As you navigate through the world of writing and editing, one of the most important things to keep in mind is proper grammar usage. Specifically, agreement of the verb with the subject is crucial to maintaining clear, concise writing. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of subject-verb agreement and test your knowledge with some multiple-choice questions (MCQs).

What is subject-verb agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means that the verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with the subject. For instance, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Likewise, if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

Let’s look at an example:

Incorrect: The students is excited for summer break.

Correct: The students are excited for summer break.

In the incorrect sentence, “is” is incorrect because “students” is a plural subject. So, we must use the plural verb “are” instead. This is an example of subject-verb agreement.

MCQs on subject-verb agreement

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s put your knowledge to the test with some MCQs!

1. Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

A. The dog barks loudly at night.

B. The dog bark loudly at night.

C. The dogs barks loudly at night.

D. The dogs bark loudly at night.

Answer: D. The subject, “dogs,” is plural, so the verb “bark” must also be plural.

2. Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

A. Each of the students are responsible for their own work.

B. Each of the students is responsible for their own work.

C. Each of the students were responsible for their own work.

D. Each of the students was responsible for their own work.

Answer: B. The subject, “each,” is singular, so the verb “is” must also be singular.

3. Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

A. The book on the shelf seems interesting.

B. The books on the shelf seem interesting.

C. A book on the shelf seem interesting.

D. Some books on the shelf seems interesting.

Answer: B. The subject, “books,” is plural, so the verb “seem” must also be plural.

By mastering subject-verb agreement, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a skilled writer and editor. Keep practicing and you’ll soon develop a keen eye for grammatical errors and a clear, concise writing style.