Usage & Mechanics

What you'll learn

• Match singular subjects with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs
• Identify the true subject when prepositional phrases or relative clauses intervene
• Handle compound subjects joined by 'and,' 'or,' and 'nor' correctly
• Recognize inverted sentence structures where the subject follows the verb

Key concepts

Subject-verb agreement means the verb must match its subject in number. The ACT makes this tricky by inserting prepositional phrases between the subject and verb: 'The box of chocolates *is* (not are) on the table.' Subjects joined by 'and' are plural ('Tom and Jerry are'), but subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor' agree with the nearer subject ('Neither the cats nor the dog is'). Collective nouns (team, group, family) are typically singular on the ACT. Indefinite pronouns like everyone, each, and nobody are always singular.

Pro tips

• Cross out prepositional phrases mentally to find the real subject. 'The cost of the items *was* high.'
• Watch for inverted sentences that start with 'There is/are'. The subject comes after the verb.
• When you see an underlined verb on the ACT, immediately look for its subject and check agreement.