Disagreement between subject and verb occurs most frequently when the subject and verb are separated by a number of other words. In that case, the writer mistakes one of the intervening words as the subject of the sentence, when in fact it isn’t. Look at this example, and see if you can spot the issue.
The result of the sensitivity tests were reported to the board and management as part of the annual business planning process.
Here, the writer has accidentally used the plural verb were, believing that the subject is sensitivity tests. In fact, the subject is result, which is singular. If we remove the intervening words, the mistake becomes obvious, as shown here:
The result were reported to the board and management as part of the annual business planning process.
The corrected version (including the intervening words) is this:
The result of the sensitivity tests was reported to the board and management as part of the annual business planning process.
Here is another example in which the writer has taken the wrong word (liquidity) for the subject and therefore used a singular verb, which is incorrect.
The increased demands on liquidity reflects the overall weaknesses of the association’s financial position.
Again, if we remove the intervening words to check for proper subject-verb agreement, the error becomes clear:
The increased demands reflects the overall weaknesses of the association’s financial position.
The correct verb form is the plural reflect to match the plural subject, demands.
Subject-verb disagreement also occurs in report writing when the sentence contains a compound subject. A compound subject is two or more subjects in once clause. Consequently, the verb must be plural, not singular. Here is an example of a sentence with a compound subject:
Reading and writing are related skills.
There are two subjects—reading and writing—and therefore the verb must be plural. We wouldn’t say “Reading and writing is related skills.”
Nevertheless, report writers occasionally don’t notice compound subjects within sentences when the compound subject and verb are separated by several other words, as in the following case:
Quality and quantity of ground water was cited as being the key to keeping land values firm.
It should read:
Quality and quantity of ground water were cited as being the key to keeping land values firm.
Here is another example with intervening phrases following both subjects.
The best protection for the taxpayer and the best hope for the long-term health of the Farm Credit System is adequately capitalized and soundly managed primary lenders.
We wouldn’t write “protection and hope is” in a sentence, but that’s precisely what has occurred in this sentence.
Here is the corrected version with the plural verb form are.
The best protection for the taxpayer and the best hope for the long-term health of the Farm Credit System are adequately capitalized and soundly managed primary lenders.
When checking for proper subject-verb agreement, first identify the subject (whether compound or not) and verb; then, remove any intervening words.
