The agreement between a verb and its subject is one of the fundamental principles of English grammar. This chapter explores how verbs must align with their subjects not only in number and person, but also in tense, mood, and voice. Mastering these agreements is essential for clear, correct, and effective communication.
1. Basic Subject-Verb Agreement
Before delving into tense, mood, and voice, we must establish the foundation: verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).
✓ The students write every day.
✗ The student write every day.
2. Agreement in Tense
Tense indicates when an action occurs: past, present, or future. Subject-verb agreement must be maintained across all tenses, though the challenges vary depending on the tense being used.
2.1 Present Tense Agreement
The present tense requires the most attention to agreement. Third-person singular subjects typically require an "-s" or "-es" ending on the verb, while other forms do not.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| First | I walk | We walk |
| Second | You walk | You walk |
| Third | He/She/It walks | They walk |
✓ They teach mathematics at the university.
✗ She teach mathematics at the university.
2.2 Past Tense Agreement
Most regular verbs in the past tense maintain the same form regardless of the subject, making agreement simpler. However, the verb "to be" is an exception.
✓ They were present at the meeting.
✓ He walked to the store.
✓ They walked to the store.
2.3 Future Tense Agreement
Future tense constructions using "will" or "shall" remain consistent across all persons and numbers, though the subject-verb agreement principle still applies when using "going to" constructions.
✓ They will arrive tomorrow.
✓ She is going to arrive tomorrow.
✓ They are going to arrive tomorrow.
2.4 Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses use forms of "have" as auxiliary verbs. Agreement occurs with the auxiliary verb, not the past participle.
✓ They have completed the assignment.
✗ She have completed the assignment.
3. Agreement in Mood
Mood expresses the speaker's attitude toward the action or state described by the verb. English has three primary moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.
3.1 Indicative Mood
The indicative mood states facts or asks questions. This is the most common mood and follows standard subject-verb agreement rules.
✓ Does the committee meet every Tuesday?
3.2 Imperative Mood
The imperative mood expresses commands or requests. The subject "you" is usually implied, and the verb takes its base form regardless of number.
✓ Be quiet during the presentation.
✓ Everyone, take your seats.
3.3 Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, hypothetical situations, demands, or suggestions. In the subjunctive, verbs often differ from their indicative forms, and agreement rules change.
✓ It is essential that she attend the meeting. (not "attends")
✓ I suggest that he study harder. (not "studies")
The past subjunctive is used for contrary-to-fact conditions. With "to be," use "were" for all persons and numbers.
✓ She wishes she were taller. (not "was")
✓ If he were here, he would help us.
4. Agreement in Voice
Voice indicates whether the subject performs the action (active voice) or receives the action (passive voice). Subject-verb agreement must be maintained in both voices.
4.1 Active Voice Agreement
In active voice, the subject performs the action, and standard agreement rules apply.
✓ The authors write novels.
4.2 Passive Voice Agreement
In passive voice, the subject receives the action. The verb consists of a form of "be" plus a past participle. Agreement occurs with the form of "be."
✓ The novels are written by famous authors.
✗ The novels is written by famous authors.
4.3 Passive Voice Across Tenses
When using passive voice in different tenses, the auxiliary "be" changes to reflect the tense while maintaining agreement with the subject.
Past: The report was reviewed by the manager.
Future: The report will be reviewed by the manager.
Present Perfect: The report has been reviewed by the manager.
5. Special Cases and Challenges
5.1 Compound Subjects
When subjects are joined by "and," they typically take a plural verb. When joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the nearest subject.
✓ Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
✓ Neither the students nor the teacher is ready.
5.2 Collective Nouns
Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group acts as a unit or as individuals.
✓ The committee disagree on the issue. (acting as individuals)
5.3 Indefinite Pronouns
Some indefinite pronouns are always singular (everyone, someone, nobody), some are always plural (both, few, many), and some can be either (all, some, none) depending on context.
✓ Few understand the complexity of the issue.
✓ Some of the water is contaminated.
✓ Some of the students are absent.
6. Conclusion
Mastering subject-verb agreement across tense, mood, and voice requires understanding both the general principles and the specific exceptions. While the rules may seem complex, consistent practice and attention to the relationship between subjects and their verbs will lead to natural, correct usage. Remember that agreement is not merely a grammatical formality but a crucial element that ensures clarity and precision in communication.
