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Section 1 of 3
Basic Agreement Rules
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs.
✓ Rules
4- 1
Singular subject → singular verb (adds -s/-es)
- 2
Plural subject → plural verb (no -s/-es)
- 3
Uncountable nouns are always singular: information, data, evidence, research, news
- 4
'Data' is increasingly used as singular in modern English: 'The data shows...' is acceptable
Examples
4✓
Correct
The number of students has increased significantly.
'The number of' = singular
✓
Correct
A number of students have enrolled.
'A number of' = plural
✕
Incorrect
The information are helpful.
✓
Correct
The information is helpful.
'information' is uncountable = singular
✕
Incorrect
There is many reasons for this.
✓
Correct
There are many reasons for this.
'reasons' is plural