Read this sentence:
The results of the study was surprising.
Something feels off, right? But if you were moving fast, you might not catch it. That's exactly how the SAT wants you to feel... just confident enough to miss it.
Subject-verb agreement is one of the most tested grammar concepts on the SAT Writing section. The rule itself is simple: singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs. What makes it hard is that the SAT goes out of its way to hide the subject from you.
Let's talk about how.
The basic rule
A singular subject needs a singular verb. A plural subject needs a plural verb.
The dog barks. (singular)
The dogs bark. (plural)
You already know this. The SAT is counting on the fact that you know it so well that you apply it on autopilot, which is exactly when you make mistakes.
The most common trap: the prepositional phrase
This is the one that gets almost everyone. The SAT will stick a long phrase between the subject and the verb, and your brain will latch onto the noun closest to the verb instead of the actual subject.
Back to our example:
Wrong: The results of the study was surprising.
Your eye lands on "study" right before "was," and it sounds fine. But "study" is just part of a prepositional phrase ("of the study"). It is not the subject. The subject is "results," which is plural. The correct verb is "were."
Right: The results of the study were surprising.
Whenever you see a verb underlined on the SAT, cross out any prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb. What's left is your actual subject, and that's what the verb has to agree with.
Other phrases the SAT uses to confuse you
Prepositional phrases are the most common trick, but not the only one. Watch out for these as well:
Phrases set off by commas
Wrong: The governor, along with several senators, have announced a new policy.
"Along with several senators" is extra information tucked between commas. Cross it out. The subject is "governor," singular. The verb should be "has," not "have."
Inverted sentences
Sometimes the SAT flips the sentence so the verb comes before the subject.
Wrong: At the center of the debates are a single question.
Rearrange it: "A single question is at the center of the debates." Now it's obvious. The subject is "question," singular, so the verb should be "is," not "are."
Indefinite pronouns
These trip students up constantly because some of them sound plural but are actually singular. The following are always singular:
- everyone, everyone, anyone, no one, someone
- each, either, neither
- everything, anything, nothing, something
Wrong: Each of the students are responsible for their own materials.
"Each" is the subject, and it's singular. The correct verb is "is," not "are." The plural noun "students" in the prepositional phrase has nothing to do with it.
How to approach these questions on test day
When you see a verb underlined, do this before you even look at the answer choices:
- Find the subject. Ask yourself: what is this sentence actually about?
- Cross out anything between the subject and the verb: prepositional phrases, descriptive clauses, anything set off by commas.
- Decide: is the subject singular or plural?
- Pick the verb that matches.
It takes a few extra seconds, but it's nearly impossible to get these wrong once you slow down and find the real subject.
One more thing worth knowing
Collective nouns like "team," "group," "committee," and "class" are treated as singular on the SAT, even though they refer to multiple people.
The committee has made its decision.
Not "have." Not "their." Singular verb, singular pronoun. The SAT tests this regularly, and students who think in terms of "a group of people = plural" lose points here.
If you want to work through these patterns with someone who can catch your specific habits and blind spots, that's what we do at District Scholars. Real one-on-one SAT prep, built around how you think. Get started at www.districtscholars.com/contact.
