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SAT Reading and Writing skill page

SAT Subject-Verb Agreement Practice

Find the true subject of the sentence so the verb agrees even when extra phrases get in the way.

Practice subject-verb agreement in Dolphin Try examples
9-14 min practice time 3 examples on page Standard English Conventions
Practice time 9-14 min
On-page examples 3 examples
Best for Standard English Conventions

What this tests

What to know for this SAT skill

Practice examples

Try a few SAT-style questions

Example 1 Easy

Which choice completes the sentence correctly? The list of supplies ____ on the table.

  1. are
  2. is
  3. were
  4. have been
Show answer and explanation

Answer: is

The subject is "list," which is singular. The phrase "of supplies" does not change the verb.

Example 2 Medium

Which choice completes the sentence correctly? The paintings in the gallery ____ from three countries.

  1. comes
  2. come
  3. is coming
  4. has come
Show answer and explanation

Answer: come

The subject is "paintings," which is plural, so the verb should be "come."

Example 3 Hard

Which choice completes the sentence correctly? Neither the coach nor the players ____ satisfied with the final score.

  1. was
  2. were
  3. is
  4. has been
Show answer and explanation

Answer: were

With "neither/nor," the verb agrees with the nearer subject. "Players" is plural, so use "were."

Quick drills

Practice this skill from more angles

Drill 1

Identify the sentence subject

Pause before the answer choices, write the rule or setup you need, then check whether the question is asking for the value, the relationship, or the best-supported conclusion.

Drill 2

Match singular subjects with singular verbs

Pause before the answer choices, write the rule or setup you need, then check whether the question is asking for the value, the relationship, or the best-supported conclusion.

Drill 3

Ignore interrupting phrases between subject and verb

Pause before the answer choices, write the rule or setup you need, then check whether the question is asking for the value, the relationship, or the best-supported conclusion.

Drill 4

Check agreement in longer, more complex sentences

Pause before the answer choices, write the rule or setup you need, then check whether the question is asking for the value, the relationship, or the best-supported conclusion.

Avoid these traps

Common mistakes on this skill

Matching the verb to the closest noun

The closest noun is often inside a phrase. Find the real subject before deciding on the verb.

Letting prepositional phrases distract you

Phrases like "of supplies" or "in the gallery" usually do not control verb agreement.

Skipping longer sentences

Longer sentences still have a subject and verb. Cross out extra information to simplify the structure.

Study plan

How to practice this skill in Dolphin

  1. Find the main verb in the sentence.
  2. Ask who or what is doing that verb.
  3. Cross out interrupting phrases that do not affect agreement.
  4. Choose the verb form that matches the subject.
Practice subject-verb agreement in Dolphin

Related practice

Build the surrounding skills

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Skill cluster

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FAQ

Questions about SAT Subject-Verb Agreement Practice

What is subject-verb agreement on the SAT?

It is the grammar rule that singular subjects need singular verbs and plural subjects need plural verbs.

Why are agreement questions tricky?

The SAT often places descriptive phrases between the subject and verb to make the wrong noun look important.

How should I practice agreement questions?

Practice stripping sentences down to the subject and verb before looking at answer choices.