We continue with our 12 essential subject-verb agreement rules:

6. Expletives such as there or here are not subjects. Find the subject and make the verb agree with it.
   Examples:
   There is (singular verb) only one mistake (singular subject) in this letter.
   There are (plural verb) several mistakes (plural subject) in this letter.
    
7. With inverted sentences, find the subject and make the verb agree with it.
   Examples:
   Listed below is (singular verb) the winner (singular subject) of the trip to Japan.
   Listed below are (plural verb) the winners (plural subject) of the personalized key rings.
    
8. For collective nouns, use singular verbs if the members of the group are acting as one unit, plural verbs if the members are acting separately.
   Examples:
   The committee (working as a unit) is meeting today.
   The committee (acting individually) are unable to agree on a plan of action.
    
9. Make the verb agree with the subject, not with a predicate noun.
   Example:
   The best part (singular subject) of the seminar is (singular verb) the speeches (plural predicate noun).

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This edition was adapted from our Business Grammar Program.

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