She brought some things that isn't (aren't) on the list

When the verb doesn't match its subject, sentences become awkward or hard to follow. Fixing agreement clears meaning and makes writing sound natural.

Below are fast checks, common tricky cases, lots of copy-paste pairs, and simple rewrites you can use immediately.

Quick answer - what to check first

Match the verb to the grammatical head of the subject phrase. If the head is singular, use a singular verb; if plural, use a plural verb. Ignore intervening nouns and watch for collective nouns, coordinated subjects, indefinite pronouns, there-sentences, and relative clauses.

Find the true subject (the head noun) before choosing the verb.
Skip over prepositional phrases and modifiers that sit between subject and verb.
For "there" sentences, make the verb agree with the noun that follows.

How subject-verb agreement works

The verb must agree in number with the subject's head noun. Simple cases are straightforward: singular subject with singular verb, plural subject with plural verb. The traps come from structures that hide the head or change interpretation.

Singular: The cat sleeps. Plural: The cats sleep.
Intervening phrases: The bouquet of roses smells sweet. (Subject = bouquet)
Coordinated subjects with and are usually plural; with or/nor the verb agrees with the nearer noun.

Common tricky cases

Collective nouns

Collective nouns (team, jury, staff) can be treated as a unit or as individuals. If you mean the group acting together, use a singular verb; if you mean members acting separately, use a plural verb.

Singular sense: The team is ready.
Plural sense: The team are arguing among themselves.

Compound subjects

Subjects joined by and take plural verbs. With or, nor, either...or, the verb agrees with the noun closest to it.

Both Anna and Mark are present.
Either the manager or the employees are responsible.
Neither the students nor the teacher is available. (teacher = nearer noun)

Indefinite pronouns

Most indefinite pronouns (everyone, someone, each) are singular and require singular verbs. Some (few, many, several) are plural.

Everyone is invited. Few are ready.
None can be singular or plural depending on meaning: None is left / None are left.

There-sentences

Use there is/there are to agree with the noun that follows: There is a problem vs There are problems. For complex subjects that follow, choose the verb based on that subject.

Relative clauses and intervening nouns

When a clause starts with who, which, that, the verb agrees with the antecedent, not an intervening noun inside the clause.

Correct: The list of items that is missing was returned. (list = subject)
Incorrect: The list of items that are missing was returned. (sounds like items is the head)

How it looks in real writing

Agreement errors appear in emails, reports, essays, and chats. Spotting the head noun and reading the sentence aloud usually reveals the right verb.

Work: The team is presenting at the meeting. (team = unit)
School: Every student is responsible for the assignment. (every = singular)
Casual: There are so many options tonight. (there + plural noun)

Try your own sentence

Test the full sentence, not just a stray phrase. Identify the head noun using the steps above, then pick the verb that matches it.

Wrong vs right examples you can copy

These paired examples make the correction immediate. Copy the right versions to fix similar lines in your own writing.

Wrong: The list of tasks are on the table.
Right: The list of tasks is on the table.
Wrong: The committee were split on the vote.
Right: The committee was split on the vote. (or The committee members were split)
Wrong: There is many issues to resolve.
Right: There are many issues to resolve.
Wrong: Each of the applicants have a file.
Right: Each of the applicants has a file.
Wrong: Neither the manager nor the employees was available.
Right: Neither the manager nor the employees were available.
Wrong: Ten miles is too far to walk.
Right: Ten miles is too far to walk. (measurement units treated as singular)

Examples by context (copy-ready)

Work

Wrong: The number of errors are growing.
Right: The number of errors is growing.
Wrong: The project and the budget needs review.
Right: The project and the budget need review.
Wrong: Either the finance team or the CEO are approving it.
Right: Either the finance team or the CEO is approving it.

School

Wrong: The data shows a clear trend.
Right: The data show a clear trend. (or The data shows... in modern usage if treated as singular)
Wrong: All of the class are present.
Right: All of the class is present. (or All of the students are present)
Wrong: Every chapter and appendix are required.
Right: Every chapter and appendix is required.

Casual

Wrong: There's lots of cake left.
Right: There are lots of cakes left. (or There's a lot of cake left)
Wrong: My favorite things is cooking and reading.
Right: My favorite things are cooking and reading.
Wrong: The team look great tonight.
Right: The team looks great tonight. (or The team members look great)

How to fix your own sentence

Don't just swap one word and stop. Use these steps to make the sentence natural.

Find the head noun (not the nearest noun).
Decide whether the head is singular or plural.
Choose a verb that matches, then read the sentence aloud for flow.

Rewrite templates you can use:

Make the subject explicit: Change "There is/are X" to "X is/are".
Turn a vague noun into a clear subject: "The committee were divided" → "The committee members were divided."
If in doubt, recast: "It seems that X are Y" → "X seem Y."

Three quick rewrites (copy-and-use)

Original: The list of volunteers are long.
Rewrite: The list of volunteers is long.
Original: None of the evidence support the claim.
Rewrite: None of the evidence supports the claim. (or None of the pieces of evidence support the claim)
Original: There is reasons to worry.
Rewrite: There are reasons to worry.

A simple memory trick

Link form to meaning: picture the subject as one unit or many. If you can replace the subject with a singular pronoun (it, this, that), use a singular verb; if you can replace it with they or those, use a plural verb.

Test: Replace the subject with it/they to see which verb sounds right.
Scan for common traps: intervening phrases, relative clauses, and "there" constructions.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Fixing one agreement error often reveals others nearby. Scan your paragraph after you correct one sentence.

Split verbs and auxiliaries: He don't vs He doesn't.
Hyphenation or spacing issues that change the head noun.
Wrong verb form after modal or compound constructions.

FAQ

Is "data" singular or plural?

Both. Traditionally plural (the data are), but many modern contexts treat it as singular (the data is). Follow your style guide; in formal academic writing, prefer data are.

How do I choose "there is" or "there are"?

Make the verb agree with the noun that follows: There is a mistake (singular). There are mistakes (plural). Read the clause that follows "there" to confirm number.

When do collective nouns take plural verbs?

Use singular when the group acts as one unit, plural when members act individually. American English favors singular more often than British English.

What about "each", "every", and "none"?

Each and every take singular verbs (Every student is ready). None can be singular or plural: meaning decides. If unsure, rewrite to make number clear.

Can a rewrite template fix any agreement mistake?

Yes. If identifying the head is difficult, rewrite the sentence to state the subject explicitly (turn a there-sentence into a normal subject-verb sentence or name the agents directly).

Want a fast double-check?

After applying the checks above, paste the sentence into a grammar checker for a second opinion. Comparing your fix with the tool's suggestion helps build your instincts.