Usage & Mechanics

• 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', and inverted sentences where the subject follows the verb
• Choose the right modifier form: adjective vs. adverb (a quick runner, runs quickly) and comparative vs. superlative (the taller of two, the tallest of three)
• Finish on one ACT-hard question and say what made it hard

Subject-verb agreement means the verb must match its subject in number. In the present tense, a singular third-person subject takes the verb ending in -s ('the dog runs') and a plural subject takes the verb without -s ('the dogs run'). 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. Modifier forms: an adjective describes a noun ('a careful driver') and an adverb describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb ('drives carefully'); after linking verbs such as feel, seem, look, and taste, use the adjective ('I feel bad,' not 'badly'). Use the comparative (-er or 'more') when comparing two things and the superlative (-est or 'most') for three or more, and never double up ('more better' and 'most fastest' are always wrong). Top-score agreement traps: 'the number of' is singular ('The number of applicants has grown') while 'a number of' is plural ('A number of applicants have called'); phrases such as 'along with,' 'as well as,' and 'together with' do not make a subject plural ('The captain, along with two players, was interviewed'); a gerund phrase used as a subject is singular ('Collecting old maps is her hobby'); in an inverted sentence the subject follows the verb ('Along the wall hang three portraits'); and in 'one of the + plural noun,' the verb agrees with 'one' ('One of the bridges is closed'). The ACT-hard version puts a singular subject that feels plural ('the network,' 'the collection,' 'the committee') far from its verb, behind a long phrase full of plural nouns, so the nearest noun sounds right and is wrong ('The collection of letters and photographs that the family donated to the library is on display').

• 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.
• If an underlined word ends in -ly, ask what it describes. A noun needs an adjective; a verb needs an adverb.