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The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
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Section 6.8.1

Subject-Verb Agreement

Your verb must agree with your subject in number and person. If your subject is singular, your verb must be singular; if your subject is plural, your verb must be plural. If your subject is in the first person, your verb must be in the first person. If your subject is in the second or third person, your verb must agree.


Unacceptable

For more than a century, researchers has known that exposure to high pressure can injure or kill living organisms.

Acceptable

For more than a century, researchers have known that exposure to high pressure can injure or kill.

--"The Physiology of Decompression Illness," Scientific American


In general, you can think of subject-verb agreement as requiring one -s per clause, either on the subject or on the verb, but not on both. (Of course, this rule applies only with present tense verbs and nouns that do not have irregular plural forms.)

Do not be led astray by modifying phrases that separate the subject and the verb. If you are not sure about the subject-verb agreement, test the sentence by leaving out the modifiers.


Unacceptable

A mixture of materials were used to withstand high temperatures. [The subject is mixture, not materials.]

Acceptable

A mixture of materials was used to withstand high temperatures.


Also see subject-verb agreement involving two or more nouns, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, quantifiers and sentences beginning with there.

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