IELTS Writing for Chinese speakers: 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: Chinese speakers
Problem: Subject-verb agreement mistakes
Scoring criterion: Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Task affected: Task 1 and Task 2
IELTS test: Academic or General Training (check your requirement)
Typical effort: one to two weeks
First step: Underline the subject and verb of each sentence in your essay.

Why this happens to Chinese speakers

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 Chinese speakers: Chinese has no articles and no verb tense endings, and sentences are often joined by commas, so these patterns carry into English writing.

Articles, tense and plural endings are common errors, and comma splices are frequent.

A strength to build on: Strong exam discipline and wide study vocabulary help with practice routines.

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

What is the fastest way for Chinese speakers 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'. Articles, tense and plural endings are common errors, and comma splices are frequent.

How long does it take Chinese speakers to fix subject-verb agreement mistakes?

Most learners need one to two weeks. Consistent short daily practice with feedback works better than long, infrequent sessions.

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 Chinese speakers?

Write ten sentences with a long subject and check agreement. Swap with a different sentence set the next day. Consistent short daily practice with feedback works better than long, infrequent sessions.

How can Chinese speakers tell they have fixed subject-verb agreement mistakes?

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

What should Chinese speakers know about their IELTS Writing target?

Chinese-speaking candidates often have strong reading and vocabulary knowledge and need targeted work on English-specific grammar and organisation.

Should Chinese speakers 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. Strong exam discipline and wide study vocabulary help with practice routines.

Can an AI checker help Chinese speakers 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.