What is Advanced Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means that the verb in a sentence must match its subject in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

At a C1 level, you already know the basic rules. However, English has many complex cases where the agreement is not always obvious, especially with certain types of nouns and pronouns. Mastering these tricky situations is key to achieving advanced fluency.

How Do Collective Nouns Agree with Verbs?

Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things as a single unit. Examples include company, team, family, government, committee, audience, staff, department.

• When you see the group as a single, unified entity, use a singular verb.
• When you see the group as individual members acting separately, use a plural verb. This usage is more common in British English. In American English, it's more common to use a singular verb or rephrase the sentence to use a plural noun (e.g., the members of the team).

When Do Nouns Ending in -S Take a Singular Verb?

Some nouns end in -s but are grammatically singular and require a singular verb. These often refer to subjects of study, diseases, or abstract concepts.

• Common examples include: news, politics, economics, physics, mathematics, statistics, gymnastics, measles, mumps.

Are Latin Plurals Always Plural?

Many English words come from Latin, and some retain their original Latin plural forms. However, their verb agreement can vary in modern English.

• Often Singular: Nouns like data (from datum) and media (from medium) are increasingly treated as singular in everyday English, especially in American English.
• Always Plural: Nouns like criteria (from criterion) and phenomena (from phenomenon) almost always take a plural verb.

Do Indefinite Pronouns Take Singular or Plural Verbs?

Indefinite pronouns that refer to people or things in a general way always take a singular verb, even if they imply multiple individuals.

• This rule applies to pronouns starting with every- (everyone, everything), any- (anyone, anything), some- (someone, something), and no- (no one, nothing).
• However, when referring back to these pronouns, especially those referring to people, it is common and acceptable to use plural pronouns like they, them, ou their to avoid gender-specific language.

How Do "Either" and "Neither" Work?

The words either et neither can be tricky when they act as subjects or part of a subject phrase.

• When either ou neither is the subject, or when they are followed by of + plural noun, they typically take a singular verb.
• In more informal contexts, especially when referring to individuals, a plural verb might be heard, but the singular is generally preferred in formal writing.

Exemples

• The marketing department is located on the third floor.
• The marketing department are excited to show everyone the new logo at the meeting.
• Good news is always welcome.
• Economics starts at 11, I have lunch, and then physics is at two.
• The media never admits when it's wrong about something.
• His team documented phenomena that show that color can change behavior.
• Everyone knows the famous Pantone color swatches.
• Nobody wants to miss their chance to see the exhibition.
• Neither of those yellows resonates with customers.
• Either option is acceptable for the project.

Entraînement

Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers often encounter difficulties with these advanced subject-verb agreement rules due to differences between English and Spanish grammar:

• Nouns ending in -s: In Spanish, words like 'noticias' (news) are plural. This often leads to the mistake of saying The news are good instead of the correct The news is good. Remember that in English, these specific nouns are singular.
• Collective Nouns: In Spanish, a singular collective noun like 'el equipo' (the team) always takes a singular verb. The English nuance of the team is (as a unit) versus the team are (as individuals) can be confusing. While both can be correct depending on context (especially in British English), the singular verb is generally safer for the group as a whole.
• 'Data': The Spanish word 'datos' (data) is plural. This often causes learners to use The data are compelling instead of the more common modern English usage The data is compelling. While data are is not strictly incorrect, data is is now widely accepted and preferred, especially in scientific and technical contexts.

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the main challenge with subject-verb agreement at C1 level?

The main challenge at C1 level is mastering the exceptions and nuanced rules for tricky subjects. These include collective nouns, certain nouns ending in -s that are singular, Latin-derived words like data, and indefinite pronouns like everyone ou neither.

Can I always use a singular verb with collective nouns?

Not always. While a singular verb is common when the collective noun acts as a single unit (e.g., The committee meets), a plural verb is used when you want to emphasize the individual members of the group acting separately (e.g., The committee are debating among themselves). This distinction is more prevalent in British English.

Is 'data' singular or plural?

Originally, data was the plural of datum, so it took a plural verb. However, in modern English, especially in general and scientific contexts, data is very commonly treated as a singular mass noun, taking a singular verb (e.g., The data is conclusive). Both usages can be found, but the singular is increasingly dominant.

Why do some words ending in -s take a singular verb?

Some words ending in -s, such as news, politics, economics, ou mathematics, are considered singular in English grammar. They refer to a single concept, subject, or entity, even though their form resembles a plural noun. Therefore, they always require a singular verb.