism can interact

The program reduces costs and improves access.

Subject:

program

Both verbs agree with singular subject:

reduces;
improves.

Wrong:

reduces costs and improve access.

If the verbs share the same subject, they should match the subject and the parallel structure.

Agreement and punctuation can interact

Sometimes punctuation hides the subject boundary.

The collection of photographs, along with several letters, was donated.

The commas mark interrupting material.

If you remove it:

The collection was donated.

The agreement becomes obvious.

For punctuation structure, see ACT Punctuation Rules.

The compression method

Long sentence:

The rapid expansion of several suburban neighborhoods near the city's eastern boundary has/have increased traffic.

Compress:

The expansion has increased traffic.

Ignore:

of several suburban neighborhoods
near the city's eastern boundary

This is one of the fastest ACT techniques.

Worked example 1: prepositional phrase

The effects of the new policy was/were visible within a month.

Subject:

effects

Plural.

were

Worked example 2: each

Each of the paintings was/were photographed.

Subject:

each

Singular.

was

Worked example 3: or

Either the coach or the players is/are responsible for bringing the equipment.

Nearest:

players

Plural.

are

Worked example 4: inverted sentence

Near the entrance stands/stand two stone columns.

Subject:

columns

Plural.

stand

Worked example 5: relative clause

The students who works/work in the laboratory wear protective glasses.

who refers to:

students

Plural.

work

Worked example 6: amount

Twenty minutes is/are enough time for the demonstration.

One amount of time.

Worked example 7: percentage

Nearly half of the forest was/were damaged.

Forest:

singular mass.

was

Nearly half of the trees was/were damaged.

Trees:

plural.

were

ACT agreement traps

Trap 1: nearest noun

Wrong noun attracts the verb.

Trap 2: plural noun inside "of" phrase

Subject is often before of.

Trap 3: "along with" treated like "and"

It usually does not make a compound subject.

Trap 4: each/everyone

Grammatically singular despite plural meaning.

Trap 5: there is/are

Subject comes after verb.

Trap 6: relative clause antecedent

who/that must agree with the noun it represents.

Trap 7: amount treated as separate items

Time/money/distance can act as one unit.

A 10-second agreement routine

1. Find the verb under question.

2. Ask:

Who or what is doing/being this?

3. Cross out mentally:

prepositional phrases;
nonessential clauses;
interrupting phrases.

4. Identify number:

singular or plural?

5. Match verb.

Do not start by comparing how the options sound.

Harder example: nested distractions

The availability of advanced sensors in several research laboratories has/have made the measurement easier.

Potential distractors:

sensors;
laboratories.

Main subject:

availability

Singular.

has

Harder example: one of those...

This is one of the techniques that allows/allow researchers to detect small changes.

that refers to:

techniques

Plural.

allow

But:

This is the one technique that allows researchers to detect small changes.

Now antecedent:

one technique

Singular.

Harder example: either/or mixed number

Either the researchers or the laboratory director has/have access to the file.

Nearest:

director

Singular.

has

Reverse order:

Either the laboratory director or the researchers have access.

Conventions of Standard English on the enhanced ACT

Subject-verb agreement is therefore part of a large, high-value grammar category.

The good news is that agreement questions are rule-based.

Once you reliably identify the true subject, many become fast.

Practice set

1

A series of unexpected delays has/have affected the schedule.

has

2

The students in the advanced workshop needs/need additional materials.

need

3

Neither the students nor the instructor was/were prepared for the power outage.

Nearest:

instructor

was

4

There is/are several possible explanations.

are

5

Each of the solutions contains/contain the same amount of salt.

contains

6

The percentage of participants who completed the survey was/were higher this year.

Main subject:

percentage

was

How to review agreement mistakes

Bad note:

singular/plural mistake.

Better:

I matched the verb to "samples," but the true subject was "collection."

Or:

I treated "along with" as if it created a compound subject.

Name the distraction.

FAQ: ACT subject-verb agreement

What is the most common ACT agreement trap?

A plural noun between the subject and verb.

Does the noun closest to the verb control agreement?

Not necessarily. Find the grammatical subject.

Is "each" singular or plural?

Usually singular.

What happens with "either...or"?

The verb usually agrees with the nearer subject.

Is "there" the subject in "there are"?

No. The true subject follows the verb.

Are collective nouns singular?

In standard American English, they are usually singular when the group acts as one unit.

How do I handle long sentences?

Compress the sentence to its main subject and verb.

Final takeaway

ACT subject-verb agreement is mostly a subject-identification problem.

find subject → ignore distractors → match number

When a sentence looks complicated:

strip away prepositional phrases;
strip away nonessential clauses;
locate the real subject;
decide singular/plural;
choose the verb.

That turns long ACT sentences back into simple grammar.

Trademark note: ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. MastaPrep is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT Education Corp.

Ready to put this into practice?

Try MastaPrep free

Free to start. No credit card.

The basic rule

Agreement is about grammatical subject, not nearest noun

Cross out prepositional phrases mentally

"Of" phrases create classic traps

Long modifiers do not change the subject

"And" usually creates a plural subject

One unit joined by "and" can be singular

"Or" and "nor": match the nearer subject

Either/or examples

Collective nouns

But meaning can matter

Indefinite pronouns that are usually singular

"Each" is a major ACT trap

Indefinite pronouns that are plural

Some pronouns depend on what follows

Relative clauses can hide agreement

One of the students who...

Inverted sentences: verb before subject

"There is/are" questions

Questions can invert word order

Titles and names can be singular

Amounts can function as singular units

Fractions and percentages depend on the noun

Subject after a long introductory phrase

Interrupting clauses are distractions too

Verb tense can hide agreement

Has vs have

Does vs do

Is vs are

Agreement and parallelism can interact

Agreement and punctuation can interact

The compression method

Worked example 1: prepositional phrase

Worked example 2: each

Worked example 3: or

Worked example 4: inverted sentence

Worked example 5: relative clause

Worked example 6: amount

Worked example 7: percentage

ACT agreement traps

Trap 1: nearest noun

Trap 2: plural noun inside "of" phrase

Trap 3: "along with" treated like "and"

Trap 4: each/everyone

Trap 5: there is/are

Trap 6: relative clause antecedent

Trap 7: amount treated as separate items

A 10-second agreement routine

1. Find the verb under question.

2. Ask:

3. Cross out mentally:

4. Identify number:

5. Match verb.

Harder example: nested distractions

Harder example: one of those...

Harder example: either/or mixed number

Conventions of Standard English on the enhanced ACT

Practice set

1

2

3

4

5

6

How to review agreement mistakes

FAQ: ACT subject-verb agreement

What is the most common ACT agreement trap?

Does the noun closest to the verb control agreement?

Is "each" singular or plural?

What happens with "either...or"?

Is "there" the subject in "there are"?

Are collective nouns singular?

How do I handle long sentences?

Related MastaPrep guides

Final takeaway

Read next

The basic rule

Agreement is about grammatical subject, not nearest noun

Cross out prepositional phrases mentally

"Of" phrases create classic traps