Subject-Verb Agreement Rules for the HESI A2
By Maria Santos, M.Ed. · Updated April 18, 2026
The basic rule is that a singular subject takes a singular verb (The dog runs), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (The dogs run). The HESI tests exceptions: ignore interrupting phrases ("along with"), use the noun closest to the verb for "neither/nor", and treat collective nouns ("team") as singular.
Of the 50 questions on the HESI A2 grammar and language section, subject-verb agreement represents the highest volume of technical syntax questions. Elsevier constructs sentences specifically designed to trick your ear into choosing the wrong verb.
If you're unsure how important the English composite is to your specific nursing program, read our Ultimate HESI A2 Study Guide before diving into these grammar weeds.
The Basics: Number Match
The fundamental rule of English grammar is that the verb must match the structural number of the subject. Singular goes with singular. Plural goes with plural. This is easy when the sentence is short.
- Singular: The nurse walks into the room.
- Plural: The nurses walk into the room.
But the HESI exam isn't going to give you sentences that short. They use three major "traps" to disguise the true subject.
Trap 1: The Interrupting Phrase
The test writers will intentionally place a long plural phrase between a singular subject and its verb so that your ear gets confused. Words like along with, as well as, including, and in addition to do not create a plural subject.
Example: The surgeon, along with his five assistants, (is/are) entering the OR.
How to Solve It: Cross out everything between the commas. The sentence becomes: "The surgeon (is/are) entering the OR." The true subject is the singular surgeon. The correct choice is is.
Trap 2: The Either/Or & Neither/Nor Rule
When two subjects are joined by "and," they form a plural subject (e.g., The doctor and the nurse are here). But when they are joined by or or nor, the rule changes completely in American English grammar.
The Rule of Proximity: The verb agrees with the subject that is physically closest to it.
- Neither the doctors nor the nurse is available. (Nurse is singular, verb is singular).
- Neither the nurse nor the doctors are available. (Doctors is plural, verb is plural).
Trap 3: Collective Nouns
A collective noun is a word that represents a group of people or things, like team, jury, class, family, or committee.
On the HESI A2 (which tests standard American English), collective nouns act as a single, unified entity. Therefore, they take a singular verb.
Example: The jury (has/have) reached a verdict. Because the jury acts as one unified body, the correct answer is has.
📋 From the Tutor's Desk
During a grammar drill, my student Brian kept selecting "are" for collective nouns. "The team *are* going to the finals," he would argue, "because a team has 12 players! It's plural!" I had to teach him that grammar doesn't care about the headcount inside the group; it cares about the structure of the word. I told him, "If I hand you one box containing 12 donuts, how many boxes did I hand you? One. The *box* is singular." Same with teams and juries. They are single boxes holding many people.
Check Your Knowledge
Ready to trace the true subject? Test your skills with our Free HESI A2 Practice Quiz and see if you fall for the interrupting phrase traps.
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