Question

Which sentence displays correct subject-verb agreement? (1 point)
A. The audience stands as the show ends.
B. The stage staff come out, too!
C. The crowd roar with laughter.
D. The cast return to take another bow.​

Answer 1

Answer:

A.  The audience stands as the show ends.

Explanation:

'Audience' is a collective noun. As such, it is considered as a singular noun. The singular verb 'stands' agrees, so there is subject-verb agreement.

Answer 2

The correct answer is A. The audience stands as the show ends, it displays the correct subject-verb agreement.

Now, let's dissect the sentence 'the audience stands as the show ends'.

• Audience refers to spectators at a public event, as such it is a collective noun, it is also a subject in the sentence
• Stands is a singular verb describing the actions of the subject 'audience'
• Show is a singular subject
• Ends is a singular verb describing what happens to the subject 'show'

In the rules of subject-verb agreement regarding collective nouns, if the context of the sentence portrays a group performing an action together as a single unit, then the noun is singular. Therefor audience is a singular collective noun in the context of this sentence, and it agrees with the single verb stands.

Show is also a singular subject, and it agrees with the singular verb ends.

So, in a sentence subjects and verbs must harmonize or 'agree' in number, and if a subject is plural, its verbs must be plural as well.