The document discusses common singular-plural errors that can occur on the SAT. It provides 4 tips for ensuring subject-verb agreement: 1) Words like "anybody" and "everything" are always singular. 2) Words like "both" and "many" are always plural. 3) Phrases with "a number" are plural but "the number" is singular. 4) For "either/or" and "neither/nor", the pronoun agrees with the closest noun. Examples are given to illustrate each tip.

1. +
Singular-Plural
A Grammar Error on the SAT

2. +
Singular-Plural Errors
 Verbs and their subjects
The banana are ripe.
 Pronouns and their antecedents
Every coat on this rack has outlived their usefulness.

3. +Tip #1: Some words are ALWAYS singular.
 Anybody
 Anything Example
 Anyone
My professor believes that
 Everybody
anybody are fully capable of
 Everything exploring their full potential.
 Everyone
 Nobody
My professor believes that
 Nothing
anybody is fully capable of
 No one exploring his or her full potential.

4. +Tip #2: Some words are ALWAYS plural.
Example
 Several
Both of the authors makes his or
 Few her point very well.
 Both
 Many Both of the authors make their
point very well.

5. + #3: “A” number and “The” number
Tip
A number of X is always plural.
A number of students eats at the
cafeteria every day.
The number of X is always singular.
The number of students at my school
have steadily increased over the
years.

6. + Tip #4: “Either…or” and “Neither…nor”
Examples
 For “Either…or” and Neither the driver nor the tour
“Neither…nor”, the guides does his job.
antecedent pronoun
agrees with
CLOSEST noun.
Neither the tour guides nor the
driver do his job.

7. The SAT is a trickster.
The sheer number of calculation errors in Timmy's
formal lab report, done the morning after
prom, were, even by Timmy's lackluster
standards, incredibly overwhelming.
+
The painting, stolen by the men in the ski
masks, were found hidden in a warehouse
behind the church.