[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"grammar-page-en-subject-verb-agreement-with-complex-subjects":3,"grammar-exercises-by-page-01a0e1ab-d608-72f0-ae7b-02084e6afb58":23,"exercise-list-path-en-none":59},{"id":4,"title":5,"slug":6,"seoDescription":7,"content":8,"language":9,"level":10,"displayOrder":11,"grammarTopics":12,"createdAt":19,"updatedAt":20,"vocabularyLists":21,"readyImages":22},"01a0e1ab-d608-72f0-ae7b-02084e6afb58","Subject-Verb Agreement with Complex Subjects","subject-verb-agreement-with-complex-subjects","Learn how to match verbs with complex subjects, including noun phrases, joined subjects, quantities, collective nouns and subjects containing clauses.","A long subject can make it difficult to choose between **is and are**, **has and have**, or **works and work**. To make the verb agree, identify the main part of the subject, then check whether a special pattern affects the choice.\n\n## 1. Find the head of the subject\n\nThe *head* is the central word in a noun phrase. In most noun phrases, this word determines whether the verb is singular or plural. Words between the head and the verb do not normally change the agreement.\n\n| Complete subject | Head | Sentence |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| The list of suggested changes | list | The **list** of suggested changes **is** ready. |\n| The changes to the original plan | changes | The **changes** to the original plan **are** important. |\n| The woman carrying two bags | woman | The **woman** carrying two bags **needs** help. |\n| The books on the highest shelf | books | The **books** on the highest shelf **belong** to me. |\n\n:::tip\nTemporarily remove the extra information: “The list of suggested changes is ready” becomes “The list is ready.” This helps you avoid choosing a verb just because it is next to a plural noun.\n:::\n\n## 2. Subjects joined by and, or and nor\n\nTwo separate people or things joined by **and** normally take a plural verb.\n\n:::example\n**The manager and her assistant are** attending the meeting.\n\n**Reading and swimming are** my favourite activities.\n:::\n\nA singular verb is possible when the joined words describe one person, one thing or a single combination.\n\n- **The owner and chef is** greeting customers. One person has both roles.\n- **Fish and chips is** my favourite meal. The words name one dish.\n- **Every desk and every chair needs** cleaning. Repeated **every** presents the items individually.\n\nWith **or**, **either … or** and **neither … nor**, use a singular verb when both alternatives are singular, and a plural verb when both are plural.\n\n| Alternatives | Example |\n| --- | --- |\n| Both singular | **Either the key or the code is** needed. |\n| Both plural | **Neither the teachers nor the students are** ready. |\n| Mixed number | **Either the manager or the assistants are** attending. |\n| Mixed number, reversed | **Either the assistants or the manager is** attending. |\n\nWith mixed singular and plural alternatives, the verb usually agrees with the nearer part. If the result sounds awkward, rewrite it: **Either the manager is attending, or the assistants are.**\n\n## 3. Quantity expressions\n\nSome quantity expressions have their own agreement patterns. Do not apply the head-word shortcut mechanically to all expressions with **of**.\n\n| Expression | Agreement | Example |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Each\u002Feither\u002Fneither of + plural noun | Singular in careful formal writing | **Each of the rooms has** a window. |\n| One of + plural noun | Singular | **One of my neighbours works** here. |\n| A number of + plural noun | Plural: several | **A number of guests have** arrived. |\n| The number of + plural noun | Singular: the total | **The number of guests has** increased. |\n| All\u002Fsome\u002Fmost of + uncountable noun | Singular | **Most of the equipment is** new. |\n| All\u002Fsome\u002Fmost of + plural countable noun | Plural | **Most of the computers are** new. |\n| A fraction or percentage of something | Depends on what is measured | **Half of the cake is** left. **Half of the sandwiches are** left. |\n\n**Everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one** and **nobody** take singular verbs: **Everyone in these offices has** a security pass.\n\n:::note\nYou may hear **Either of them are** or **Neither of them are**, especially in informal speech. Singular agreement is the safer choice in formal writing.\n\n**None** is not always singular. Use **None of the information is useful**, but both **None of the answers is correct** and **None of the answers are correct** are standard. The singular can emphasise “not one”.\n:::\n\n## 4. Keep agreement separate in each clause\n\nA relative clause has its own agreement. When **who**, **which** or **that** is the subject of that clause, its verb agrees with the person or thing it refers to. The main verb still agrees with the main subject.\n\n:::example\nThe **report** that **contains** the sales figures **is** missing.\n\nThe **reports** that **contain** the sales figures **are** missing.\n\nThe **quality** of the products that **are** made here **is** excellent.\n:::\n\nIn the last sentence, **are made** refers to the plural **products**, while **is** agrees with singular **quality**. Do not let the verb inside the relative clause control the main verb.\n\n## 5. Groups and amounts: meaning matters\n\nCollective nouns such as **team**, **family**, **staff** and **committee** name groups. In British English, singular agreement often presents a group as one unit; plural agreement can focus on its members.\n\n:::example\nThe **committee has** reached a decision. The group acts as a unit.\n\nThe **committee are** divided over the proposal. The members disagree.\n:::\n\nAmerican English generally prefers singular agreement with these collective nouns. To focus clearly on individuals in either variety, write **The committee members are divided**. Keep related pronouns consistent with your choice: **The team is celebrating its victory** or, in British English, **The team are celebrating their victory**.\n\nAmounts of time, money and distance often take singular verbs when understood as one total.\n\n- **Ten kilometres is** a long way to walk.\n- **Fifty pounds is** enough for the ticket.\n- **Two hours is** plenty of time.\n\nCompare **The last two hours have been exhausting**: here the subject describes a period experienced, rather than measuring how much time is needed.\n\n## 6. An activity or a whole clause as subject\n\nAn **-ing** phrase naming one activity normally takes a singular verb, even if it contains a plural noun.\n\n:::example\n**Checking all the details takes** time.\n\n**Working with young children requires** patience.\n:::\n\nA single clause introduced by **that** or **whether** also normally takes a singular verb.\n\n- **That several files are missing is** worrying.\n- **Whether the guests stay overnight depends** on the weather.\n\nIn the first example, **are** agrees with **files** inside the clause. The main verb **is** treats the whole situation as one subject.\n\n## 7. Check the sentence before you finish\n\n:::warning\nDo not automatically agree with the nearest noun.\n\nIncorrect: The cost of the repairs **have** increased.\n\nCorrect: The cost of the repairs **has** increased.\n\nHowever, **A number of repairs have been completed** is correct: **a number of** means “several”.\n:::\n\nUse this short checklist:\n\n1. Find the subject of each verb separately.\n2. For an ordinary noun phrase, identify its head and ignore added descriptions.\n3. Check for a special pattern: joined subjects, quantity expressions or collective nouns.\n4. Decide whether an amount describes one total or separate items.\n5. Rewrite mixed or awkward subjects if this makes the agreement clearer.","en","B2",90.51,[13],{"id":14,"name":15,"level":10,"language":9,"isCompleted":16,"completionPercentage":17,"totalExercises":18,"completedExercises":17},"01a0e1ab-d4f9-78f4-a576-49053fe7ba09","Subject-verb agreement in complex sentences",false,0,4,"2026-09-27T07:02:10+00:00","2026-10-14T10:40:29+00:00",[],[],[24,35,44,53],{"@id":25,"@type":26,"id":27,"grammarPage":28,"title":29,"instructions":30,"displayOrder":17,"type":31,"questionCount":32,"blankCount":33,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":34},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-df2d-7ce4-b069-92dd357c8d7d","GrammarExercise","01a0e1ab-df2d-7ce4-b069-92dd357c8d7d","\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_pages\u002F01a0e1ab-d608-72f0-ae7b-02084e6afb58","Subject-Verb Agreement with Complex Subjects — Forms in Context","Choose the option that completes each sentence in context. Follow any stated meaning or register.","word_select",15,31,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_3e523881-46d0-4fdb-a11b-268ef9051516_hero.webp?v=1790492532",{"@id":36,"@type":26,"id":37,"grammarPage":28,"title":38,"instructions":39,"displayOrder":40,"type":41,"questionCount":42,"blankCount":17,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":43},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-df65-79e3-8228-826503bea739","01a0e1ab-df65-79e3-8228-826503bea739","Subject-Verb Agreement with Complex Subjects — Find and Correct the Error","Find the incorrect word and choose its correction.",1,"find_and_fix",12,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_558b4489-8913-4525-809b-526195eab376_hero.webp?v=1790492532",{"@id":45,"@type":26,"id":46,"grammarPage":28,"title":47,"instructions":48,"displayOrder":49,"type":50,"questionCount":51,"blankCount":51,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":52},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-df72-7bde-9fdd-ff20f15c2007","01a0e1ab-df72-7bde-9fdd-ff20f15c2007","Complex Subjects: Workplace Sentences","Arrange the tiles to build each sentence. Leave out the extra word.",2,"sentence_builder",10,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_38b6d9dd-3b70-4a0f-8608-de51f57294b3_hero.webp?v=1790492532",{"@id":54,"@type":26,"id":55,"grammarPage":28,"title":56,"instructions":48,"displayOrder":57,"type":50,"questionCount":51,"blankCount":51,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":58},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-df88-77c2-8678-cbca6e29ea16","01a0e1ab-df88-77c2-8678-cbca6e29ea16","Complex Subjects: Activities, Clauses and Amounts",3,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_e3125008-73f2-4360-85e7-7ad6845011ae_hero.webp?v=1790492532",null]