What are the most frequent subject-verb agreement errors in English

The most frequent subject-verb agreement errors in English typically include the following:

1. Errors between singular and plural subjects and verbs, such as using a singular verb with a plural subject or vice versa.
2. Omission or misformation of verb forms, especially in the third person singular where an -s or -es ending is required but often left out.
3. Errors involving tense selection that affect agreement consistency within sentences.
4. Agreement errors caused by proximity to nearby nouns that distract from the actual subject (attraction errors), especially when the subject is singular but a nearby noun is plural or vice versa.
5. Lack of awareness or incorrect use of rules in complex sentence structures, such as collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, or phrases between the subject and verb.

At its core, subject-verb agreement errors happen when the verb form does not correctly reflect the number and person of the subject. This mismatch disrupts clarity and can confuse listeners or readers, making it one of the most critical grammar points for learners to master.

Studies on English learners, especially EFL students, reveal that subject-verb agreement errors rank among the most common grammatical mistakes. These errors often stem from linguistic interference, insufficient understanding of English grammar rules, and lack of practice. For example, one study found 25.32% of errors in spoken English to be subject-verb agreement errors, making it the most frequent error type among others like verb form and tense errors. Another research highlighted misformation and omission as the main error types in subject-verb agreement, with omission being a major factor. ^{1, 2, 5, 16}

To summarize:

Singular vs. Plural Subject-Verb Agreement

One of the simplest but most frequent mistakes is mismatching singular subjects with plural verbs, or vice versa. For example:

• Incorrect: The list of items are on the table.
• Correct: The list of items is on the table.

Here, the subject “list” is singular, though “items” nearby might mislead learners into thinking the verb should be plural. This is a classic attraction error (discussed below).

In conversation, these errors can cause confusion because native speakers rely on subtle cues to mentally track number agreement for comprehension. Pronouncing the correct verb ending, especially the third person singular -s, helps listeners process meaning more smoothly. Thus, mastering these small endings is key to clearer spoken English.

Omission and Misformation of Third Person Singular -s/-es

Many language learners, particularly speakers of languages without verbal inflection, omit the necessary -s or -es ending in the third person singular present tense—for instance:

• Incorrect: She walk to school every day.
• Correct: She walks to school every day.

Here, the verb form lacks the -s ending that signals third person singular. This omission not only breaks agreement rules but also sounds noticeably non-native.

Verb endings that require -es (e.g., go → goes, watch → watches) are also tricky because of the spelling and pronunciation changes. Learners often mispronounce or drop the -es, which disrupts rhythm and clarity in speech. Practice in real speaking situations, including repeated oral drills, reduces these errors effectively.

Tense-Related Agreement Errors

Errors sometimes arise when verb tense changes cause misalignment between subject and verb forms. For example:

• Incorrect: He says he was happy.
• Correct: He says he is happy.

Here, the embedded clause’s verb tense (“was” vs. “is”) affects perceived agreement. While tense isn’t subject-verb agreement per se, mixing tense and agreement errors complicates learners’ usage.

Also, in narratives or reported speech, learners may accidentally revert to singular or plural verb forms inconsistent with the subject’s number, leading to confusion.

Attraction Errors: When Nearby Nouns Distract

Attraction errors happen when a nearby noun with a different number distracts from the real subject, causing incorrect verb forms. For example:

• Incorrect: The bouquet of flowers are beautiful.
• Correct: The bouquet of flowers is beautiful.

Here, the plural “flowers” attracts the plural verb “are”, when the actual subject “bouquet” is singular. These errors are common in complex noun phrases and require learners to identify the true subject, not the closest noun.

Challenges with Complex Subject Structures

Certain grammatical subjects raise more difficulties:

• Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, audience): May take singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is viewed as one unit or individuals.

  • The team is winning. (as a single unit)
  • The team are arguing among themselves. (emphasizing individuals)

• Indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, each, nobody) are always singular, despite implying multiple people.

  • Everyone is ready.

• Phrases between the subject and verb (e.g., appositives, prepositional phrases) often confuse learners regarding which noun controls agreement.

  • The bag, along with the shoes, is new.

Recognizing these subtle nuances in subject forms is essential for accurate agreements, particularly in formal and academic contexts. Misapplication results from treating the closest noun physically near the verb as the subject rather than the actual grammatical subject.

Common Misconceptions

• “There” as a subject: When sentences begin with “There,” learners may mistakenly confuse the actual subject’s number.

  • There is a problem.
  • There are two problems.

• Compound subjects joined by “and”: Usually take plural verbs (e.g., Tom and Jerry are friends), but if joined by “or/nor,” the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

  • Either the teacher or the students are late.
  • Either the students or the teacher is late.

These rules are often overlooked in casual speech and writing, causing frequent errors.

Pronunciation and Speaking Implications

In spoken English, the most noticeable marker of subject-verb agreement is the third person singular -s/-es sound, typically pronounced as /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/. Missing or mispronouncing this ending can hinder listener comprehension, as it signals the subject’s person and number.

For example, in fast speech, the phrase:

• She likes tea [pronounced /ʃi laɪks ti/]

losing the final /s/ (she like tea) can cause confusion over who is doing the liking.

Pronunciation-focused conversation practice is vital to internalizing these endings, as active use reinforces both hearing and producing correct agreement forms.

Strategies to Reduce Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

Step-by-step approaches to mastering agreement include:

1. Identify the subject clearly before deciding on the verb form, ignoring nearby distractions.
2. Memorize key indefinite pronouns and their singular or plural status.
3. Practice verb conjugations, focusing on third person singular present tense endings.
4. Analyze complex sentences to find the subject and decide verb agreement.
5. Engage in spoken drills to strengthen the habit of producing correct endings aloud.
6. Seek feedback in speaking or writing to catch unnoticed errors early.

Consistent exposure and active practice in conversation contexts improve real-world accuracy more efficiently than passive learning.

This overview provides a comprehensive picture of the most frequent subject-verb agreement errors in English, especially among language learners, grounded in recent research findings.

Références

• Kajian Terhadap Common Errors dalam Penerapan Aturan Subject-Verb Agreement Bahasa Inggris

• ERRORS IN WORD ORDER AND SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT IN THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS ABSTRACTS

• IDENTIFYING COMMON CONTRASTIVE ERRORS IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR MADE BY INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS: CAUSES AND SOLUTION

• Subject-Verb Agreement Error Handling using NLP: A Literature Review

• analysis of grammatical errors in English speaking of Thai EFL Students

• A Light Rule-based Approach to English Subject-Verb Agreement Errors on the Third Person Singular Forms

• AN ANALYSIS OF COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH MADE BY STUDENTS OF THE FOURTH SEMESTER IN THE FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURES IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2021/2022

• SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT IN L2 LEARNER LANGUAGE A study of compulsory school English in a Swedish context

• FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH MAJORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMON GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN PARAGRAPH WRITING AT NAM CAN THO UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

• Common Errors in Grammar and Mechanics in Academic Writing by Senior High School Students

• ERROR ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH WRITTEN ESSAY OF HIGHER EFL LEARNERS: A CASE STUDY

• ANALYSIS OF THE TERTIARY STUDENTS’ ENGLISH WRITING ERRORS; WHAT ERRORS ARE AND WHAT LEVELS ARE

• Common informative writing errors among junior high school students: input to lesson exemplars

• An error analysis on EFL students’ writing

• Keeping it simple: studying grammatical encoding with lexically reduced item sets

• Grammar Errors Made by ESL Tertiary Students in Writing

• Decoding the Challenges: A Study of English Writing Errors Among EFL Students

• Grammatical Errors Found in English Writing: A Study from Al-Hussein Bin Talal University