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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 DolphinPractice questions
9-14 min practice time3 questions on pageStandard English Conventions
Practice time9-14 min
Question bank3 questions
Best forStandard English Conventions

What this tests

What to know for this SAT skill

Dolphin question bank

Practice your skill

Question 1 of 3Hard

A species of Byropsis algae produces toxins to avoid being eaten by predators. However, in some cases, the toxins the organism uses to protect itself from predation actually its attractiveness to predators. The Hawaiian sea slug, for example, not only tolerates Byropsis toxins but actually uses them for protection in the same way the algae does.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
  1. is increasing
  2. increase
  3. increases
  4. has increased
Show answer and solution
Correct answerB. increase

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice B is the best answer.
  2. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement.
  3. The plural verb "increase" agrees in number with the plural subject "toxins. "
Why the other choices miss
Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "is increasing" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins. " Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "increases" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins. " Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "has increased" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins. "
Question 2 of 3Easy

In 1899, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius developed an equation to answer a long-standing question: why do chemical reactions speed up at higher temperatures? The Arrhenius equation, named for its creator, an important concept in modern chemistry.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
  1. have remained
  2. remain
  3. remains
  4. are remaining
Show answer and solution
Correct answerC. remains

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice C is the best answer.
  2. This choice uses the singular verb "remains" to match the singular subject "equation. "
Why the other choices miss
Choice A is incorrect. The singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "have remained. " Choice B is incorrect. The singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "remain. " Choice D is incorrect. The singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "are remaining. "
Question 3 of 3Medium

Oyster mushrooms typically get their nutrients from the damp logs on which they grow, but the fungi are also carnivorous, with the ability to kill and consume microscopic worms known as nematodes. As researcher Yen-Ping Hsueh has shown, the mushrooms release a toxin that is deadly to nematodes that in contact with it.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
  1. has come
  2. comes
  3. is coming
  4. come
Show answer and solution
Correct answerD. come

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice D is the best answer.
  2. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement.
  3. The plural verb "come" agrees in number with the plural subject "nematodes. "
Why the other choices miss
Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "has come" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes. " Choice B is incorrect because the singular verb "comes" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes. " Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "is coming" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "nematodes. "

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

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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.