Mastering Advanced English Writing and Style
Advanced Sentence Architecture
Sentences with Complex Subjects
You already know that a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. But sentences aren't always so simple. The subject can be more complex than a single noun, leading to tricky situations.
Let's start with compound subjects, which are two or more subjects joined by a conjunction. When subjects are joined by and, they are treated as a plural subject. This is usually straightforward.
The project manager and the lead developer are in the meeting.
However, when subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. This is called the rule of proximity.
Neither the clients nor the consultant is available. Either the consultant or the clients are available.
The key is to look at the subject noun that's right next to the verb.
Another common source of confusion is the intervening phrase. This is a phrase or clause that comes between the subject and the verb. It's easy to mistakenly make the verb agree with the noun in that phrase instead of the true subject.
To avoid this error, mentally cross out the intervening phrase. The core sentence, and its correct subject-verb agreement, will become clear.
The folder of important documents is on the desk. (not are)
In this example, of important documents is a prepositional phrase. The subject is folder (singular), not documents (plural). The verb must be is.
Groups, Quantities, and Inversions
Certain types of subjects have their own special rules. , which refer to a group of individuals, can be particularly tricky. In American English, collective nouns are almost always treated as singular because they represent a single unit.
The team is working late tonight. The committee has reached a decision.
British English is more flexible. If the group is acting as a single entity, the noun is singular. But if the individuals within the group are acting separately, it can be treated as plural.
The staff are taking their separate holidays. (British English)
Another category to watch is —words that refer to non-specific people or things. Some are always singular, some are always plural, and a few can be either, depending on the context.
| Category | Pronouns | Verb Used |
|---|---|---|
| Always Singular | another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something | Singular |
| Always Plural | both, few, many, several | Plural |
| Singular or Plural | all, any, more, most, none, some | Depends on the noun in the phrase that follows (e.g., Some of the cake is left. vs. Some of the cookies are left.) |
Finally, consider inverted sentences, where the verb comes before the subject. This often happens in questions or in sentences that begin with phrases like Here is/are or There is/are.
In these cases, the subject is what follows the verb. Don't be fooled by the word here or there; they are never the subject.
There are two reasons for the delay. Here is the report you requested.
To check your work, you can flip the sentence around: Two reasons for the delay exist there. The subject, reasons, is clearly plural, so the plural verb are is correct.
Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence: The list of project requirements, along with the initial sketches, ____ on the server.
Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence: Neither the managers nor the team lead ____ the new policy.
Mastering these advanced cases will help you write with greater precision and avoid the common errors that can make complex sentences ambiguous or incorrect.