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ACT English • Conventions of Standard English

Agreement

Master subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement to eliminate common ACT English errors.

Explore the lesson 17 min read
ACT preparation illustration with a sectioned test book, timer, and target
Inside this lesson 10 sections 5 questions 5 figures

SECTION 1

Historical Context & Motivation

The rules of grammatical agreement are not arbitrary inventions dreamed up to torment students — they evolved over centuries to make written communication clear and unambiguous. When a subject and its verb "agree," or when a pronoun matches its antecedent, readers can follow the meaning of a sentence without stumbling. English inherited these conventions from older languages like Latin and Old English, both of which relied heavily on word endings to signal relationships between parts of a sentence.

Understanding how agreement rules developed helps you see why the ACT tests them so frequently. These rules exist because breaking them genuinely confuses readers. On the ACT English section, roughly 10–15% of questions test some form of agreement, making it one of the highest-yield topics you can study.

450 CE • Old English Inflections

Old English used elaborate word endings (inflections) for verbs, nouns, and pronouns. Every verb form changed depending on whether the subject was singular or plural, first person, second person, or third person.

1100s • Middle English Simplification

After the Norman Conquest, English shed many of its inflections. Most verb endings disappeared, but the third-person singular "-s" ending survived — which is why "she runs" differs from "they run" today.

1700s • Prescriptive Grammar Emerges

Grammarians like Robert Lowth published style guides codifying agreement rules. These works established the formal standards still tested on exams like the ACT.

1959 • The ACT Is Launched

The ACT exam debuts as a college admissions test. Its English section tests students' command of standard written English conventions, including subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

The central question that agreement addresses is simple: How do we ensure every part of a sentence works together so the reader always knows who is doing what? When agreement breaks down, ambiguity creeps in, and that is exactly the kind of error the ACT expects you to catch.

SECTION 2

Core Principles & Definitions

Agreement on the ACT comes in two main flavors: subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent agreement. Both follow the same underlying logic — matched parts of a sentence must share the same number (singular or plural) and, in the case of pronouns, the same person and gender. Mastering a handful of core principles will allow you to handle nearly every agreement question the ACT throws at you.

1

Subject-Verb Agreement

A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb. "The dog runs" vs. "The dogs run." The trick is identifying the true subject.
2

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A pronoun must match its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number and person. "Each student must bring his or her textbook" — not "their textbook" in formal ACT usage.
3

Intervening Phrases

Words between the subject and verb (prepositional phrases, appositives) do not change the subject's number. "The box of chocolates is on the table" — not "are."
4

Compound Subjects

Subjects joined by "and" are usually plural. Subjects joined by "or" or "nor" agree with the nearest subject. "Neither the teacher nor the students were ready."
5

Indefinite Pronouns

Words like everyone, each, nobody, and either are singular. "Everyone has a role." Words like "few, many, several" are always plural.
✦

KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of agreement like a matching game: the subject is the "card" you flip first, and you need to find the verb or pronoun that matches it. If you pick up a singular subject card, you need the singular verb card. The ACT tries to distract you by placing extra cards (prepositional phrases, appositives) between your two matching cards. Ignore the distractors — always match based on the true subject.

SECTION 3

Visual Explanation

Subject-Verb Agreement Decision Flowchart

Subject-Verb Agreement Decision Flowchart1. Find the VERB2. Ask: WHO or WHAT does this?3. Cross out intervening phrases4. Is the subject SINGULAR or PLURAL?SingularPluralUse SINGULAR verbshe runs / it is / he wasUse PLURAL verbthey run / we are / dogs wereTIP: In English, a verb with "-s" is usually singular (runs), without "-s" is plural (run).
This flowchart shows the four-step process for checking subject-verb agreement. Start by finding the verb, then trace back to the true subject. Cross out any prepositional phrases or appositives that sit between them, determine whether the subject is singular or plural, and select the matching verb form.

The flowchart above is your go-to strategy for every subject-verb agreement question on the ACT. The test-makers deliberately insert intervening phrases — prepositional phrases, relative clauses, and appositives — between the subject and the verb. Your job is to mentally "cross out" those distractors so you can see the core subject-verb pair clearly. For example, in the sentence "The collection of rare stamps is valuable," the subject is "collection" (singular), not "stamps." The phrase "of rare stamps" is just an intervening prepositional phrase.

SECTION 4

How Agreement Works in Detail

Subject-Verb Agreement: The Tricky Cases

Basic subject-verb agreement is straightforward — "The cat sits" versus "The cats sit." Where the ACT catches students is in the tricky cases, so let's dive into each one.

Indefinite Pronouns

Certain indefinite pronouns always take singular verbs, even though they seem to refer to multiple people. The SANAM group — Some, Any, None, All, Most — can be singular or plural depending on what follows them. "Some of the cake is gone" (cake is singular) versus "Some of the cookies are gone" (cookies is plural). However, words like "each," "every," "everyone," "everybody," "nobody," "neither," and "either" are always singular.

Compound Subjects with "Or" / "Nor"

When subjects are joined by "or" or "nor", the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. Consider: "Neither the players nor the coach was satisfied." Here "coach" is nearest and singular, so the verb is singular. If you flip it — "Neither the coach nor the players were satisfied" — "players" is nearest and plural, so the verb becomes plural.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: The Details

The second major category is pronoun-antecedent agreement. An antecedent is the noun a pronoun refers back to. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular/plural) and person (first/second/third). The ACT frequently tests whether a pronoun clearly and correctly matches. For instance, "Every student should open his or her textbook" is correct in formal ACT style because "every student" is singular. The ACT also tests for ambiguous pronoun reference — where a pronoun could refer to more than one noun, creating confusion.

💡

ACT TIP

When you see an underlined pronoun on the ACT, immediately identify its antecedent. Ask: (1) Does the pronoun match the antecedent in number? (2) Is the antecedent clear and unambiguous? If either answer is "no," look for a better answer choice.

SECTION 5

Classifying Agreement Errors

Common ACT Agreement Error Types

Agreement Errors on the ACT: A Classification MapAGREEMENT ERRORSSUBJECT-VERBPRONOUN-ANTECEDENTInterveningPhrasesThe box ofcookies is...CompoundSubjectsNeither A norB was/were...NumberMismatchEach...their→ Each...his/herAmbiguousReferenceTom told Jimthat he was...IndefinitePronounsEveryone has(not have)InvertedSentencesHere are theresults (not is)These six error types cover ~95% of ACT agreement questions.
This classification map organizes the six most common agreement error types tested on the ACT. Subject-verb errors (left branch) include intervening phrases, compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, and inverted sentences. Pronoun-antecedent errors (right branch) include number mismatch and ambiguous reference.
Error TypeExample (Incorrect)Corrected Version
Intervening PhraseThe results of the experiment shows a clear trend.The results of the experiment show a clear trend.
Indefinite PronounEach of the musicians have a solo.Each of the musicians has a solo.
Compound (or/nor)Neither the coach nor the players was happy.Neither the coach nor the players were happy.
Pronoun NumberEvery student must complete their assignment.Every student must complete his or her assignment.
Ambiguous ReferenceWhen Sarah met Anna, she was nervous.When Sarah met Anna, Sarah was nervous.

Common agreement errors and their corrections

SECTION 6

Worked Example

Let's walk through an ACT-style passage question step by step to see how you'd apply the agreement principles in a real testing scenario.

📝

SAMPLE ACT QUESTION

"The group of talented young scientists who recently won the regional competition [are planning / is planning / plan / has been planning] to present their findings at the national conference next month."

Solving an ACT Agreement Question

  1. 1

    Step 1 — Find the Verb

    The underlined portion contains the verb we need to check. The options are "are planning," "is planning," "plan," and "has been planning." Each has a different number: "are" is plural, "is" is singular, "plan" is plural, and "has been" is singular.
  2. 2

    Step 2 — Ask "Who or What Is Planning?"

    Read the sentence and ask: who or what is doing the planning? You might be tempted to say "scientists" or "competition," but trace back carefully. The sentence begins with "The group." That is the grammatical subject of the sentence.
    Subject = "group" (singular)
  3. 3

    Step 3 — Cross Out Intervening Phrases

    Between "group" and the verb, we find two intervening phrases: "of talented young scientists" (prepositional phrase) and "who recently won the regional competition" (relative clause). Cross them out mentally: "The group ________ to present..." Now it's clear that we need a singular verb to match "group."
    Stripped sentence: "The group ____ to present..."
  4. 4

    Step 4 — Choose the Singular Verb

    We need a singular verb. Looking at our options: "are planning" is plural (eliminate), "is planning" is singular (keep), "plan" is plural (eliminate), "has been planning" is singular (keep). Both B and D are grammatically correct in number, but "is planning" matches the straightforward present tense of the passage better and is more concise.
    Answer: "is planning"
  5. 5

    Step 5 — Verify by Reading the Full Sentence

    Read the corrected sentence aloud: "The group of talented young scientists who recently won the regional competition is planning to present their findings at the national conference next month." The singular subject "group" pairs correctly with the singular verb "is planning." The sentence sounds complete and grammatically correct.
    ✓ Confirmed: subject and verb agree in number.

SECTION 7

Common Traps & Strategic Tips

ACT Agreement Traps vs. Strategies

ACT TrapWhy It Fools YouYour Counter-Strategy
Long intervening phraseA plural noun buried between a singular subject and its verb makes the singular subject "feel" plural.Cross out everything between the subject and verb. Read the stripped sentence aloud.
Inverted sentence orderSentences starting with "There is/are" or "Here is/are" put the subject AFTER the verb, so you might not check it.Flip the sentence: "There are many reasons" → "Many reasons are there." Now identify the real subject.
Collective nounsWords like "team," "committee," "group" refer to multiple people but are grammatically singular.On the ACT, collective nouns are almost always treated as singular. Use singular verbs unless the sentence clearly refers to individual members acting separately.
"Each" and "every""Each of the players" sounds plural because of "players," but "each" is the actual subject.Remember: "each" and "every" are ALWAYS singular, no matter what follows them.
Pronoun shiftA passage uses "one" and then switches to "you" or "they" mid-paragraph.Check that the pronoun person stays consistent. If the passage starts with "one," it should stay with "one" (or "he or she").

Five common ACT traps and how to beat them

✦

KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of the ACT like a magician's show. The test-makers use misdirection — long phrases, inverted word order, nearby plural nouns — to pull your attention away from the real subject. Your job is to be the audience member who never loses sight of where the card actually is. Always trace back to the true subject before choosing your verb or pronoun.

SECTION 8

Connection to Advanced Writing & Other Tests

Agreement isn't just an ACT concept — it's a foundational skill that appears across virtually every standardized test and in all college-level writing. Understanding how the ACT tests agreement prepares you for similar questions on the SAT, AP English Language, and even the writing sections of graduate school entrance exams.

FeatureACT EnglishSAT WritingCollege Writing
FormatPassages with underlined portions; 4 answer choicesSimilar passage-based format; 4 answer choicesYour own essays and papers, graded by professors
S-V AgreementFrequently tested with intervening phrases and indefinite pronounsSame error types; slightly different passage styleExpected to be flawless; errors lower your grade
Pronoun AgreementTests number, person, and ambiguitySame core rules testedConventions may evolve (e.g., singular "they" increasingly accepted)
Singular "they"Generally treated as incorrect for indefinite singular antecedentsSimilar conservative approachIncreasingly accepted in academic and professional writing

Agreement across tests and contexts

It's worth noting that language is always evolving. In everyday speech and increasingly in formal writing, singular "they" is becoming widely accepted (e.g., "Each student should bring their textbook"). However, for the purposes of the ACT and SAT, you should follow the more traditional rule: a singular indefinite pronoun takes a singular pronoun ("his or her") unless the answer choices make it clear that the test is accepting "they." When in doubt on standardized tests, the most formal option is usually the safest choice.

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

Try these five problems, which move from basic recall to critical thinking. For each one, identify the agreement error (if any) and select the correct option. Then check the answer to see if your reasoning matches.

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement? (A) The list of ingredients are on the counter. (B) The list of ingredients is on the counter. (C) The list of ingredients were on the counter. (D) The list of ingredients have been on the counter.
Show answer
The correct answer is (B). The subject of the sentence is "list," which is singular. The prepositional phrase "of ingredients" sits between the subject and the verb and does not change the subject's number. A singular subject requires a singular verb: "The list ... is." Here is why each incorrect option fails: (A) "are" — a present-tense plural verb. The singular subject "list" requires "is," not "are." (C) "were" — a past-tense plural verb. While tense can be changed for stylistic reasons, "were" is the plural past form; the singular past form would be "was." This option fails on subject-verb agreement. (D) "have been" — a present-perfect plural verb. "Have" is used with plural subjects (they, we, you) or the pronouns I/you; a singular third-person subject like "list" requires "has been," not "have been." This option fails on subject-verb agreement. Only (B) uses the correct singular present-tense verb "is," which agrees with the singular subject "list."

Question 2: BASIC CALCULATION

Choose the correct verb: "Neither the students nor the teacher ______ prepared for the fire drill." (A) was (B) were (C) is (D) has been
Show answer
The correct answer is (A) "was." When subjects are joined by "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. The nearest subject is "teacher," which is singular. Therefore, the singular verb "was" is correct. If the sentence were flipped to "Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared," then "were" would be correct because "students" (plural) would be nearest to the verb. Choices (C) "is" and (D) "has been" are incorrect because they do not match the past-tense context of the sentence, and "is" would also be incorrect in agreement with the plural subject "students."

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

Each of the volunteers who signed up for the community garden project [need to bring their own tools] to the first meeting. (A) NO CHANGE (B) need to bring his or her own tools (C) needs to bring their own tools (D) needs to bring his or her own tools
Show answer
The correct answer is (D). The original sentence — represented by option (A), NO CHANGE — contains two agreement errors that the ACT tests together. Step 1 — Identify the subject: The subject is "Each," not "volunteers." "Each" is an indefinite pronoun that is always grammatically singular, regardless of the noun in the prepositional phrase that follows it ("of the volunteers"). The phrase "of the volunteers" is a modifier, not the subject. Step 2 — Fix the verb: Because "Each" is singular, the verb must also be singular. "Need" (plural) is incorrect; "needs" (singular) is required. This eliminates options (A) and (B), both of which retain the plural verb "need." Step 3 — Fix the pronoun: Because "Each" is singular, any pronoun referring back to it must also be singular. The ACT tests formal written English conventions, in which "their" used to refer back to a singular antecedent like "Each" is marked incorrect. The ACT requires "his or her" in this context. This eliminates option (C), which corrects the verb but leaves the plural pronoun "their." Step 4 — Evaluate the distractors: Options (B) and (C) are partial fixes — (B) corrects the pronoun but leaves the plural verb "need," and (C) corrects the verb but leaves the plural pronoun "their." On the ACT, when a sentence contains two errors, partial-fix distractors like (B) and (C) are included to test whether students can identify both problems, not just one. A student who catches only one error will be drawn to a wrong answer. Option (D) — "needs to bring his or her own tools" — correctly fixes both the subject-verb agreement error and the pronoun-antecedent agreement error, making it the only fully correct revision.

Question 4: APPLIED

Read the following passage excerpt and answer Questions 4a and 4b. "The committee, which includes representatives from all five departments, [4a] to postpone the vote until more data is available. Every member [4b] that rushing the decision could lead to problems." Question 4a: Which choice best fills the first underlined portion? (A) have decided (B) has decided (C) are deciding (D) decide Question 4b: Which choice best fills the second underlined portion? (F) agree (G) agrees (H) are agreeing (J) have agreed
Show answer
Question 4a: The correct answer is (B) has decided. The subject is 'committee,' which is a collective noun treated as singular on the ACT. The intervening relative clause 'which includes representatives from all five departments' does not change the subject's number. A singular subject requires a singular verb, so 'has decided' is correct. (A) 'have decided' is plural and does not agree with the singular collective noun. (C) 'are deciding' is plural and also incorrect. (D) 'decide' is a bare plural-form verb that does not agree with the singular subject in this context. Question 4b: The correct answer is (G) agrees. The subject is 'Every member.' The word 'every' makes any noun it modifies singular, so 'member' is singular here. A singular subject requires a singular verb, making 'agrees' correct. (F) 'agree' is the base plural-form present tense verb and does not agree with the singular subject — correct usage would be 'Every member agrees,' not 'Every member agree.' (H) 'are agreeing' is plural present progressive and does not agree with the singular subject 'Every member.' (J) 'have agreed' is the plural form of the present perfect tense — with a singular subject, the correct form would be 'has agreed,' not 'have agreed.' For example, 'Every member have agreed' is grammatically incorrect; the proper singular construction is 'Every member has agreed.' Therefore, 'have agreed' does not agree with the singular subject 'Every member.' In summary, because 'every' forces singular agreement on the noun it modifies, only 'agrees' — a third-person singular present tense verb — correctly matches the subject 'Every member.'

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Read the following passage and answer the question below. The school board met last Tuesday to discuss why so many students were struggling in advanced mathematics. According to the curriculum director, there (5) is a number of reasons why the proposal to revise the math curriculum should be reconsidered before any final decision is made. Which of the following choices for the underlined portion (5) is correct? (A) is a number of reasons (B) are a number of reasons (C) was a number of reasons (D) were the number of reasons
Show answer
The correct answer is B. Step-by-step verification: 1. Identify the subject: The sentence uses the idiomatic expression 'a number of reasons.' In this phrase, 'a number of' acts as a quantifier meaning 'many' or 'several,' so the true logical subject is 'reasons' (plural). 2. Apply subject-verb agreement: Because 'reasons' is plural, the verb must also be plural. 'Are' is the correct present-tense plural form of 'to be.' 3. Eliminate the wrong choices: - (A) 'is a number of reasons' — uses singular verb 'is' with a plural subject; incorrect. - (C) 'was a number of reasons' — uses singular past-tense verb; incorrect in both number and tense, since the passage describes an ongoing situation. - (D) 'were the number of reasons' — switches to 'the number of,' which IS a singular noun phrase requiring 'was/is,' not 'were'; also changes meaning incorrectly. 4. Confirm the key rule: 'A number of' (indefinite article) = plural verb. 'The number of' (definite article) = singular verb. This is a classic ACT subject-verb agreement distinction. Therefore, (B) 'are a number of reasons' is the correct answer.

SUMMARY

Summary

Summary

Agreement is one of the most frequently tested conventions on the ACT English section and comes in two main forms. Subject-verb agreement requires that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb. The ACT makes this tricky by inserting intervening phrases (prepositional phrases, relative clauses, appositives) between the subject and verb, by using indefinite pronouns like "each" and "everyone" that look plural but are singular, and by presenting inverted sentences where the subject comes after the verb.

Pronoun-antecedent agreement requires that every pronoun matches its antecedent in number and person. Watch out for ambiguous pronoun references (where a pronoun could refer to more than one noun) and for number mismatches (using "their" to refer to a singular antecedent). Your core strategy for every agreement question is the same: find the verb or pronoun, trace back to its subject or antecedent, cross out any distractors in between, and confirm that they match in number. This systematic approach will help you confidently answer agreement questions on test day.

Varsity Tutors • ACT English • Agreement — Agreement