Quiz questions answers on subject verb agreement

 

Answers—Subject-verb agreement: Advanced

Below you'll find the answers to the quiz questions.

You have got 8 out of 8 answers correct.

1. The frogs at the cottage  very loudly.

   Your answer b) croak is correct.

   •  a) croaks
   •  b) croak
   The true subject (frogs) is plural, so it needs a plural verb (croak).

2. The horses  wildly across the field.

   Your answer b) gallop is correct.

   •  a) gallops
   •  b) gallop
   The subject is plural (horses), so it needs a plural verb (gallop).

3. The herd of horses  wildly across the field.

   Your answer a) gallops is correct.

   •  a) gallops
   •  b) gallop
   The true subject is herd, not horses. Since herd is singular, it needs a singular verb (gallops).

4. There  been many hurricanes this year.

   Your answer a) have is incorrect.

   The correct answer is b) have.

   •  a) has
   •  b) have
   The true subject is plural (hurricanes), so it needs a plural verb (have).

5. The woman with all the cats  here regularly.

   Your answer a) shops is correct.

   •  a) shops
   •  b) shop
   The true subject is woman, not cats. Since woman is singular, it needs a singular verb (shops).

6. The mascot, as well as the hockey players,  at the school.

   Your answer b) volunteers is correct.

   •  a) volunteer
   •  b) volunteers
   The true subject is mascot. Since mascot is singular, it needs a singular verb (volunteers). In this sentence, as well as the hockey players is a prepositional phrase and therefore not part of the simple subject.

7. The hockey players and the mascot  at the school.

   Your answer a) volunteer is correct.

   •  a) volunteer
   •  b) volunteers
   The compound subject the hockey players and the mascot is plural, so the verb needs to be plural (volunteer).

8. The hockey players or the mascot  at the school.

   Your answer b) volunteers is correct.

   •  a) volunteer
   •  b) volunteers
   When the subjects are joined by or, the verb agrees with the closer subject. In this case, the verb must be singular (volunteers) to agree with mascot.