SHSAT: Agreement, tense and parallel form
Learn to match each verb to its true subject, keep events in a logical time order, and give items in a list or comparison the same form.
How do you pick the right verb when phrases, tricky subjects and long sentences make every choice sound possible?
Short answer
Find the verb's real subject by setting aside the phrases between them, then match singular to singular and plural to plural. For tense and lists, check the time order and make matching items match in form.
Know first: Singular and plural nouns, Present, past and past participle verb forms
Step 1 of 6
Find the true subject first
Every verb has a subject, the word that names who or what does the action. The verb must agree with it: the key is, the keys are.
The trouble is that the noun closest to the verb is often not the subject. Phrases starting with of, on, in, near, with or along with sit between the subject and the verb and pull your ear toward the wrong noun. Set those phrases aside and read the subject and verb together.
Wrong: The bag of marbles under the beds are heavy.
Right: The bag of marbles under the beds is heavy.
Of marbles and under the beds only describe the bag. The subject is bag, which is singular.
| Subject | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Each, every, one of | Singular | Each of the drums has a crack. |
| Neither...nor, either...or | Match the nearer subject | Neither the guide nor the campers were lost. |
| There is, there are | The subject comes after the verb | There are two exits. |
| News, a set, a list | Singular | The news is good. |
| One of the ___ who | Who refers to the plural noun | one of the singers who practice daily |
Step 2 of 6
Keep the time order and the form steady
Some questions in this group test tense. When one past action finished before another, the earlier one uses had plus a past participle: By the time we arrived, the show had started. For something that did not happen in the past, pair had in the if-part with would have in the result: If Rae had left earlier, she would have caught the train.
Parallel form means items in a list or comparison share one grammatical shape: three -ing words, three verbs or three nouns, never a mix. In a comparison, compare like with like: a mural with a mural, not a mural with a room.
Step 3 of 6
Strip the sentence down to subject and verb
Worked example: A subject hidden behind two phrases
Choose the correct verb: “The labels on the box of costumes ___ peeling off.”
- Ais
- Bwas
- Care
- Dhas been
- 1
Find the verb's subject
Ask what is peeling off. It's the labels.
- 2
Set aside the phrases
On the box and of costumes are describing phrases. Read without them: The labels ___ peeling off.
- 3
Match and check
Labels is plural, so the verb is are. Choices A, B and D are singular forms that agree with box, the singular noun in the middle of the sentence.
Answer
C. are
Find the wrong step
A student fixes the tense in When the inspectors arrived, the crew already finished the repairs.
- 1
Notes that the repairs were finished before the inspectors arrived.
- 2
Decides that the earlier action needs had plus a past participle.
- 3
Writes: When the inspectors arrived, the crew will have already finished the repairs.
What went wrong
Will have points to the future, but both events are in the past. The student used the future perfect where the past perfect belongs.
The fix
When the inspectors arrived, the crew had already finished the repairs.
Step 4 of 6
Agreement, tense and form in action
Check yourself · Question 1
Choose the correct completion: “Neither the coach nor the players ___ the new uniforms yet.”
Answer: B
With neither...nor, the verb matches the nearer subject. Players is plural, so the verb is have seen.
Trap answer: has seen
Agreeing with the first subject
- Why it looks right
- Coach comes first and sounds like the main subject, so a singular verb seems natural.
- Why it's wrong
- With neither...nor, only the subject next to the verb counts. Here that is players.
- The right answer
- Have seen, which agrees with the plural players.
Check yourself · Question 2
Which sentence keeps the list parallel?
Answer: C
All three items are -ing forms that fit after likes.
Check yourself · Question 3
Which sentence correctly describes something that did not happen in the past?
Answer: D
An unreal past condition pairs had plus a past participle with would have plus a past participle.
Common mistake
I picked the verb that sounded right next to the blank.
- Why it's tempting
- Your ear hears the noun right before the verb and matches it automatically.
- Do this instead
- Ask who or what does the action, then read only that word with the verb. On the test, a standalone question locks once you advance, so reread the complete sentence with your choice in place before you move on.
Step 5 of 6
What to remember
Remember
- Set aside describing phrases and match the verb to the true subject.
- Use had for the earlier of two past actions, and pair had with would have for things that did not happen.
- Give every item in a list or comparison the same form, and compare like with like.
Step 6 of 6
Practice on a real question
Use what you just learned on this question, then check the explanation.
In your own words
In the practice question, which words did you set aside to find the subject, and is that subject singular or plural?