Subject/Verb Agreement (Concord) (Grade 11 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Subject/Verb Agreement (Concord)
What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement, also called concord, is a fundamental grammar rule that ensures your subjects and verbs work together correctly in a sentence. When you write or speak, the verb you choose must match the number of your subject - whether it's singular (one) or plural (more than one).
Think of it as a matching game: singular subjects need singular verbs, and plural subjects need plural verbs. This agreement helps your sentences sound natural and makes your meaning clear.
The basic rule
The Core Principle of Subject-Verb Agreement
The fundamental rule is straightforward and forms the foundation of all subject-verb agreement:
- Singular subjects pair with singular verbs
- Plural subjects pair with plural verbs
For example:
- The policeman arrests the robbers. (singular subject "policeman" + singular verb "arrests")
- The policemen arrest the robbers. (plural subject "policemen" + plural verb "arrest")
Notice how the verb changes from "arrests" to "arrest" when the subject changes from singular to plural.
How subject-verb agreement appears in exams
In your NSC English FAL exam, you'll encounter subject-verb agreement questions in Paper 1. These questions test whether you can identify and correct agreement errors, or transform sentences whilst maintaining correct agreement.
Common Exam Tasks
These questions typically appear in the following formats:
- Rewriting sentences in plural form - You'll need to change a singular sentence so that all parts (subject, verb, pronouns, possessives) become plural
- Correcting agreement errors - You'll identify and fix verbs that don't match their subjects
These questions are usually worth one mark, so you should only make one correction per instruction.
Worked examples
Let's explore different types of subject-verb agreement challenges you might face, with detailed explanations of how to solve them.
Worked Example 1: Changing a sentence to plural form
Original sentence: That mother and baby still move in my thoughts.
Corrected version: Those mothers and babies still move in our thoughts.
What changes:
- "That" becomes "those" (plural demonstrative pronoun)
- "Mother" becomes "mothers" (add 's' for regular plural)
- "Baby" becomes "babies" (change 'y' to 'ies' for words ending in consonant + y)
- "My" becomes "our" (plural possessive pronoun)
Notice that the verb "move" stays the same because it already works with plural subjects.
Worked Example 2: Correcting compound subjects
Incorrect: My heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts was racing through my mind.
Correct: My heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts were racing through my mind.
The error: The subject "thoughts" is plural, so it requires the plural verb "were" rather than the singular "was". Even though "a thousand" comes before it, "thoughts" is still a plural noun and needs a plural verb.
Worked Example 3: Changing only the subject
Original: The Minister of Education worked tirelessly.
Plural version: The Ministers of Education worked tirelessly.
Key point: When changing to plural form, sometimes only the subject needs to change. Here, "Minister" becomes "Ministers", but the past tense verb "worked" remains the same because past tense verbs in English don't change between singular and plural.
Worked Example 4: Third-person singular in present tense
Incorrect: She make an impact on people.
Correct: She makes an impact on people.
The rule: Third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, or singular nouns) require verbs ending in 's' in the present tense. This is one of the most common errors students make. Remember: "he makes", "she writes", "it works".
Worked Example 5: Past tense agreement
Incorrect: His face were still partially paralysed and he spoke in a soft voice.
Correct: His face was still partially paralysed and he spoke in a soft voice.
Why it's wrong: "Face" is a singular noun, so it needs the singular past tense form "was" rather than the plural "were". Don't be confused by what follows the subject - focus on whether the subject itself is singular or plural.
Worked Example 6: Collective nouns and phrases
Incorrect: Body language make up 50 to 100% of a conversation.
Correct: Body language makes up 50 to 100% of a conversation.
Important concept: "Body language" is treated as a singular noun phrase (even though it refers to multiple body movements). Singular subjects like this need singular verbs: "makes", not "make".
Worked Example 7: Complete sentence transformation
Original: When a person is lying, he tends to become generally less expressive.
Plural version: When people are lying, they tend to become generally less expressive.
Multiple changes:
- "A person" → "people" (singular to plural subject)
- "He" → "they" (singular to plural pronoun)
- "Is" → "are" (singular to plural verb)
- "Tends" → "tend" (singular to plural verb)
When transforming an entire sentence, check every element carefully to ensure all parts agree with the new plural subject.
Essential exam tips
To excel at subject-verb agreement questions, follow these strategies:
1. Locate the subject first
Before choosing your verb, identify the subject of the sentence. Ask yourself: "Who or what is performing the action?" Then determine if it's singular or plural.
2. Match the verb to the subject
Once you've identified the subject, select a verb that agrees in number. Don't be distracted by words that come between the subject and verb.
The 's' Rule for Present Tense
In present tense, third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, or singular nouns) take verbs ending in 's':
- He walks (not walk)
- She reads (not read)
- It works (not work)
3. Check for one error only
If a question is worth one mark, correct only one mistake. Don't over-correct or change multiple elements unless instructed.
4. Pay attention to tricky subjects
Watch Out For These Common Pitfalls
Be particularly careful with:
- Collective nouns (team, family, government) - usually singular
- Phrases that sound plural but are singular (body language, news, mathematics)
- Compound subjects joined by "and" - usually plural
Key Points to Remember
- Concord means agreement - your verbs must match your subjects in number (singular or plural)
- Always identify the subject first before selecting your verb form
- Third-person singular subjects take 's' verbs in present tense (she makes, he works, it helps)
- Past tense verbs change between was/were - use "was" for singular subjects and "were" for plural subjects
- When transforming sentences to plural, remember to change subjects, verbs, pronouns, and possessives consistently throughout the sentence