Many international lawyers work in English every day. They draft contracts, send legal emails, prepare memoranda, and participate in negotiations. However, grammar mistakes sometimes appear in professional writing. One of the most common issues is subject-verb agreement in legal English.
Subject-verb agreement means that the verb must match the subject of the sentence in number. In other words, a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.
Although this rule seems simple, legal writing often contains long sentences and complex structures that make it easy to make mistakes. These subject-verb agreement legal English mistakes can make writing sound unprofessional or unclear.
In this article, we will examine 10 common subject-verb agreement mistakes lawyers make in legal English, explain why they happen, and show how to correct them.
Why Subject-Verb Agreement Matters in Legal Writing
Legal writing requires clarity and precision. Even small grammar errors can affect how professional a document appears.
When subject-verb agreement errors appear in contracts or legal memoranda, they can create several problems.
First, they may make the sentence difficult to read or understand.
Second, they may reduce the writer’s professional credibility. Judges, clients, and colleagues often expect legal documents to be carefully written.
Finally, grammar mistakes may create ambiguity, which means that a sentence can have more than one possible meaning.
Because legal sentences are often long and complex, mastering subject-verb agreement legal English rules is particularly important for lawyers.
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement in Legal English
Before examining common mistakes, it is helpful to review the basic rule.
Basic Rule
Singular subject → singular verb
Plural subject → plural verb
Example:
Singular:
The agreement is valid.
Plural:
The agreements are valid.
However, legal sentences often include phrases between the subject and the verb, which makes it harder to identify the correct verb form.
1. Mistaking a Plural Noun for the Subject
One common subject-verb agreement legal English mistake occurs when writers focus on the wrong noun.
Example:
Incorrect:
The list of documents are attached.
Correct:
The list of documents is attached.
Explanation:
The subject is list, which is singular. The phrase of documents does not change the subject.
2. Confusion with “Each” and “Every”
Words like each and every are always singular, even when referring to multiple items.
Example:
Incorrect:
Each party have reviewed the agreement.
Correct:
Each party has reviewed the agreement.
Even though multiple parties exist, the subject each party is grammatically singular.
3. Errors with Collective Nouns
A collective noun refers to a group of people or things.
Examples include:
committee
board
team
firm
In American legal English, these nouns are usually treated as singular.
Incorrect:
The board have approved the proposal.
Correct:
The board has approved the proposal.
Understanding collective nouns helps avoid subject-verb agreement legal English mistakes.
4. Long Sentences That Hide the Subject
Legal sentences often contain multiple clauses, which can hide the subject of the sentence.
Example:
Incorrect:
The agreement between the supplier and the distributor require approval.
Correct:
The agreement between the supplier and the distributor requires approval.
The subject is agreement, which is singular.
5. Confusion with “Either” and “Neither”
Words like either and neither are singular.
Example:
Incorrect:
Neither party are responsible for the delay.
Correct:
Neither party is responsible for the delay.
This is a frequent subject-verb agreement legal English mistake among ESL writers.
6. Errors with “A Number of” vs “The Number of”
These two phrases look similar but require different verbs.
Example:
Plural:
A number of claims have been filed.
Singular:
The number of claims has increased.
Explanation:
A number of → plural
The number of → singular
7. Confusion with “There Is” and “There Are”
Lawyers sometimes misuse there is and there are when introducing information.
Incorrect:
There is several issues with the contract.
Correct:
There are several issues with the contract.
This mistake occurs when the writer forgets to match the verb with the plural noun.
8. Mistakes with Compound Subjects
When two subjects are connected by and, the verb is usually plural.
Incorrect:
The buyer and the seller agrees to the amendment.
Correct:
The buyer and the seller agree to the amendment.
This rule is simple but often overlooked in complex legal writing.
9. Agreement Errors with Legal Terminology
Legal writing often includes complex noun phrases.
Example:
Incorrect:
The terms and conditions of the contract is binding.
Correct:
The terms and conditions of the contract are binding.
Here, the subject terms and conditions is plural.
10. Agreement Errors in Contract Clauses
Subject-verb agreement mistakes frequently appear in contractual language.
Example:
Incorrect:
The obligations under this agreement is enforceable.
Correct:
The obligations under this agreement are enforceable.
These errors are particularly important because they appear in legally binding documents.
Practical Tips for Avoiding Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Lawyers can improve their grammar by following a few simple strategies.
Identify the subject first
Before choosing the verb, determine which word is the true subject.
Simplify long sentences
Shorter sentences make it easier to identify correct grammar.
Proofread carefully
Always review legal documents before sending them to clients or colleagues.
Read the sentence aloud
If the sentence sounds strange when spoken, it may contain a grammar error.
Final Thoughts
Subject-verb agreement may seem like a small grammatical detail, but it plays an important role in clear legal writing. Lawyers who write contracts, memoranda, and legal correspondence must ensure that their grammar is precise and professional.
Because legal sentences often contain complex structures, subject-verb agreement legal English mistakes can occur easily. However, once you understand the common patterns described in this article, it becomes much easier to avoid them.
Improving grammar not only strengthens legal writing but also enhances professional credibility when working with clients, colleagues, and courts.
Legal English Lexicon
Ambiguity
Language that can have more than one meaning.
Clause
A section of a legal document or contract.
Collective noun
A noun that refers to a group of people or things.
Compound subject
Two or more subjects connected by words such as and.
Enforceable
Legally valid and capable of being enforced by a court.
Memorandum
A written legal document explaining legal analysis.
Plural
A grammatical form referring to more than one person or thing.
Provision
A rule or clause contained in a legal document.
Singular
A grammatical form referring to one person or thing.
Subject-verb agreement
A grammar rule requiring the verb to match the subject in number.
