Grammar · Verb & Sentence Basics
Subject–Verb Agreement
One person “is”, many people “are”. Learn to match every subject with the right verb, even when it is hard to see, with the film Selma.
Grammar › Verb & Sentence Basics › Subject–Verb Agreement
The rule in one sentenceA singular subject takes a singular verb (King is, the crowd was) and a plural subject takes a plural verb (the marchers are, the people were), so always find the real subject first.
About the film
Selma is a 2014 film about a real fight for voting rights in the USA. In 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. travels to the town of Selma, in Alabama. Many Black citizens there want to vote, but local officials stop them from registering. King and his team plan a peaceful march from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital.
What does it do?
In English, the verb must match the person or thing that does the action. We call this “agreement”. When the subject is one person or thing, the verb is singular: it often ends in -s, or it becomes is, was, has.
When the subject is two or more people or things, the verb is plural: there is no -s, and we use are, were, have. The difficult part is finding the real subject, because other words often come between the subject and the verb.
Look at the third tile. A crowd has many people in it, but it is one group, so the verb is singular. In the last tile, two subjects joined by “and” make a plural subject.
The group of marchers is very large. The marchers in the group are tired but calm.
Find the real subject. In the first sentence it is “group” (one). In the second it is “marchers” (many). The words in between do not change the verb.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
How to make it
singular subject — one person or thing
The president lives in Washington.
The crowd doesn’t want trouble.
Use doesn’t, isn’t and wasn’t with a singular subject.Does everyone know the plan?
In questions, “does” carries the -s. The main verb has no -s.plural subject — two or more
Many people want change.
The officials don’t listen.
Use don’t, aren’t and weren’t with a plural subject.Are the marchers ready?
Plural subject → are, were, do, have.When to use each one
singular subject
plural subject
Words that help
These words tell you which verb form to use.
singular subject → is, was, has, verb + s
plural subject → are, were, have, verb
Common mistakes
❌ King have a plan.
✅ King has a plan.
King is one person (he), so use “has”.
❌ The people of Selma wants to vote.
✅ The people of Selma want to vote.
“People” is plural, so the verb has no -s.
❌ One of the leaders are worried.
✅ One of the leaders is worried.
The real subject is “one”, not “leaders”.
❌ Everyone in the church are singing.
✅ Everyone in the church is singing.
“Everyone” means many people, but it is always singular.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
Group nouns can go both ways in British English. Words like crowd, team, family and government are singular when you think of the group as one unit. In British English they can be plural when you think of the separate people in it. American English usually keeps them singular. The police always takes a plural verb.
✅ The crowd is bigger than yesterday. (one unit)
✅ The crowd are singing and holding hands. (many people, British English)
Practice: choose the right verb
Eight questions. Find the real subject, then choose the verb. You get the answer, and why.
1. King ___ a famous leader.
King is one person → is.
2. The marchers ___ ready.
“Marchers” is plural → are.
3. Everyone ___ the right to vote.
“Everyone” is always singular → has.
4. King and his team ___ a plan.
Two subjects joined by “and” → plural → have.
5. One of the marchers ___ very young.
The real subject is “one” → is.
6. The police ___ outside the building.
“The police” is always plural → are.
7. The president ___ in Washington.
The president is one person (he) → lives.
8. Nobody ___ the answer.
“Nobody” is singular → knows.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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