Tricky Subjects

Some subjects do not behave the way you might expect. Collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and certain expressions create situations where the correct verb form is not immediately obvious. This section covers the most common tricky subjects and provides clear guidelines for each.

Collective Nouns

A collective noun names a group of people, animals, or things: team, committee, family, audience, staff, government, jury, class, crowd, public.

The key question is whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individual members.

As a unit (singular verb):

• The committee is meeting at 3:00 p.m.
• The jury has reached a verdict.
• The staff works efficiently under pressure.
• The government is expected to announce new regulations.

As individuals (plural verb):

• The committee are divided on the issue. (Members disagree individually.)
• The jury have returned to their separate homes. (Individual jurors going to individual homes.)
• The staff were asked to submit their individual preferences. (Each staff member has a separate preference.)

Practical advice: In formal writing, especially in American English, treat collective nouns as singular unless the sentence sounds awkward or clearly refers to individual members. If the plural feels forced, restructure the sentence:

• Instead of: The team are wearing their individual uniforms.
• Write: The team members are wearing their individual uniforms.

This avoids any ambiguity.

Special Collective Nouns

Some collective nouns are always treated a certain way:

• Police is always plural: The police are investigating the incident.
• People is always plural: People are concerned about the economy.
• Media can be singular or plural, but is increasingly treated as singular: The media is covering the story extensively.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people or things. They fall into three categories for agreement purposes.

Always Singular

These pronouns always take a singular verb, even when they seem to refer to multiple people or things:

each, every, everyone, everybody, everything, someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything, no one, nobody, nothing, either, neither

• Everyone in the three departments has been notified.
• Each of the candidates is qualified for the position.
• Nobody wants to volunteer for the late shift.
• Something about these results seems inconsistent.
• Neither of the proposals meets our requirements.
• Either of these options works for me.

The most common mistake is treating everyone and everybody as plural because they refer to multiple people. Remember: grammatically, they are always singular.

Always Plural

These pronouns always take a plural verb:

both, few, many, several, others

• Both are acceptable.
• Few understand the full implications.
• Many have applied, but only ten will be selected.
• Several of the items were damaged in transit.

Singular or Plural (Depending on Context)

These pronouns can be singular or plural depending on what they refer to:

some, any, all, most, none, more

The rule: look at the noun the pronoun refers to. If that noun is uncountable or singular, use a singular verb. If it is countable and plural, use a plural verb.

• Some of the information is outdated. (information = uncountable → singular)
• Some of the documents are outdated. (documents = countable plural → plural)
• All of the equipment has been inspected. (equipment = uncountable → singular)
• All of the machines have been inspected. (machines = countable plural → plural)
• Most of the work is finished. (work = uncountable → singular)
• Most of the tasks are finished. (tasks = countable plural → plural)
• None of the evidence supports the theory. (evidence = uncountable → singular)
• None of the witnesses were credible. (witnesses = countable plural → plural)

"Each" and "Every"

When each or every precedes a subject, the verb is always singular, even with compound subjects:

• Each student and teacher has a login credential.
• Every door and window was locked before departure.
• Each of the reports requires a signature.

When each follows a plural subject, the verb stays plural:

• The students each have their own workspace.
• They each were given a separate assignment.

"There Is" and "There Are"

Sentences beginning with there are inverted: the subject comes after the verb. You must look ahead to find the true subject:

• There is a problem with the server. (problem = singular)
• There are several problems with the server. (problems = plural)
• There was an error in the calculation. (error = singular)
• There were errors in the calculation. (errors = plural)

A common mistake in informal speech is using there's (there is) with plural subjects: "There's three reasons..." This is incorrect in formal writing. Always check the noun that follows.

With compound subjects after there:

• There is a pen and a notebook on the desk. (The first item is singular, so is is acceptable in formal writing, though are is also defensible.)
• There are two pens and a notebook on the desk. (The first item is plural → are.)

"The Number of" vs. "A Number of"

These two expressions behave differently:

• The number of + plural noun → always singular (the number itself is the subject)

  • The number of applicants has increased this year.
  • The number of errors in the report is alarming.

• A number of + plural noun → always plural (equivalent to several or many)

  • A number of students have requested extensions.
  • A number of factors contribute to the delay.

This distinction trips up many writers. A helpful way to remember: the number = a specific quantity (singular), a number of = many (plural).

Titles, Company Names, and Measurements

Certain subjects that look plural actually function as singular:

• The New York Times publishes daily. (a single newspaper)
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was nominated for Best Picture. (one movie title)
• Five kilometers is a long distance to walk. (one measurement)
• Ten dollars is too much for a cup of coffee. (one amount of money)
• Two hours is enough time to finish the test. (one time period)

When referring to individual units rather than a single amount, use a plural verb:

• Ten-dollar bills are hard to break at this store. (individual bills)

Compound and Special Subjects

Many agreement errors occur in sentences with compound subjects (two or more nouns joined by a conjunction) or in sentences with unusual word order. This section provides detailed examples for every major pattern you will encounter.

Either/Or and Neither/Nor: The Proximity Rule

When subjects are joined by either...or or neither...nor, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. This is called the proximity rule.

Both Subjects Singular

When both subjects are singular, the verb is singular:

• Either the director or the producer is responsible for the delay.
• Neither the report nor the presentation was ready on time.
• Either coffee or tea is available at the meeting.

Both Subjects Plural

When both subjects are plural, the verb is plural:

• Either the managers or the supervisors are in charge of scheduling.
• Neither the graphs nor the tables were included in the final draft.

Mixed: One Singular, One Plural

When one subject is singular and the other is plural, the verb matches the one nearest to it:

• Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared for the fire drill. (students is nearer → plural)
• Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared for the fire drill. (teacher is nearer → singular)
• Either the CEO or her advisors have the final say. (advisors is nearer → plural)
• Either the advisors or the CEO has the final say. (CEO is nearer → singular)

Style tip: When you have a mixed-number construction, place the plural subject closer to the verb so the sentence sounds more natural:

• Awkward: Neither the employees nor the manager has signed the form.
• Better: Neither the manager nor the employees have signed the form.

"Or" Without "Either"

The proximity rule also applies when or is used alone:

• The textbook or the lecture notes are sufficient for the exam. (notes is nearer → plural)
• The lecture notes or the textbook is sufficient for the exam. (textbook is nearer → singular)

Both/And: Always Plural

Subjects joined by both...and are always plural, without exception:

• Both the research and the methodology are sound.
• Both the manager and the intern have completed their training.
• Both speed and accuracy matter in this role.

Note that even when each individual subject is singular, both...and makes the compound subject plural.

"As Well As," "Together With," and Similar Phrases

The following phrases connect additional information to the subject but do not create a true compound subject:

as well as, together with, along with, in addition to, accompanied by, including, rather than, no less than

The verb agrees with the original subject only:

• The professor, as well as her graduate students, is attending the symposium.
• The budget, together with the quarterly projections, has been submitted.
• The CEO, along with several board members, was present at the press conference.
• The textbook, in addition to the supplementary readings, is required for the course.
• The manager, accompanied by two analysts, has reviewed the data.
• The main report, including all appendices, was delivered on Tuesday.
• The president, rather than her deputies, is making the announcement.

Why? These phrases function as parenthetical additions, not as coordinating conjunctions like and. Grammatically, they are closer to prepositional phrases. If you want a truly plural subject, rewrite using and:

• The professor and her graduate students are attending the symposium.

Detailed Comparison

Sentence	Subject	Verb
The mayor, as well as the council members, is attending.	mayor (singular)	is
The mayor and the council members are attending.	mayor + council members (plural)	are
The report, together with the appendices, was filed.	report (singular)	was
The report and the appendices were filed.	report + appendices (plural)	were

Inverted Sentences

In standard English word order, the subject comes before the verb. In inverted sentences, the verb comes first, which makes it harder to identify the subject.

Questions

In questions, the auxiliary verb precedes the subject:

• Does the report contain the required data? (report = singular)
• Do the reports contain the required data? (reports = plural)
• Has the committee reached a decision? (committee = singular)
• Have the members reached a decision? (members = plural)

Sentences Beginning with "Here" or "There"

As discussed in the previous section, here and there are not subjects. The true subject follows the verb:

• Here is the document you requested. (document = singular)
• Here are the documents you requested. (documents = plural)
• There remains one unresolved issue. (issue = singular)
• There remain several unresolved issues. (issues = plural)

Sentences Beginning with a Prepositional Phrase or Adverb

Sometimes writers invert the subject and verb for emphasis or style:

• On the table sits a vase of flowers. (vase = singular → sits)
• On the table sit two vases of flowers. (vases = plural → sit)
• Among the applicants was a former colleague. (colleague = singular → was)
• Among the applicants were several former colleagues. (colleagues = plural → were)
• Attached to this email is the revised proposal. (proposal = singular)
• Attached to this email are the revised proposals. (proposals = plural)

Inverted Conditional Sentences

In formal writing, conditionals are sometimes inverted by dropping if:

• Were the data available, we could proceed. (standard: If the data were available...)
• Had the manager approved the plan, the project would have started. (standard: If the manager had approved...)
• Should the client request changes, notify the team immediately. (standard: If the client should request...)

In these constructions, the verb comes before the subject, but agreement still applies.

Subjects Joined by "Not Only...But Also"

With not only...but also, the verb agrees with the subject after "but also" (the proximity rule again):

• Not only the students but also the teacher was surprised. (teacher = singular)
• Not only the teacher but also the students were surprised. (students = plural)
• Not only the statistics but also the conclusion is questionable. (conclusion = singular)

Fractional and Percentage Subjects

When the subject is a fraction, a percentage, or a portion, the verb agrees with the noun in the of phrase that follows:

• Half of the report is finished. (report = singular)
• Half of the reports are finished. (reports = plural)
• Thirty percent of the budget has been allocated. (budget = singular)
• Thirty percent of the funds have been allocated. (funds = plural)
• A third of the workforce is remote. (workforce = singular)
• A third of the employees are remote. (employees = plural)
• The majority of the work is complete. (work = uncountable → singular)
• The majority of the tasks are complete. (tasks = countable plural → plural)

Relative Pronouns as Subjects

When who, which, or that is the subject of a relative clause, the verb agrees with the antecedent (the noun the pronoun refers to):

• She is the manager who is responsible for this department. (who refers to manager → singular)
• They are the managers who are responsible for this department. (who refers to managers → plural)
• This is one of the issues that have caused delays. (that refers to issues → plural)

Tricky case: "one of the...who/that"

• She is one of the students who have won scholarships. (who refers to students → plural — multiple students won scholarships, and she is one of them.)
• She is the only one of the students who has won a scholarship. (who refers to the only one → singular — only she won.)

The difference depends on whether the relative clause describes the group or a single member of the group.

Subject-Verb Agreement Reference

This section consolidates all the rules from the previous sections into quick-reference tables and a cheat sheet for tricky cases. Use it when editing your writing or when you need a fast answer to an agreement question.

Master Rules Summary

#	Rule	Example
1	Singular subject → singular verb	The report is ready.
2	Plural subject → plural verb	The reports are ready.
3	Ignore prepositional phrases between subject and verb	The cost of materials has risen.
4	Ignore parenthetical phrases (as well as, together with, along with, including)	The CEO, along with the board, is attending.
5	Subjects joined by and → plural	The CEO and the CFO are attending.
6	Either/or, neither/nor → verb agrees with the nearer subject	Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.
7	Each, every, everyone, someone, nobody → singular	Each of the files has been reviewed.
8	Both, few, many, several → plural	Both are acceptable.
9	Some, all, most, none → depends on the noun referred to	Some of the water is / Some of the files are
10	Collective nouns → usually singular (as a unit)	The committee is meeting today.
11	There is/are → verb agrees with the subject that follows	There are several issues.
12	The number of → singular; a number of → plural	The number has grown. / A number have applied.
13	Titles, measurements, and amounts → singular	The New York Times publishes daily. / Five miles is a long run.
14	Fractions and percentages → agree with the noun in the of phrase	Half of the budget is spent. / Half of the items are sold.
15	Relative pronoun (who/that/which) → agrees with its antecedent	The students who are / The student who is

Tricky Cases Cheat Sheet

Indefinite Pronouns at a Glance

Always Singular	Always Plural	Singular OR Plural
each	both	some
every	few	any
everyone / everybody	many	all
someone / somebody	several	most
anyone / anybody	others	none
no one / nobody		more
everything / something / anything / nothing
either / neither

Collective Nouns Decision Guide

Situation	Verb	Example
Group acts as one unit	Singular	The team is traveling together.
Members act individually	Plural	The team are wearing different jerseys.
Unsure?	Use singular in formal writing	The committee has decided.
Want to emphasize individuals?	Rewrite with members	The team members are wearing different jerseys.

"There Is" vs. "There Are"

What Follows?	Verb	Example
Singular noun	is / was	There is a problem.
Plural noun	are / were	There are problems.
Uncountable noun	is / was	There is no evidence.
Compound (first item singular)	is (formal) or are	There is a pen and two notebooks.
Compound (first item plural)	are / were	There are two notebooks and a pen.

Proximity Rule Summary

Construction	Rule	Example
either A or B	Verb matches B	Either the dog or the cats are outside.
neither A nor B	Verb matches B	Neither the cats nor the dog is outside.
not only A but also B	Verb matches B	Not only the staff but also the manager was informed.
A or B	Verb matches B	The notebooks or the textbook is sufficient.

Common Mistakes with Corrections

Mistake 1: Fooled by a Nearby Plural Noun

Incorrect	Correct	Why
The quality of the products are declining.	The quality of the products is declining.	Subject = quality (singular)
The list of requirements have changed.	The list of requirements has changed.	Subject = list (singular)
The purpose of these meetings are unclear.	The purpose of these meetings is unclear.	Subject = purpose (singular)
One of the servers are down.	One of the servers is down.	Subject = one (singular)
The stack of papers on both desks need filing.	The stack of papers on both desks needs filing.	Subject = stack (singular)

Mistake 2: "There Is" with Plural Subjects

Incorrect	Correct
There is several problems with this plan.	There are several problems with this plan.
There is too many variables to consider.	There are too many variables to consider.
There has been many complaints.	There have been many complaints.

Mistake 3: Indefinite Pronoun Errors

Incorrect	Correct
Everyone are expected to attend.	Everyone is expected to attend.
Each of the files have been reviewed.	Each of the files has been reviewed.
Neither of the options are ideal.	Neither of the options is ideal.
Nobody want to go first.	Nobody wants to go first.
Somebody need to take responsibility.	Somebody needs to take responsibility.

Mistake 4: Compound Subject Errors

Incorrect	Correct
The manager and the team is ready.	The manager and the team are ready.
Neither the teacher nor the students has the answer.	Neither the teacher nor the students have the answer.
Both the proposal and the budget needs approval.	Both the proposal and the budget need approval.

Mistake 5: "Along With" Treated as "And"

Incorrect	Correct
The CEO, along with the board, are reviewing the budget.	The CEO, along with the board, is reviewing the budget.
The report, as well as the appendices, were submitted.	The report, as well as the appendices, was submitted.
The president, together with his advisors, have arrived.	The president, together with his advisors, has arrived.

Mistake 6: "The Number of" vs. "A Number of"

Incorrect	Correct
The number of complaints have increased.	The number of complaints has increased.
A number of issues has been raised.	A number of issues have been raised.

Editing Checklist

Use this checklist every time you revise a piece of writing:

1. Find the true subject for every sentence. Ask "Who or what?" before the verb.
2. Cross out prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb. They do not affect agreement.
3. Cross out parenthetical phrases (along with, as well as, together with, including). They do not create compound subjects.
4. Check "there is/are" sentences. Find the real subject after the verb and match accordingly.
5. Verify indefinite pronouns. Everyone, each, neither, nobody, someone are always singular.
6. Check or/nor constructions. Apply the proximity rule — the verb matches the nearer subject.
7. Confirm and constructions. Subjects joined by and are almost always plural.
8. Review collective nouns. Default to singular in formal writing unless members clearly act individually.
9. Examine inverted sentences. Identify the subject even when it follows the verb.
10. Test with pronoun substitution. Replace the subject with he/she/it or they to confirm the verb form.

Quick Decision Flowchart

When you encounter a tricky subject, ask yourself these questions in order:

Step 1: Is the subject joined by and?

• Yes → Plural (unless it refers to a single concept, like bread and butter).

Step 2: Is the subject joined by or, nor, either...or, or neither...nor?

• Yes → Match the verb to the subject nearest to the verb.

Step 3: Is the subject an indefinite pronoun?

• each, every, everyone, someone, nobody, either, neither → Singular
• both, few, many, several → Plural
• some, all, most, none → Look at what it refers to (uncountable = singular, countable plural = plural)

Step 4: Is there a phrase between the subject and the verb?

• Ignore it. Match the verb to the true subject only.

Step 5: Is the sentence inverted (there is/are, a question, emphasis inversion)?

• Find the real subject (usually after the verb) and match.