IMPORTANT: This topic is about agreement. However, all of the following examples contain discussions of multiple subjects—not just agreement. Therefore, in addition to agreement, you are going to learn a lot of different things about good writing and rewriting.

Example 1

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

These plural words:

their
they
their
them

do not go with the singular word guest.

DISCUSSION

A pronoun refers to a noun or takes the place of that noun. You must use the correct singular or plural version of the pronoun in technical writing. If the pronoun takes the place of a singular noun, you have to use a singular pronoun. On the other hand, if the pronoun takes the place of a plural noun, use a plural noun.

In our rewrite, we’ll look at both the singular and the plural version.

REVISIONS

Before

When a guest forgets their password or member name, they can request that their password or the list of member names be sent to them.

After

[singular]

When a guest forgets his or her password or member name, the guest can ask to be sent the password or the list of member names.

[plural]

When guests forget their passwords or member names, guests can ask to be sent their passwords or the list of member names.

Example 2

REWRITE THESE SENTENCES

PROBLEM

In each case, there is a lack of agreement between subject and verb.

DISCUSSION

The subject of a sentence generally is defined as the noun or pronoun engaging in the activity of the verb. When a sentence has two or more subjects, that is called a compound subject.

RULE: When the subjects are joined by or or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to the verb.

In the first example sentence:

Either the piano or the book cases has to go.

The subject closest to the verb is book cases (plural). Therefore, the verb must be plural:

Either the piano or the book cases have to go.

Once again, when the subjects are joined by or or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to the verb. In the second example sentence:

Either the book cases or the piano have to go.

The subject closest to the verb is piano (singular). Therefore, the verb must be singular:

Either the book cases or the piano has to go.

In the third example sentence, we have subjects joined by and.

RULE: When two or more subjects are joined by and, the compound subject must agree with the pronoun they. Therefore, the correct verb form looks like this:

Bread and water are his punishment.

[They] are his punishment.

REVISIONS

Before

Either the piano or the book cases has to go.

Either the book cases or the piano have to go.

Bread and water is his punishment.

After

Either the piano or the book cases have to go.

Either the book cases or the piano has to go.

Bread and water are his punishment.

Example 3

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

We do not have agreement of subject and verb. In the dependent clause at the end of the sentence (beginning with the word indicating), the subject types is plural, but the verb is is singular.

DISCUSSION

The sentence has an independent clause:

This is an array of content type IDs.

And a dependent clause (that is, it is a fragment):

indicating which types of content is permitted in this section.

In the dependent clause, the subject is types and the verb that goes with types should be are, not is.

It is possible the author thinks the word content is the subject of the dependent clause, but actually content is a modifier. It modifies the plural noun types. You could rearrange the wording this way:

indicating which content types are permitted in this section.

Do you see that?

REVISION

Before

This is an array of content type IDs indicating which types of content is permitted in this section.

After

This is an array of content type IDs indicating which types of content are permitted in this section.

Example 4

REWRITE THESE SENTENCES

PROBLEM

We do not have agreement of subject and verb in either of the first two sentences.

The third sentence is not so clear cut because the phrase bacon and eggs appears to be a single entity.

DISCUSSION

In the first sentence, you could say the hospitality is perfect or the weather is perfect. Since you have two nouns, hospitality and weather, you have a plural subject. The plural subject does not agree with the singular verb is. Make the verb are, to agree with the plural subject.

In the second sentence, we have another plural subject, functionality and service, two different things. The verb form has not been implemented is singular. Make the verb form have not been implemented.

In the last sentence, the speaker did not say bacon (singular) is my favorite breakfast. Nor did the speaker say eggs (plural) are my favorite breakfast. The speaker referred to bacon and eggs as a single entity. If it is a single entity, as it appears in the example sentence, the verb form should be singular.

REVISIONS

Before

The hospitality and the weather is perfect.

The functionality and service has not been implemented yet.

Bacon and eggs is my favorite breakfast.

After

The hospitality and the weather are perfect.

The functionality and service have not been implemented yet.

Bacon and eggs is my favorite breakfast. [no change]

Example 5

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The subject does not agree with the verb.

DISCUSSION

What is the subject of the sentence?

One (singular)
Job applicants (plural)

Do you know?

The verb in this sentence is were. Were is plural. The phrase job applicants also is plural. Evidently, the author thinks applicants is the subject of the sentence, but the author is wrong. The noun one is the subject. The word “one” is singular. Therefore, the correct verb form is is, which is singular.

REVISION

Before

Not one of the job applicants were qualified.

After

Not one of the job applicants is qualified.

Example 6

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The sentence starts out in the third person (a student), but ends in the second person (you … your). The sentence must be entirely in the first person, the second person, or the third person. You need to be consistent from beginning to end.

DISCUSSION

You must agree in person. Don’t ever mix first, second, or third person in the same sentence.

If you are writing in the first person (I), don’t confuse your reader by switching to the second person (you) or third person (he, she, they, it, etc.). Similarly, if you are using the second person, don’t switch to first or third person.

REVISION

Before

When a student comes to class, you should have your homework ready.

After

When you come to class, you should have your homework ready.

When a student comes to class, the student should have his or her homework ready.

Example 7

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The problem is lack of agreement between subject and verb. The subject of the sentence is access (singular). The verb in the sentence is are (plural).

DISCUSSION

The author thinks the subject of the sentence is REST APIs (plural).

REVISION

Before

Direct access to the REST APIs are no longer supported in most instances.

After

Direct access to the REST APIs is no longer supported in most instances.

Example 8

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The sentence starts out with a dependent clause that has a plural pronoun, they:

If they choose to create a new account in that time interval

Then it moves into an independent clause with the singular subject, the user’s email

the user’s email is pre-populated in automatically in the new profile form.

DISCUSSION

You need to match up the pronoun they with the subject user. Clearly, we are talking about one user, not multiple users. Therefore, they is incorrect.

REVISION

Before

If they choose to create a new account in that time interval, the user’s email is pre-populated in automatically in the new profile form.

After

If the user chooses to create a new account in that time interval, the user’s email is pre-populated in automatically in the new profile form.

Example 9

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The author thinks the verb form of the sentence—to allow—should be plural. Apparently, he or she believes the JSON editor and the Ace code editor are a plural subject of the sentence. At first glance, it is plausible. Plausible, but wrong.

DISCUSSION

Actually, the word addition is the subject of the sentence. To prove my point, let’s take the phrase of the JSON Editor and the Ace code editor completely out of the sentence. This is what is left:

The addition … allow us to offer a robust solution for adding, editing, and validating complex JSON information in Workstation Editor.

The two types of editors modify the noun addition. Therefore, for agreement, we need to change allow to allows.

The addition … allows us to offer a robust solution for adding, editing, and validating complex JSON information in Workstation Editor.

Finally, if you begin the sentence without the noun addition, the plural verb form allow is correct. Here it is:

The JSON Editor and the Ace code editor allow us to offer a robust solution for adding, editing, and validating complex JSON information in Workstation Editor.

Do you see the difference?

REVISION

Before

The addition of the JSON Editor and the Ace code editor allow us to offer a robust solution for adding, editing, and validating complex JSON information in Workstation Editor.

After

The addition of the JSON Editor and the Ace code editor allows us to offer a robust solution for adding, editing, and validating complex JSON information in Workstation Editor.

Example 10

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The verb are (plural) does not agree with the subject access (singular).

DISCUSSION

The author thinks the plural word services is the subject of the sentence. The author is correct if this is the sentence:

Core services are not supported.

Instead, we have this:

Direct access [to the core services] is not supported.

REVISION

Before

Direct access to the core services are not supported.

After

Direct access to the core services is not supported.

Example 11

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

Lack of agreement—in two places in the sentence.

DISCUSSION

Singular

user = address

[user] = username

[he or she] = username

Plural

users = addresses

[users] = usernames

[they] = usernames

REVISION

Before

These users still see their email address, but they are no longer be able to view or edit their username.

After

These users still see their email addresses, but they are no longer be able to view or edit their usernames.

Each user still sees his or her email address, but can no longer view or edit the username.

Example 12

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The verb is.

DISCUSSION

The subject of the sentence is the word fields. The word fields is plural.

Don’t say this:

…fields … is….

Say this:

…fields … are….

REVISION

Before

During registration, before a user profile is created, all of the fields required for a site visitor to create a user profile is returned to the FakeCorp ID UI for display to the user.

After

During registration, before a user profile is created, all of the fields required for a site visitor to create a user profile are returned to the FakeCorp ID UI for display to the user.

Example 13

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

Two problems:

Agreement of subject and verb
Passive voice

DISCUSSION

Agreement

The subject of the sentence is the word sequence. Apparently, the author thinks the subject of the sentence is the word calls, which is plural. However, the phrase method calls is just a modifier for sequence, which is singular.

Thus, the agreement goes like this:

sequence…is made

Passive Voice

Don’t say this:

…every time a user account is created.

Say this:

…every time you create a user account.

REVISION

Before

The following sequence of method calls are made in the user controller every time a user account is created.

After

The following sequence of method calls is made in the user controller every time you create a user account.

Example 14

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE THAT INTRODUCES A LIST

PROBLEM

Lack of agreement of subject and verb.

DISCUSSION

The subject in the sentence is topics. The verb is describes. Do you see the disconnect?

Don’t say this:

The following topics describes….

Say this:

The following topics describe….

REVISION

Before

The following topics describes how to use all of the APIs that fall under AuthenticationPlus:

After

The following topics describe how to use all of the APIs that fall under AuthenticationPlus:

Example 15

REWRITE THIS SENTENCE

PROBLEM

The sentence begins with a plural subject, They, but it ends by describing the subject as a new prospect, which is singular. You need to change They to The user.

DISCUSSION

Don’t say this:

They need to create…after becoming a new prospect.

Say this:

The user needs to create…after becoming a new prospect.

REVISION

Before

They need to create the full account in the specified time-to-live (TTL) after becoming a new prospect.

After

The user needs to create the full account in the specified time-to-live (TTL) after becoming a new prospect.