Grammar is a critical factor in achieving a high score on the TOEFL Writing section. One of the most essential grammar elements is subject-verb agreement in number, which ensures that singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. Mastering this rule is key to writing clearly and effectively, helping you avoid common mistakes that can lower your score.
Subject-verb agreement is generally straightforward: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. However, certain grammatical structures can complicate this rule. Subject-verb agreement is often disrupted by irregular nouns, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, conjunction-based noun phrases, numbers and quantities, inverted sentences, and misleading modifiers.
Irregular Nouns
Plural nouns usually take the standard -s or -es ending, but some irregular nouns don’t follow this pattern. A particular challenge arises with nouns that appear plural but function as singular. For example, words like glasses or scissors refer to a single object but always take plural verbs. Conversely, some nouns—such as news or mathematics—may look plural but are treated as singular. These exceptions can be especially confusing for non-native speakers.
Collective Nouns
Another layer of complexity comes from collective nouns—words like team, family, or committee. These nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether they refer to the group as a whole or to its individual members.
There is also a notable difference between British and American English in handling collective nouns. British English allows them to be used with both singular and plural verbs, while American English generally treats them as singular units. For instance, in American English, instead of saying,
❌ "My family are large,"
it is more common to say,
✔ "The members of my family are large."
However, even in American English, a plural verb is used when the collective noun describes a situation involving disagreement, division, or individual action:
✔ "My family are arguing about where to go for dinner."
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns also pose a challenge. Some, like everyone and each, are always singular, while others, such as both and several, are always plural. However, certain pronouns—like none, all, and some—can be singular or plural depending on context.
Noun Phrases Joined by Conjunctions
When two subjects are connected by conjunctions like and, or, or nor, determining agreement can be tricky. The verb must agree with the subject closest to it. For example:
✔ "Neither the teacher nor the students are attending."
Since students is plural, the verb are is correct.
Noun Phrases with Numbers and Quantities
Another difficult area involves numbers and quantities. A phrase like ten dollars is singular because it refers to a single amount, while ten apples is plural because it counts individual items. These nuances are key to mastering subject-verb agreement:
✔ "Ten dollars is too much for that item."
✔ "Ten apples are on the table."
Inverted Sentences & Misleading Modifiers
Errors often arise when a subject and verb are separated by lengthy phrases, leading writers to mistakenly agree the verb with a nearby noun rather than the actual subject. Consider this incorrect example:
❌ "The box of chocolates were on the table."
Here, box is the subject, not chocolates, so the correct sentence is:
✔ "The box of chocolates was on the table."
Mastering subject-verb agreement requires more than just following basic rules—it demands an understanding of grammatical structures that can complicate agreement. By recognizing and applying these principles, you can ensure clarity and precision in your writing.