Hard ACT Subject Verb Agreement Practice Questions

Concept Explanation

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule stating that a verb must match its subject in number—singular subjects require singular verbs, while plural subjects require plural verbs.

On the ACT English section, this concept becomes difficult when the test makers deliberately separate the subject from the verb using prepositional phrases, appositives, or relative clauses. To identify the correct verb form, you must ignore these "interrupters" and locate the true head noun of the sentence. For example, in the phrase "The collection of rare stamps is valuable," the subject is "collection" (singular), not "stamps" (plural), so the singular verb "is" is required. This is a core part of ACT Prep because it tests your ability to parse complex sentence structures.

Harder variations of this rule include collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and inverted sentence structures. Collective nouns like "team" or "committee" usually take singular verbs, but indefinite pronouns like "each," "either," and "neither" are almost always singular, even when followed by a plural prepositional phrase. Additionally, in sentences starting with "There is" or "There are," the subject follows the verb, requiring you to look ahead to determine the correct number. Understanding these nuances is as essential as mastering other advanced topics like ACT Parallelism or ACT Sentence Structure.

Solved Examples

Review these fully worked examples to see how to navigate complex subject-verb agreement scenarios on the ACT.

1. Example: The intricate designs on the ancient tapestry, which was woven by hand centuries ago, (reveal / reveals) the artist's dedication.
   Solution:
   1. Identify the subject. The noun "designs" is the head of the subject phrase.
   2. Identify the number. "Designs" is plural.
   3. Ignore the prepositional phrase "on the ancient tapestry" and the relative clause "which was woven by hand centuries ago."
   4. Match the plural subject with a plural verb. "Reveal" is plural; "reveals" is singular.
   5. The correct sentence is: "The intricate designs... reveal the artist's dedication."
2. Example: Neither of the candidates who were interviewed for the position (seem / seems) qualified for the role.
   Solution:
   1. Identify the subject. The word "Neither" is an indefinite pronoun and is the subject.
   2. Recall the rule: "Neither" is always singular.
   3. Ignore the phrase "of the candidates" and the clause "who were interviewed."
   4. Match the singular subject "Neither" with the singular verb "seems."
   5. The correct sentence is: "Neither... seems qualified for the role."
3. Example: Along the riverbank, where the willow trees dip into the water, (grow / grows) a rare species of wildflower.
   Solution:
   1. Identify the subject. This is an inverted sentence. The subject is what is growing.
   2. Locate the noun: "a rare species." The word "species" can be singular or plural, but "a" and "wildflower" indicate it is singular here.
   3. Match the singular subject with the singular verb "grows."
   4. The correct sentence is: "Along the riverbank... grows a rare species of wildflower."

Practice Questions

1. The results of the latest study, which investigated the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, (suggest / suggests) that even minor deficits can lead to significant errors.

2. Every one of the students in the advanced physics classes (is / are) required to submit a research proposal by the end of the semester.

3. Neither the lead architect nor the construction managers (expect / expects) the project to be completed before the winter frost sets in.

4. There (is / are) in the back of the library several boxes of historical documents that have yet to be cataloged by the staff.

5. The committee, despite the heated arguments among its members regarding the new budget, (has / have) finally reached a consensus.

6. Just beneath the surface of the marshy wetlands (lie / lies) a network of interconnected roots that sustain the local ecosystem.

7. A collection of short stories by various emerging authors (was / were) published last month to critical acclaim.

8. Each of the participants who (sign / signs) up for the marathon (receive / receives) a commemorative T-shirt and a medal.

9. Not only the principal but also the teachers (was / were) surprised by the sudden change in the school's policy.

10. The increase in global temperatures, combined with rising sea levels, (threaten / threatens) coastal communities around the world.

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: suggest. The subject is "results" (plural). The phrase "of the latest study" and the relative clause starting with "which" are interrupters. Plural subjects take the plural verb "suggest."
2. Answer: is. The subject is "Every one," which is singular. Phrases like "of the students" do not change the number of the subject. Singular subjects take the singular verb "is."
3. Answer: expect. When using "neither/nor," the verb must agree with the noun closest to it. "Construction managers" is plural, so the plural verb "expect" is correct.
4. Answer: are. This is an inverted sentence. The subject is "boxes," which is plural. Therefore, the plural verb "are" is required.
5. Answer: has. "Committee" is a collective noun acting as a single unit. Despite the prepositional phrase "despite the heated arguments," the subject remains singular.
6. Answer: lies. In this inverted sentence, the subject is "a network" (singular). "Roots" is part of a prepositional phrase. A singular subject requires the singular verb "lies."
7. Answer: was. The subject is "collection" (singular). The phrase "of short stories" is a prepositional phrase that should be ignored.
8. Answer: sign; receives. This is a two-part agreement question. For the first verb, the relative pronoun "who" refers to "participants" (plural), so "sign" is correct. For the second verb, the subject is "Each" (singular), so "receives" is correct.
9. Answer: were. When using "not only/but also," the verb agrees with the closer subject. "Teachers" is plural, so "were" is the correct plural verb.
10. Answer: threatens. The subject is "increase" (singular). The phrase "combined with rising sea levels" is an additive phrase, not a conjunction like "and," so it does not make the subject plural.

1. Which verb correctly completes the sentence: "The bag of marbles (belong / belongs) to my younger brother"?

• Abelong
• Bbelongs
• Cbelonging
• Dare belonging

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I identify the subject in a long ACT sentence?

To find the subject, look for the main noun that is performing the action and try crossing out prepositional phrases starting with words like "of," "in," or "with." Usually, the subject will appear before these phrases, and the verb must agree with that specific noun rather than the ones closest to it.

Are words like "everyone" and "anybody" singular or plural?

Indefinite pronouns such as "everyone," "anybody," "each," and "someone" are always singular in formal English and on the ACT. Even if they seem to refer to multiple people, they require a singular verb form, typically ending in "s" in the present tense.

What is the rule for "neither/nor" and "either/or" constructions?

When subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb must agree with the part of the subject that is physically closest to the verb. If the noun nearest the verb is singular, use a singular verb; if it is plural, use a plural verb.

Can a collective noun like "group" ever be plural?

On the ACT, collective nouns like "group," "team," and "jury" are almost exclusively treated as singular because they represent a single entity. While British English occasionally treats them as plural, you should stick to the singular rule for standardized testing in the United States.

How do inverted sentences affect subject-verb agreement?

Inverted sentences place the verb before the subject, often starting with a prepositional phrase or the word "there." In these cases, you must look to the right of the verb to find the subject and ensure the agreement is correct based on that following noun.