Subject/Verb Agreement (Concord) (Grade 12 NSC Matric English HL): Revision Notes
Subject/Verb Agreement (Concord)
What is subject-verb agreement?
Concord is the grammatical principle that ensures the subject and verb in a sentence work together harmoniously. This means they must "agree" with each other in terms of number - whether they are singular or plural.
The fundamental rule is straightforward: when you have a singular subject (referring to one person, place, or thing), you must use a singular verb. Similarly, when you have a plural subject (referring to more than one), you must use a plural verb.
The key to mastering subject-verb agreement is remembering that the subject and verb must always match in number. Think of them as dance partners who must move in harmony - if one is singular, the other must be singular too.
Consider these basic examples:
- Singular: "The policeman arrests the robbers" (one policeman = singular verb "arrests")
- Plural: "The policemen arrest the robbers" (multiple policemen = plural verb "arrest")
Common exam question types
In your NSC English examination, you'll typically encounter two main types of subject-verb agreement questions:
- Transformation questions: You'll need to rewrite a singular sentence in plural form, ensuring all parts agree correctly
- Error correction questions: You'll need to identify and fix subject-verb disagreement errors in given sentences
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't just change the subject or just change the verb - when transforming sentences, multiple elements often need to change simultaneously to maintain proper agreement throughout the entire sentence.
Worked examples and common error patterns
Understanding subject-verb agreement becomes much clearer when you see it applied in real examples. The following sections demonstrate the most common patterns you'll encounter in your examinations.
Converting singular sentences to plural form
When transforming sentences from singular to plural, several elements must change simultaneously to maintain proper agreement.
Worked Example: Singular to Plural Transformation
Original sentence: "That mother and baby still move in my thoughts." Corrected plural form: "Those mothers and babies still move in our thoughts."
The changes required were:
- "That" becomes "Those" (demonstrative pronoun must agree)
- "Mother" becomes "Mothers" (add 's' for regular plural)
- "Baby" becomes "Babies" (change 'y' to 'ies' for words ending in consonant + y)
- "My" becomes "Our" (possessive pronoun shifts from singular to plural perspective)
Correcting agreement errors with compound subjects
Sometimes sentences contain multiple subjects joined by "and", creating compound subjects that require careful attention.
Worked Example: Compound Subject Agreement
Incorrect: "My heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts was racing through my mind." Corrected: "My heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts were racing through my mind."
The error occurred because thoughts is plural, requiring the plural verb were instead of the singular "was".
Subject identification in complex sentences
Worked Example: Third-Person Singular Agreement
Incorrect: "She make an impact on people." Corrected: "She makes an impact on people."
Third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) require verbs ending in 's' in the present tense. This is one of the most common errors students make.
Past tense agreement errors
Worked Example: Past Tense Agreement
Incorrect: "His face were still partially paralysed and he spoke in a soft voice." Corrected: "His face was still partially paralysed and he spoke in a soft voice."
Even in past tense, singular subjects like "face" require singular verbs like "was", not plural verbs like "were".
Misleading plural-sounding subjects
Worked Example: Misleading Plural Forms
Incorrect: "Body language make up 50 to 100% of a conversation." Corrected: "Body language makes up 50 to 100% of a conversation."
"Body language" might sound plural, but it's actually a singular concept, so it needs the singular verb makes.
Many compound nouns and abstract concepts that might sound plural are actually treated as singular subjects. Examples include "body language," "social media," "common sense," and "general knowledge."
Complete sentence transformations
When changing entire sentences to plural form, you must adjust multiple elements systematically.
Worked Example: 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."
Changes made:
- "A person" becomes "People"
- "He" becomes "They"
- "Is" becomes "Are"
- "Tends" becomes "Tend"
Essential exam strategies
Key Exam Strategies:
- Start by identifying the subject: Before choosing your verb, clearly identify whether the subject is singular or plural
- Ensure verb agreement: Once you've identified the subject, select the verb form that matches its number
- Remember the 's' rule: In present tense, third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, or singular nouns) take verbs ending in 's'
- Check for single errors: When correcting mistakes, look for only one error if the question is worth one mark - don't over-correct
Remember - Key Points to Master:
- Subject-verb agreement means the subject and verb must match in number (singular with singular, plural with plural)
- Always identify the true subject first - don't be misled by words that come between the subject and verb
- Third-person singular subjects in present tense need verbs ending in 's' (he walks, she runs, it works)
- When transforming sentences, multiple elements may need to change to maintain proper agreement
- Practice identifying subjects in complex sentences - this skill is essential for avoiding agreement errors