Subject–verb agreement: find the real subject

Start by locating the subject of the clause. The nearest noun is not always the subject. In “The box of books is heavy,” box is singular; books belongs to the describing phrase “of books.” The verb therefore agrees with box.

Work through a sentence in three steps. Underline the subject, decide whether it is singular or plural, and then choose the verb. A singular subject commonly takes is, was or has; a plural subject commonly takes are, were or have. Present-simple verbs also show agreement: “Ada writes” but “The students write.”

Worked example: “Each of the candidates ___ a seat.” Each is the controlling singular word. The phrase “of the candidates” does not make it plural. The answer is has, giving “Each of the candidates has a seat.”

Compare “The candidate and the teacher are ready.” Here, two people joined by and form a plural subject. Do not apply the rule for each to a different grammatical structure. In a neither...nor construction, agreement is commonly guided by the nearer subject: “Neither Ada nor her sisters are late.”

Practice without a timer:
1. The list of subjects ___ on the noticeboard. (is / are)
2. Every student ___ an account. (has / have)
3. The teacher and the candidate ___ present. (is / are)
4. The books beside the lamp ___ mine. (is / are)

Answers: 1 is, because list is singular; 2 has, because every student is singular; 3 are, because two people are joined by and; 4 are, because books is plural.

For each error, copy the whole sentence into your revision notebook and circle the word controlling agreement. Explain the choice before trying another question. The useful skill is identifying structure, rather than memorising the position of an option.