“The list of appointments are attached” may sound plausible because “appointments” is plural and sits close to the verb. But the sentence says that the list is attached. Finding that main subject makes the correction clear: “The list of appointments is attached.”
Jobin Thomas’s OET Dentistry Grammar Workbook focuses on tense and passive voice for OET dentistry writing. This guide develops a focused editing routine using new sentences about documents, appointments and communication.
Find what the sentence is making a statement about
Begin with a short sentence: “The document is ready.” The subject is singular, so “is” fits. Now add detail: “The document with the appointment dates is ready.” The extra phrase describes the document; it does not turn the subject into a plural.
Temporarily setting that phrase aside can help you hear the basic structure. Do this as an editing aid, then restore the full sentence. The additional information may be important even though it does not control the verb.
Do not simply match the nearest noun
Compare “The copies of the letter are ready” with “The copy of the letters is ready.” In the first, “copies” controls the verb. In the second, “copy” does. The noun after “of” gives additional information rather than automatically deciding the agreement.
This matters when a subject is long. By the time you reach the verb, a nearby plural word can distract you from the singular word that began the phrase. Read back to the main subject before changing anything.
Original editing exercise
Draft: “The schedule for the afternoon appointments have changed.”
Main subject: the schedule.
Corrected sentence: “The schedule for the afternoon appointments has changed.”
Different meaning: “The afternoon appointments have changed.” Here, the appointments themselves form the plural subject.
Notice “each” and “one of”
“Each of the forms has a reference number” focuses on each individual form. “One of the forms is missing” focuses on one. Although “forms” is plural, the main subjects “each” and “one” call for singular agreement in these sentences.
Compare these with “All the forms have reference numbers” and “Two of the forms are missing.” Changing the subject changes the verb. A useful exercise is to rewrite one sentence with “one,” “each,” “two” and “all,” then check the result.
Choose the correct verbs
1. The details on the appointment card ___ correct. (is/are)
2. One of the messages ___ a reply. (needs/need)
3. Each of the letters ___ a date. (has/have)
4. The envelope containing the forms ___ on the desk. (is/are)
Answers: 1 are — details. 2 needs — one. 3 has — each. 4 is — envelope. Identify the subject as well as selecting the form.
Check both parts of a longer sentence
A sentence may contain more than one subject–verb pair. “The receptionist checks the requests, and the assistants send the confirmations” has a singular subject in the first part and a plural subject in the second.
Do not make every verb singular because the sentence starts with a singular noun. Work through each clause. This helps when you combine short notes into fuller sentences and the person responsible for an action changes.
Check the helping verb as well as the main verb
In “The appointment dates have changed,” the verb phrase is “have changed.” The plural subject “dates” goes with “have.” If you change the subject to “date,” write “The appointment date has changed.” The word “changed” stays the same; the agreement change appears in the helping verb.
The same check is useful in a passive sentence. Compare “The confirmation has been sent” with “The confirmations have been sent.” Match “has” or “have” to the subject, then check whether the tense and the passive construction express your intended meaning. Correct agreement alone does not establish that the information is accurate.
Do not apply this pattern mechanically to every helping verb. “The administrator can send the form” and “The administrators can send the form” both use “can send.” Adding an “s” to “can” or “send” would not make the first sentence more accurate.
Edit a short paragraph without changing its meaning
Try this original language-practice paragraph. There are three agreement errors. Correct the verbs, keeping the same subjects and information:
“The summary of the appointments have been emailed. Each of the attachments contain a reference number. The dates on the final page is correct.”
Check the corrections and the reason for each one
1. The summary of the appointments has been emailed. The subject is “summary,” not “appointments.” Change “have” to “has”; keep “been emailed.”
2. Each of the attachments contains a reference number. “Each” directs attention to one attachment at a time, so use “contains.”
3. The dates on the final page are correct. The plural subject is “dates.” The nearby singular noun “page” does not control the verb.
Finally, reread the paragraph for meaning. Changing “summary” to “summaries” would also allow “have,” but it would change the information. Editing should repair the grammar while preserving what the writer actually needs to say. These examples practise language; they are not clinical guidance or official OET test questions.
Apply the check to one paragraph
Take a paragraph from your own practice letter and underline the main verb in each clause. Circle its subject, then read the pair together. Check agreement before looking for more impressive vocabulary or a longer sentence structure.
Record the original sentence, the main subject and the corrected verb. “Schedule — has” is a more reusable reminder than copying a corrected paragraph without understanding the change.
Next resource for dentistry learners: if your writing also needs work on tense and passive voice, inspect the OET Dentistry Grammar Workbook and its available editions. The current product page lists those two areas and offers an EPUB digital edition and a paperback. It is a dentistry-focused resource, so check that context suits your study before buying.
Explore OET Grammar — Course 16 for practice linked to the dentistry grammar workbook. For individual help with your writing, choose your preferred dates and times for online one-to-one OET lessons around your shifts, with tutor availability confirmed.
Grammar references
For further explanations, see Purdue OWL’s proofreading guidance on subject–verb agreement and guide to helping verbs. The practice sentences in this article are original examples.
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OET Grammar — Course 16
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Source: OET Dentostry Gra 01.epub, Jobins Training. Examples labelled original or illustrative were written for this article. Independent exam preparation; no affiliation with or endorsement by the examining body. Practice does not predict an official score.