Fundamentals of Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is a basic grammatical principle. The subject must agree with its verb in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).
Present Tense Verb Changes
Present tense verbs change form based on whether the subject is singular or plural. "The manager works efficiently" uses the singular verb "works" because "manager" is singular. "The managers work efficiently" uses the plural verb "work" because "managers" is plural.
Understanding this basic concept is your foundation for GMAT questions.
Finding the True Subject
The real challenge is identifying the true subject when other noun phrases appear nearby. Ask yourself: "Who or what is performing this action?" That answer is your subject.
In "The list of candidates for the position has been reviewed," the subject is "list" (singular), not "candidates." The correct verb is "has," not "have."
Your Systematic Approach
When you encounter a sentence, immediately locate the verb. Then ask the question above. This approach helps you look past distracting information and identify true grammatical relationships.
Developing this skill will dramatically improve your accuracy on subject-verb agreement questions.
Common Tricky Constructions and Agreement Errors
The GMAT uses specific sentence patterns to test whether you truly understand subject-verb agreement.
Singular Subject with Plural Intervening Phrase
One common trap: a singular subject separated from its verb by a prepositional phrase containing a plural noun. Students often match the verb to the nearby plural noun instead of the actual subject.
Example: "The director of the company's operations have reported" is incorrect. "Director" is singular, even though "operations" is plural and appears closer to the verb. The correct version is "The director of the company's operations has reported."
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns like team, group, committee, and family are singular in form but refer to multiple people. They take singular verbs when treated as a unit: "The team is ready to compete."
However, if the sentence emphasizes individual members, use plural verbs: "The team are divided in their opinions" (emphasizing individual disagreement).
Compound Subjects
Compound subjects joined by "and" take plural verbs: "Sarah and Marcus are attending."
When joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the nearest subject: "Either the players or the coach is responsible."
Words Like Each and Every
Collective subjects with "each," "every," or "any" always take singular verbs: "Each of the employees has completed training."
Understanding these constructions prevents errors and builds confidence on test day.
Intervening Phrases and Subject Identification Strategies
Intervening phrases are the GMAT's favorite tool for creating agreement questions. They test whether you can distinguish the subject from surrounding information.
These phrases can be prepositional phrases, appositives, relative clauses, or participial phrases positioned between the subject and verb.
Remove Intervening Information
A strong strategy is to identify and temporarily remove intervening information. Example: "The president of the United States, along with several advisors, is meeting with Congress."
Mentally delete the appositive phrase "along with several advisors" and read: "The president is meeting with Congress." This confirms "is" is correct.
Relative Clauses and Antecedents
Relative clauses introduced by "who," "which," or "that" require careful attention. The verb in the relative clause must agree with its immediate antecedent.
In "The players who are most dedicated to training perform best," the verb "are" agrees with "players" (plural), not "training."
Special Constructions with Of
Be especially careful with subjects containing "one of," "many of," or "some of." These patterns determine the verb's number based on the noun after "of." "One of the books is on the table" (subject is singular "one"). "Many of the books are on the table" (subject is plural "many").
Developing proficiency requires repeated exposure and active analysis of why certain verbs are correct.
Advanced Agreement Rules for GMAT Success
Beyond basic constructions, the GMAT tests several advanced rules that separate high scorers from average test takers.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns like "everybody," "anyone," "nothing," and "something" always take singular verbs, even when referring to multiple people: "Everyone in the class understands the assignment."
Conversely, indefinite pronouns like "both," "few," "many," and "several" always take plural verbs: "Several of the participants were unable to attend."
Some indefinite pronouns like "all," "some," "most," and "none" change based on context. If the pronoun refers to a countable noun, it's typically plural: "None of the documents have been filed." If it refers to an uncountable noun, it's singular: "None of the information has been filed."
Linking Verbs
Subject-verb agreement with linking verbs like "is," "are," "seems," and "appears" requires attention to the subject, not the subject complement. "What bothers many people is the rising costs of healthcare" uses singular "is" because "what" (singular) is the subject, even though "costs" is plural.
Inverted Word Order
Inverted word order, where the verb precedes the subject, can confuse test takers. "Hidden in the document were several important clauses" correctly uses plural "were" because the subject "clauses" is plural.
Subject vs. Predicate Nominative
When a sentence contains a subject and a predicate nominative of different numbers, the verb must agree with the subject, not the complement. "The main causes of accidents remain unclear" uses plural "remain" because "causes" is the subject.
Practicing these advanced rules ensures you won't be caught off guard by sophisticated test constructions.
Strategic Study Methods and Using Flashcards for Mastery
Studying subject-verb agreement effectively requires moving beyond passive reading to active, targeted practice.
Why Flashcards Work
Flashcards are exceptionally effective for this topic. They enable spaced repetition and active recall, two proven methods for cementing grammar rules into long-term memory.
When creating flashcards, structure them with specific rule categories: one card for collective nouns, another for compound subjects with "or," another for indefinite pronouns. This organization helps you recognize patterns and apply rules consciously.
Card Structure and Examples
Each card should contain a challenging example sentence on one side and the explanation on the other. A card might show "The number of students applying to graduate school (increases/increase)," and the back explains that "number" is singular, requiring "increases."
A similar card shows "A number of students (has/have) applied," which requires "have." This comparative approach strengthens your ability to distinguish nuanced constructions.
Supplement with Practice Tests
Support flashcard study with timed practice on actual GMAT Sentence Correction questions focused on agreement. Track which patterns consistently challenge you. Review errors immediately and add new flashcards for problematic constructions.
Use spaced repetition to revisit difficult cards more frequently than ones you've mastered.
Recommended Study Timeline
Most students benefit from studying subject-verb agreement 15-20 minutes daily over 4-6 weeks. Flashcard reviews accelerate pattern recognition and rule internalization far more efficiently than passive study.
Join these methods with reading comprehension practice where you identify subject-verb pairs to reinforce your ability to spot subjects in complex passages.