Correct Subject-Verb Agreement Sentences: Intervening Phrases Explained

Question

Hey everyone! 👋 I'm struggling with subject-verb agreement when there are phrases between the subject and the verb. It's so confusing! Can anyone explain how to get it right every time? 🙏

jon_simmons · Accepted Answer

📚 Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases

Subject-verb agreement simply means that the verb in a sentence must agree in number with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Intervening phrases are groups of words that come between the subject and the verb. These phrases can make it tricky to identify the true subject of the sentence, leading to errors in agreement.

📜 Historical Context

The rules of subject-verb agreement have evolved alongside the English language. Originally, English had more complex verb conjugations that clearly indicated agreement. Over time, these conjugations simplified, placing greater emphasis on word order and the need to correctly identify the subject, especially when intervening phrases are present.

🔑 Key Principles

🔍 Identify the True Subject: The first step is to find the main subject of the sentence, ignoring any phrases or clauses that come between it and the verb.
🚫 Ignore Intervening Phrases: Phrases introduced by words like 'with,' 'along with,' 'as well as,' 'together with,' 'including,' and 'in addition to' do not affect the number of the subject.
➕ Prepositional Phrases: Similarly, prepositional phrases (e.g., 'of the students,' 'in the box') should be disregarded when determining subject-verb agreement.
🤔 Consider Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a unit or as individual members.
💡 Watch Out for 'There' and 'Here': When sentences start with 'there' or 'here,' the subject usually follows the verb.

✍️ Real-World Examples

Let's look at some examples to illustrate these principles:

Sentence	Correct/Incorrect	Explanation
The dog, along with his puppies, are running in the park.	Incorrect	'Dog' is the subject; 'are' should be 'is'.
The dog, along with his puppies, is running in the park.	Correct	'Dog' is singular, so the verb 'is' is correct.
A box of chocolates were delivered to my house.	Incorrect	'Box' is the subject; 'were' should be 'was'.
A box of chocolates was delivered to my house.	Correct	'Box' is singular, so the verb 'was' is correct.
The members of the team is arguing.	Incorrect	'Members' is plural; 'is' should be 'are'.
The members of the team are arguing.	Correct	'Members' is plural, so the verb 'are' is correct.

📝 Practice Quiz

❓ The leader of the expeditions (is/are) known for their courage.
❓ The books borrowed from the library (is/are) on my desk.
❓ The price of these shoes (is/are) surprisingly low.
❓ The quality of the recordings (is/are) not very good.
❓ A basket of apples (was/were) on the table.

✅ Answer Key

✔️ is
✔️ are
✔️ is
✔️ is
✔️ was

🔑 Advanced Tips

🧐 Pay Attention to Relative Clauses: In relative clauses (e.g., 'who,' 'which,' 'that'), the verb must agree with the noun to which the relative pronoun refers.
↔️ Inverted Sentences: Be mindful of sentences where the subject follows the verb, especially in questions.
🤝 Compound Subjects: Subjects joined by 'and' usually take a plural verb, unless they refer to a single entity.

✔️ Conclusion

Mastering subject-verb agreement, especially with intervening phrases, requires careful attention to sentence structure. By identifying the true subject and disregarding intervening phrases, you can ensure your sentences are grammatically correct and clear. Practice and careful reading will further solidify your understanding of these principles.