Digital SAT Grammar for Beginners: Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Simply Explained

In lesson 2 digital SAT grammar for beginners we look at two areas of subject verb agreement and pronoun antecedent agreement.

Read through the introduction notes, understand the concepts, then share and practice your knowledge. Good luck!

TASK

Form groups (groups 1, 2, 3, 4 with 3 students per group)
Groups 1 and 3 study pronoun antecedent agreement, group 2 and 4 study subject verb agreement.
Complete part 1 of the lesson:
1. Read the introduction below of your agreement area.
2. Learn the types of questions in your agreements area.
3. Learn how to answer these questions correctly.
4. Once you have mastered your area,
  - complete the quiz
  - pass on your knowledge –

You need to explain what is pronoun antecedent agreement or subject verb agreement to another group.
You can use visual examples to explain key concepts
For example, choose a type of question and give an example of correct agreement and incorrect agreement. Then draw lines to show the agreement. Use red for error and green for correct.

Agreement in Number

What is Subject Verb Agreement?

the verb in a sentence agrees with its subject
in terms of number (singular or plural)

the dog barks – singular subject-verb agreement
the dogs bark – plural subject-verb agreement

WRONG: the dog bark , the dogs barks

Jake bakes a cake – singular subject-verb agreement
we bake a cake – plural subject-verb agreement

WRONG: Jake bake a cake, we bakes a cake

The bookshelf in the corner holds many books
Every morning, the sun risesin the east
My friend and I enjoy playing basketball together.

What is Pronoun Antecedent Agreement?

the pronoun in a sentence agrees with its antecedent
the antecedent is the noun (or noun phrase) that the pronoun is referring or replacing
in terms of number (singular or plural)
pronoun agreement also includes
- gender agreement (boy – his, girl – her, dog – it)
- person agreement
  - first – I bought my present
  - second – you bought your present
  - third – he/she/it bought his/her/its present
  - first (plural) – we bought our presents
  - second (plural) – you bought your presents
  - third (plural) they bought their presents

the dog wagged its tail – singular pronoun-antecedent agreement
the dogs wagged their tails – plural pronoun-antecedent agreement

WRONG: the dog wagged their tails, the dogs wagged its tail

the student finished his/her homework
the students finished their homework

WRONG: the student finished their homework, the students finished his/her homework

The teachers met after school to discuss (his / their) lesson plans.
A student should always bring (his / their) ID card.
The committee made (its / their) final decision on the budget.

Committee is a collective noun. In SAT grammar, a committee acting as one unit takes a singular pronoun → its.

Collective Nouns and Agreement

like “team,” “family,” or “audience“
singular or plural depends on whether the group is acting as
- a single unit or
- as individuals

Committee members would be plural, whereas committee is singular.

if you want more information visit the page on collective nouns

Singular Collective Nouns:

The team is practicing for the championship.
The family has a wonderful vacation planned.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict

Plural Collective Nouns:

The team are arguing over who should lead the next project.
The family were each busy with their own activities.
The jury have different opinions about the case

Compound Subjects and Agreement

When we use nouns together they become plural so we normally use the plural agreement. For example:

My student and I agree on the mark.
A, B, C and D are all options.
Rita, Sue and Bob too, are names in the title.

The different grammar rule is when we use ‘or’. Here the compound nouns are used with the singular agreement. Examples include:

My wife or daughter drop me at work. (not drops)
A, B, C or D is fine. (not are)
Rita, Sue or Bob is ok to take the lead. (not are)

These are normal nouns used together to make compound subjects (more than one). These are not compound nouns. If you want to see compound nouns then visit the page on compound nouns

Examples of Difficultly in Agreements

WRONG X – The group of students were studying for their exams.
CORRECT – “The group of students was studying for its exams.

ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS – was
TWO GROUPS – were

WRONG X – The cat, along with the dogs, chase mice in the garden.
CORRECT – The cat, along with the dogs, chases mice in the garden

ONE CAT – chases
TWO CATS – chase

WRONG X – Someone left their jacket on the chair
CORRECT – Someone left his jacket on the chair
CORRECT – Someone left her jacket on the chair

SOME(ONE) – left his/her
SOME PEOPLE – left their

SAT Grammar Rules using 'and', 'or' and 'nor'

Subject Verb Agreement

Compound subject with “and” (plural):
The manager and the assistant are reviewing the budget.
→ (“And” joins two singular nouns = plural subject = plural verb)
Compound subject with “and” (seen as one unit – singular):
Macaroni and cheese is her favorite dish.
→ (One dish = singular subject = singular verb)
Compound subject with “or” (closest noun rule):
Either the professors or the dean is attending the meeting.
→ (“Dean” is closest to the verb = singular verb)
Compound subject with “or” (closest noun rule):
Either the dean or the professors are attending the meeting.
→ (“Professors” is closest to the verb = plural verb)
Compound subject with “nor”:
Neither the president nor the advisors have submitted the report.
→ (“Advisors” is closest = plural verb)
Intervening phrases don’t affect the verb:
The coach, along with the players, was interviewed.
→ (“Coach” is the subject; “along with the players” is extra)

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

Compound subject with “and” (plural pronoun):
James and Laura brought their instruments.
→ (Two people = plural = “their”)
Compound subject with “and” (single unit):
Macaroni and cheese had lost its appeal.
→ (One dish = singular = “its”)
Compound with “or” – closest noun determines pronoun:
Neither the students nor the teacher brought his or her textbook.
→ (“Teacher” is closest = singular = “his or her”)
Compound with “or” – plural closest noun:
Neither the teacher nor the students brought their textbooks.
→ (“Students” is closest = plural = “their”)
Ambiguous compound subject (rewrite needed):
Each boy or girl must bring their backpack. ❌
→ Corrected: Each boy or girl must bring his or her backpack. ✔️
→ Or rewritten to avoid awkwardness: All children must bring their backpacks.

QUIZ

NOTE: The 5 examples types of questions for both subject-verb agreement and pronoun antecedent agreement are in the linked pages – see related articles.

You can have more than one answer on some questions

Agreement

1. a. What needs to agree for pronoun antecedent agreement?

A. person
B. gender
C. number
D. don’t know

1. b. Give an example of one of the options

2. What needs to agree for subject verb agreement?

A. person
B. gender
C. number
D. don’t know

2. b. Give an example of one of the options

3. What are the 5 type of questions for pronoun antecedent agreement?

4. What are the 5 type of questions for subject verb agreement?

Evidence

5. Which of these type of questions are part of the digital SAT text?

A. command of evidence – qualitative
B. command of evidence – reading
C. command of evidence – quantitative
D. command of evidence – textual

6. Which of these options explains command of evidence questions?

A. read a passage and choose the option that explains the passage meaning
B. read a passage and choose the option that supports the claim from the passage
C. read a passage and graph and choose the option that explains the graph
D. understand a graph and choose the option that explains the graph

END OF THE LESSON

Subject-Verb Agreement for English Language Learners – What is subject-verb agreement, digital SAT tips, and explanations and examples before different levels of practice questions.

Subject Verb Agreement Examples of the question types – Includes examples of the 5 types of questions used as examples to help understand subject verb agreement in SAT.

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Examples of the question types – Includes examples of the 5 types of questions used as examples to help understand pronoun agreement in SAT.

FAQ: Subject-Verb Agreement on the Digital SAT

What is subject-verb agreement on the SAT?
Subject-verb agreement means the verb must match the subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. This rule is frequently tested on the SAT writing section.

How do prepositional phrases affect subject-verb agreement?
Prepositional phrases do not affect subject-verb agreement. The verb must agree with the main subject of the sentence, not with any noun in the prepositional phrase.

How can I find the subject in a complex sentence?
Ignore prepositional phrases, modifiers, and clauses that interrupt the sentence. Focus on identifying the noun doing the action of the verb. This is the subject you must match to the verb.

What are common subject-verb agreement mistakes?
Students often choose a verb that matches a nearby noun instead of the subject, forget that certain pronouns like “everyone” are singular, or get confused by compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor.”

How is subject-verb agreement tested on the SAT?
SAT questions often place the subject and verb far apart or insert distracting phrases. You’ll be asked to identify and correct the verb that doesn’t match the subject in number.

What grammar rule does subject-verb agreement follow on the SAT?
This essential grammar rule requires that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural noun takes a plural verb. Subject-verb agreement questions are commonly tested on the digital SAT writing and language test.

How does the SAT test your knowledge of subject-verb agreement?
The SAT uses tricky sentence structures with clauses and prepositional phrases to distract from the main subject. You need to identify the subject of the sentence and ensure the main verb matches its number.

How can I tell if the subject is singular or plural?
To identify the subject, remove modifiers, prepositional phrases, and other non-essential elements. Then check if the subject is singular or plural so you can choose the correct verb form.

What are the most common subject-verb agreement errors on the SAT?
Many students choose a verb that matches a nearby plural noun instead of the actual singular subject. Others forget that collective nouns and indefinite pronouns can affect the number of the subject.

Why does subject-verb agreement matter for your SAT score?
These grammar questions are frequent on the SAT writing test and mastering them can boost your score on the SAT. Knowing the rules tested on the SAT helps you succeed on test day and perform better on SAT practice tests.

FAQ: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Pronoun-antecedent agreement means that a pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces, called the antecedent.

What are common pronoun agreement mistakes on the SAT?
Typical errors include using “they” with a singular noun, choosing a vague pronoun without a clear antecedent, and mismatching the pronoun’s number or gender with the noun it refers to.

How do I identify the correct antecedent?
Find the noun that the pronoun refers to, and make sure it’s clear and unambiguous. The antecedent must match the pronoun in number and gender.

Are collective nouns singular or plural in pronoun use?
Collective nouns are treated as singular when the group is acting as a unit, and plural when the members of the group are acting individually.

How is pronoun-antecedent agreement tested on the SAT?
The SAT often hides the antecedent in long sentences or uses indefinite pronouns. You need to determine whether the pronoun clearly and correctly refers to a noun in the sentence.

What is the grammar rule for pronoun-antecedent agreement?
This rule means the pronoun must match its antecedent in number and gender. If the subject is plural, the pronoun must also be plural. This concept is part of the essential grammar rules tested on the SAT writing and language test.

How is pronoun agreement tested on the SAT exam?
The SAT writing test includes questions that test your understanding of clarity and agreement. You must identify whether the pronoun agrees with the noun it replaces and whether it makes the meaning of the sentence clear.

What kinds of phrases cause errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Prepositional phrases and interrupting modifiers can obscure the connection between a pronoun and its antecedent. This makes it difficult to identify the subject and choose the correct pronoun.

What should I do if I’m unsure whether the subject and the verb agree?
Go back to the sentence and find the main subject—not a noun in a prepositional phrase or relative clause. Then match the verb or pronoun accordingly. Understanding sentence structure is key to avoiding common grammar errors.

How can I practice pronoun-antecedent agreement for SAT prep?
Use official SAT practice tests, digital SAT reading and writing resources, and SAT grammar practice exercises. Working with a SAT tutor can help you master the rules you need to know for success on the SAT.

Useful Information for SAT Grammar Success

SAT Grammar Rules are essential for boosting your score on the SAT, especially in the Digital SAT Reading and Writing section. Understanding how the subject and verb work together—and how pronouns relate to antecedents—will help you avoid the common grammar mistakes tested on the SAT.

We recommend reviewing:

Essential grammar rules for the writing and language test
Verb tense consistency and correct verb form
Punctuation rules including how to join two independent clauses with a comma or conjunction
Modifier placement and how to avoid confusing phrases
How prepositional phrases can hide the main subject of the sentence

Use practice tests and SAT grammar practice questions to test your understanding and build confidence for test day.

FAQs: Digital SAT Grammar Rules You Need to Know

Q1. Is there grammar on the Digital SAT?
A: Yes. The Digital SAT includes grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure questions in the Writing and Language section. You’ll be tested on grammar rules such as subject-verb agreement, verb tense, and modifier placement.

Q2. How should I prepare for Digital SAT English grammar questions?
A: Focus on mastering essential grammar rules, including punctuation, sentence boundaries, and subject-verb agreement. Practice identifying complete sentences, correcting comma splices, and spotting dangling modifiers. Use timed practice questions to simulate the digital test format.

Q3. What grammar rules are tested on the Digital SAT?
A: Key grammar rules tested on the Digital SAT include subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, pronoun clarity, modifier placement, punctuation rules (commas, colons, dashes), sentence structure, and logical transitions.

Q4. What are the most important grammar rules to know for the Digital SAT?
A: Some of the most important grammar rules include:

Verbs must agree with their subjects
Use commas to separate ideas, not splice them
Avoid dangling modifiers
Maintain consistent verb tense
Ensure every sentence is complete and logically structured

Q5. Are punctuation and grammar tested together on the Digital SAT?
A: Yes. The Digital SAT combines grammar and punctuation in its Writing section. You’ll answer short, targeted questions that test grammar concepts like clause boundaries, verb agreement, and punctuation usage in under one minute each.