1. Subjects and Complements
Writing Lab
Subjects and Complements

2. Subjects and Complements
A verb must agree with its subject, not its subject complement (a word or words that rename the subject).
In other words, if a sentence is in its natural word order, a verb should agree with what precedes it, not what follows it.

3. Examples Incorrect: Homemade pies is the bakery’s specialty.
Correct: Homemade pies are the bakery’s specialty. (Correct—the verb should agree with the subject pies, not the subject complement specialty.)
Correct: His parents are his sole support.
Correct: His sole support is his parents.

4. That’s all, folks!
This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series
Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon
To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson