Find the subject that controls the verb
A verb can follow a phrase whose final noun has a different number from the subject. Read the sentence without that phrase for a moment. In “The handle of the two drawers needs a new screw,” handle is singular. Compare “The handles of the desk need new screws.” The noun desk is singular, but handles is plural and controls the verb. Restore the phrase after checking the agreement.
Worked example: identify the person who acted
“The coach spoke with the volunteer before they sent the reminder.” The writer intends only the volunteer to have sent it. They could refer to the two people or leave the person unclear. Write “The coach spoke with the volunteer before the volunteer sent the reminder.” This preserves both roles. Repeating a noun can be the clearest choice when a pronoun leaves more than one reasonable reading.
Read for the current time frame
Start with the main time frame in the passage. If a narrator is reporting yesterday’s rehearsal, the principal actions may be in the simple past. Shift form when the meaning shifts. In “When we entered the hall, the custodian had unlocked the doors,” had unlocked puts a completed action before the past reference point of entering. Using was unlocking would make the work overlap with the entry.
Check meaning after fixing a form
A technically grammatical rewrite can introduce a new fact. Repeating the wrong person’s name makes a pronoun clearer but changes who acted. Putting all verbs into the same tense can erase the fact that an earlier action was already finished. After correcting a form, ask who did what and whether the order of events stayed the same.
Transfer check: recover the head noun
Complete “The maps beside the main entrance [shows / show] alternate routes.” Use show. The phrase beside the main entrance tells you where the maps are. Removing it leaves “The maps show alternate routes.” The entrance is the closer noun but it is not the thing that shows the routes.
Try it, then explain it.
Complete a short set without looking at the example. After each answer, explain which evidence or rule supports your decision and why the alternatives do not fit.
Sources & authorship
Original OpenExam explanations and examples. References support the concepts; they are not the source of copied questions. Independent educator review is pending.
Purdue OWL: Making Subjects and Verbs AgreePurdue OWL: PronounsPurdue OWL: Verb Tense Consistency