SAT Subject-Verb Agreement: Find the Real Subject Through the Noise
Master subject-verb agreement on the digital SAT: ignore interrupting phrases, identify compound and collective subjects, handle there/is constructions, and avoid proximity traps.
Subject-verb agreement questions on the digital SAT are rarely difficult because the basic rule is hard.
The basic rule is simple:
- singular subject → singular verb;
- plural subject → plural verb.
The difficulty comes from extra words placed between the subject and the verb.
The most reliable strategy is:
Find the true subject, temporarily remove interrupting phrases, then choose the verb that agrees with that subject.
Why this belongs to Standard English Conventions
College Board's Standard English Conventions domain includes Form, Structure, and Sense, which covers conventional sentence structure and usage.
Subject-verb agreement questions often disguise the subject with:
- prepositional phrases;
- relative clauses;
- appositives;
- compound structures;
- "there is/are" constructions;
- either/or or neither/nor;
- collective or quantity nouns.
This is why scanning only the noun closest to the verb is dangerous.
The core agreement pattern
Singular
The researcher examines the sample.
Plural
The researchers examine the sample.
In present tense, English can feel backwards because singular third-person verbs often end in -s.
Do not use noun-style intuition.
Proximity trap: nearest noun is not always subject
The collection of manuscripts includes several rare letters.
True subject:
collection
Singular.
The plural noun:
manuscripts
is inside a prepositional phrase.
So:
includes
is correct.
Worked example 1: prepositional phrase
The results of the recent experiments ___ consistent with the earlier findings.
Subject:
results
Plural.
"Of the recent experiments" is extra.
Correct verb:
are
not "is."
Strip the sentence to its skeleton
Original:
The set of ancient tools discovered near the riverbank appears to date from the same period.
Skeleton:
The set appears.
That simplified structure often reveals agreement instantly.
Relative clauses can hide the main verb
The scientist who studies marine ecosystems travels frequently.
Main subject:
scientist
Main verb:
travels
Inside relative clause:
who studies
has its own subject-verb relationship.
Do not accidentally make "ecosystems" control "travels."
Worked example 2: two verbs, two subjects
The researchers who analyze the samples ___ detailed records.
Main subject:
researchers
Relative-clause verb:
analyze
Main verb should be plural:
keep
Sentence:
The researchers who analyze the samples keep detailed records.
Compound subjects with "and"
Two singular nouns joined by "and" usually form a plural subject.
The engineer and the architect are presenting the plan.
plural
But fixed expressions or a single conceptual unit can behave differently in real-world grammar; SAT questions usually use clearer standard cases.
Worked example 3: compound subject
The width and height of the specimen ___ recorded separately.
Subject:
width and height
Plural.
Correct:
were
"Or" and "nor" structures
With:
- either...or;
- neither...nor;
agreement often follows the subject closest to the verb.
Example:
Neither the manager nor the employees are available.
Closest subject:
employees
Plural.
Compare:
Neither the employees nor the manager is available.
Closest subject:
manager
Singular.
Worked example 4: either/or
Either the laboratory assistants or the lead researcher ___ responsible for the final check.
Closest subject:
lead researcher
Singular.
is
"There is" / "there are"
In:
There are several reasons for the change.
"there" is not the true subject.
True subject:
several reasons
Plural.
So:
are
In:
There is one reason.
Subject:
one reason
Singular.
Worked example 5: delayed subject
There ___ three possible explanations for the discrepancy.
True subject:
three possible explanations
Plural.
are
Indefinite pronouns
Common singular indefinite pronouns include:
- each;
- everyone;
- everybody;
- anyone;
- anybody;
- someone;
- somebody;
- neither;
- either.
Example:
Each of the proposals has one advantage.
Subject:
each
Singular.
The plural noun "proposals" is inside an of-phrase.
Worked example 6: each
Each of the samples ___ stored at a controlled temperature.
was
not "were."
"A number of" vs "the number of"
These behave differently.
A number of + plural noun
Means several.
A number of researchers are attending.
Plural.
The number of + plural noun
Refers to one number.
The number of researchers is increasing.
Singular.
This distinction is very testable.
Worked example 7
The number of reported cases ___ declined since last year.
Subject:
number
Singular.
has
Fractions and percentages
Agreement depends on the noun the fraction/percentage refers to.
Fifty percent of the students are present.
Fifty percent of the water is gone.
The percentage itself is not automatically singular or plural.
Look at the noun after "of."
Worked example 8: percentage
Thirty percent of the equipment ___ scheduled for replacement.
"Equipment" is a mass noun treated as singular.
is
Collective nouns
Words such as:
- team;
- committee;
- family;
- audience;
can vary between singular and plural in different dialects/styles depending on whether the group acts as a unit.
SAT questions generally avoid ambiguous dialectal edge cases and prefer structures with a clear conventional answer.
If a collective noun functions as one unit in American English:
The committee has approved the proposal.
Titles and names
A title may look plural but represent one work.
Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens.
Likewise an organization name can contain plural-looking words while functioning as one entity.
Use meaning and sentence role, not surface endings alone.
Amounts and units as single quantities
A measurement can act as a singular total:
Ten kilometers is a long distance to walk in the heat.
Fifty dollars is enough for the fee.
The phrase represents one amount.
Context matters.
Worked example 9: measurement
Twenty minutes ___ sufficient for the procedure.
The time span is treated as one amount.
is
Gerund phrase as subject
Analyzing large data sets requires careful organization.
Subject:
Analyzing large data sets
The entire activity is singular.
So:
requires
Do not let the plural noun "sets" control the verb.
Infinitive/clause subjects
To compare the two methods is difficult.
What the researchers discovered was unexpected.
Entire clause/phrase can function as a singular subject.
Worked example 10: clause subject
Whether the samples were contaminated ___ still unclear.
Subject is the entire clause:
Whether the samples were contaminated.
Singular idea.
is
Subject after the verb
Questions can invert normal order.
At the center of the exhibit are three sculptures.
True subject:
three sculptures
Plural.
The prepositional opener should not distract you.
Worked example 11: inverted order
Near the edge of the forest ___ a series of small ponds.
True subject:
a series
Singular.
is
The plural "ponds" belongs to the of-phrase.
Common traps
Trap 1: agree with the nearest noun
Find the grammatical subject.
Trap 2: plural noun inside "of" phrase controls verb
Often false.
Trap 3: "there" treated as subject
Look after the verb for the real subject.
Trap 4: "each of" treated as plural
"Each" is singular.
Trap 5: "the number of" treated as plural
Subject is "number."
Trap 6: percentage always plural
Agreement depends on what the percentage describes.
Trap 7: ignore a compound subject
"And" usually creates plural agreement.
A 20-second SAT agreement routine
- Locate the verb being tested.
- Ask:
Who or what performs/is this verb about?
- Cross out mentally:
- prepositional phrases;
- appositives;
- relative clauses.
- Identify true subject number.
- Handle special structures:
- either/or;
- there is/are;
- each;
- a number/the number.
- Choose the verb.
- Reinsert the extra words and check meaning.
SAT-style practice
Question 1
The collection of fossils ___ stored in a climate-controlled room.
Subject:
collection
is
Question 2
The fossils in the collection ___ from several periods.
Subject:
fossils
come
Question 3
Each of the experiments ___ repeated twice.
was
Question 4
There ___ several explanations for the pattern.
are
Question 5
Neither the assistants nor the director ___ available.
Closest subject:
director
is
FAQ: SAT subject-verb agreement
What's the fastest way to solve agreement questions?
Find the real subject and ignore interrupting phrases.
Does the noun closest to the verb control agreement?
Not necessarily.
Is "each of the students" singular or plural?
Singular because the head subject is "each."
Is "a number of students" singular or plural?
Usually plural: "A number of students are..."
Is "the number of students" singular or plural?
Singular: "The number ... is..."
How does "there is/are" work?
The noun after the verb is usually the true subject.
With either/or, which subject controls the verb?
In standard SAT-style constructions, agreement generally follows the nearer subject.
How to practice this on MastaPrep
MastaPrep starts with a short placement check, then builds a study plan around the SAT Reading and Writing skills where you are losing the most points. If this one keeps costing you questions, it shows up in your plan rather than getting lost in a random practice set. Every question has a worked explanation, and the ones you miss come back for review a few days later, which is when you find out whether the fix has actually stuck.
See how MastaPrep works or try free SAT practice questions. The free plan needs no credit card.
Related MastaPrep guides
Final takeaway
Do not let intervening nouns vote on the verb.
Reduce the sentence to its skeleton:
true subject+correct verb
Then restore the descriptive material. Most SAT subject-verb questions become straightforward once the grammatical head of the subject is visible.
Official SAT references:
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/whats-on-the-test/reading-writing
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice/student-question-bank/reading-writing
Trademark note: SAT® is a registered trademark of College Board. MastaPrep is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.
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