Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement

Speaker 1
So, before we dive into all the rules, let’s be honest—a lot of professionals who write or speak English every day still stumble on subject–verb agreement. Was there a moment at work recently when you spotted a sentence that just didn’t sound quite right?

Speaker 2
Absolutely! It happened last week—someone emailed, ‘Each of the team members have submitted their ideas,’ and it made me pause. It’s so easy to assume ‘team members’ means we need a plural verb, but that ‘each’ at the start totally flips the rule.

Speaker 1
That’s such a classic. And it gets even muddier when you hit those indefinite pronouns or words like ‘some’ and ‘all.’ I mean, ‘Some of the data is outdated’ versus ‘Some of the documents are missing’—it’s not obvious until you slow down and check what the pronoun really refers to.

Speaker 2
You’re right, and it’s not just about grammar for grammar’s sake. In business or academic writing, the wrong verb agreement can actually confuse the meaning—or worse, undermine your credibility. I think that’s why these details matter more than we might realize.

Speaker 1
Speaking of those details, let’s break down some of the most confusing cases—like when a seemingly plural noun actually takes a singular verb. Ready to get into some concrete examples?

Indefinite Pronouns, Units, and Collective Nouns—Who Gets Which Verb?

Speaker 2
Let’s jump right in! With indefinite pronouns, I always have to remind myself—words like ‘everyone,’ ‘each,’ and ‘nobody’ are treated as singular, even if they refer to a bunch of people. So, ‘Everyone is invited,’ not ‘Everyone are invited.’

Speaker 1
Exactly, though it feels weird at first! And then there are those chameleon pronouns: ‘some,’ ‘all,’ ‘most,’ or ‘none.’ The verb depends on what comes after—like, ‘Some of the information is confidential,’ but ‘Some of the reports are missing.’ It all comes down to whether you’re talking countable or uncountable.

Speaker 2
And don’t get me started on units of measure. ‘Ten dollars is enough’—even though ‘dollars’ looks plural, it’s considered a single sum. But if you say, ‘Ten dollars were distributed to each participant,’ you’re treating the money as separate units. So context really does the heavy lifting.

Speaker 1
Right! And collective nouns like ‘team’ or ‘staff’—those are a trap for native speakers, too. In American English, we usually say, ‘The committee has decided,’ treating it as one unit. But in British English, you might hear, ‘The committee have decided,’ especially if the group members are acting independently.

Speaker 2
That regional difference is so interesting. I’ve definitely seen British colleagues write, ‘The family are going on holiday,’ and it always makes me do a double-take. It just shows why knowing your audience—and the context—matters for agreement.

Speaker 1
Funny you mention context, because parenthetical phrases and asides can really mess with our instincts. Let’s talk about those next.

Parenthetical Phrases and Tricky Subjects—Ignoring the Noise

Speaker 1
So here’s where things get sneaky: you see a sentence like, ‘The manager, along with her assistants, is attending the meeting.’ It’s tempting to let those assistants change your verb, right?

Speaker 2
Definitely! I’ve seen so many sentences where someone writes, ‘The employee, together with her colleagues, are responsible…’ But grammatically, only the main subject counts. That extra info—’together with her colleagues’—doesn’t change the fact that we need ‘is responsible.’

Speaker 1
Yep, and these phrases can show up as ‘as well as,’ ‘in addition to,’ or even in parentheses. They’re like background noise—the subject’s number is what really matters. And once you spot the trick, you’ll notice mistakes everywhere, even in official emails!

Speaker 2
What surprised me most is that this rule never changes, no matter how long or complex the sentence gets. Even in British English, the verb only matches the main subject, not the tag-along phrases.

Speaker 1
That’s a relief, at least! So, while we’re on the topic of quirky subjects, have you ever stumbled over sentences where gerunds or infinitives trip you up?

Gerunds, Infinitives, and Compound Subjects—Staying on Track

Speaker 2
Oh, definitely. Take ‘Writing reports is time-consuming’—the gerund acts as the subject, so we use a singular verb. But then, if it’s ‘Reading and writing are essential,’ suddenly it’s plural because it’s a compound subject. It’s these little shifts that catch people off guard.

Speaker 1
Exactly, and the same goes for infinitives. ‘To negotiate a contract requires skill’—that’s singular. But if you say, ‘To read and to analyze the data are necessary tasks,’ you’re in plural territory. It’s all about whether you have one activity or several.

Speaker 2
And then there’s the ‘or’ and ‘nor’ rule. In ‘To eat or to drink is necessary,’ the verb matches the closest subject—so if the last one’s singular, the verb stays singular. It’s subtle, but it really makes a difference in accuracy.

Speaker 1
After two iterations we finally realize how much these patterns repeat across business writing—emails, reports, even meeting agendas. Once you start to see them, you can really clean up your communication.

Speaker 2
Totally, and if you ever want to test yourself, try editing a long paragraph that mixes all these rules. It’s a real workout for your grammar muscles!

Mastering the Mix: Real-World Practice and Final Tips

Speaker 1
That actually reminds me of those integrated practice exercises—where every sentence finds a new way to break a rule. They’re so useful for spotting patterns and learning from mistakes in context.

Speaker 2
Exactly! You’ll see things like, ‘Ten liters of paint are enough’—which really should be ‘is enough,’ because we’re talking about a single quantity. Or, ‘Running and cycling is part of the wellness program,’ when it should be ‘are,’ since it’s a compound subject.

Speaker 1
And don’t forget about subject–verb agreement when there are parenthetical phrases: ‘The director, along with her assistants, is attending.’ That little comma-separated group doesn’t change the main subject’s number, no matter how tempting it is.

Speaker 2
My last tip? Whenever you’re unsure, slow down and ask yourself two questions: What’s the real subject, and is it singular or plural? It only takes a second and makes your writing way more precise—especially in business or formal contexts.

Speaker 1
Great advice. And if you want to level up, try explaining the rule out loud or to a coworker—it really locks it in. Thanks for walking through these with me today!

Speaker 2
This was fun! Subject–verb agreement may be sneaky, but when you know the patterns, it’s totally manageable. Thanks for listening, and if you’d like to experience this lesson in action, visit inglesconjoe.com or message us on WhatsApp at 81 81 13 53 67. See you in the next episode.