Subject-Verb Agreement Traps

Subject-verb agreement seems simple: singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. But IELTS examiners know that this area is full of traps, and many candidates — even at Band 6 level — make errors when the sentence structure gets complex. This lesson focuses on the tricky cases that cost marks.

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The Basic Rule

Singular subject → singular verb:

The government is responsible. ✅

Plural subject → plural verb:

Governments are responsible. ✅

Simple enough. But the following situations are where candidates stumble.

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Trap 1: Words Between the Subject and Verb

The most common agreement error occurs when words come between the subject and the verb, especially prepositional phrases:

❌ The cost of the repairs are high.

✅ The cost of the repairs is high. (subject = "cost", singular)

❌ The effects of climate change is becoming evident.

✅ The effects of climate change are becoming evident. (subject = "effects", plural)

Strategy: Cross out the prepositional phrase mentally and check what's left:

• The cost of the repairs is high.
• The effects of climate change are becoming evident.

More examples: