IELTS Writing for Canada PR applicants: How to Fix Subject-verb agreement mistakes

Find the real subject of each verb and make the verb match it in number. Watch for long subjects, 'the number of', 'a variety of' and subjects after phrases such as 'as well as'.

At a glance

For: Canada PR applicants
Problem: Subject-verb agreement mistakes
Scoring criterion: Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Task affected: Task 1 and Task 2
IELTS test: General Training
Typical effort: one to two weeks
First step: Underline the subject and verb of each sentence in your essay.

Why this happens to Canada PR applicants

Agreement slips happen when other words come between the subject and verb. They are small errors, but they appear in every paragraph for many candidates and limit the accuracy score.

Why this affects Canada PR applicants: preparation often focuses on Listening and Reading, while Writing gets the least practice.

Mixing formal and informal structures leads to errors.

A strength to build on: General Training letters are practical and can be practised from real situations.

Fix it in four steps

Underline the subject and verb of each sentence in your essay.
Cross out any phrase between them and check the verb matches the subject alone.
Remember: the number of is singular, a number of is plural.
Check each 'there is' or 'there are' against the noun that follows.

Before and after

Before

The number of cars in cities are increasing.

After

The number of cars in cities is increasing.

Ten-minute drill: Write ten sentences with a long subject and check agreement. Swap with a different sentence set the next day.

Questions and answers

How can Canada PR applicants fix subject-verb agreement mistakes?

Find the real subject of each verb and make the verb match it in number. Watch for long subjects, 'the number of', 'a variety of' and subjects after phrases such as 'as well as'. Mixing formal and informal structures leads to errors.

How long does it take Canada PR applicants to fix subject-verb agreement mistakes?

Most learners need one to two weeks. Draw timelines and invitation windows make planning important, so practise Writing early.

Which structures cause most agreement errors?

Long subjects, 'a number of' versus 'the number of', collective nouns and 'there is/are'.

Are agreement errors serious?

A single error is minor, but frequent errors show weak accuracy and can hold the Grammar score at Band 6.

What does a good practice drill look like for Canada PR applicants?

Write ten sentences with a long subject and check agreement. Swap with a different sentence set the next day. Draw timelines and invitation windows make planning important, so practise Writing early.

How can Canada PR applicants tell they have fixed subject-verb agreement mistakes?

A verb-only proofread finds no agreement errors in three consecutive essays.

What should Canada PR applicants know about their IELTS Writing target?

Express Entry converts IELTS results into Canadian Language Benchmark levels. For General Training Writing, 6.0 corresponds to CLB 7, 6.5 to CLB 8, 7.0 to CLB 9 and 7.5 to CLB 10. Confirm current points rules on the official site.

Should Canada PR applicants practise this on Task 1, Task 2 or both?

It shows up in both tasks. Fix it in Task 2 first, because Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1, then check Task 1 with the same checklist. General Training letters are practical and can be practised from real situations.

Can an AI checker help Canada PR applicants with subject-verb agreement mistakes?

An AI checker can show where this pattern appears in your own essay and which criterion it affects, which makes the fix concrete. It gives a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score, so use it to choose the next revision, rewrite, and check again. The first check on this site is free.

Check your own essay

See where subject-verb agreement mistakes appears in your own writing and which criterion it affects, then rewrite the weakest paragraph.

Run a free first check

Feedback is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score. Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Score requirements change, so confirm them with the organisation that will read your result.