“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.”
The subject–verb agreement section of Jobin Thomas’s OET Dentistry Grammar Workbook explores this problem through examples, exercises and explanations. 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.
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.
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.
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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.