On the SAT, prepositions matter in one main place: subject-verb agreement. A prepositional phrase often sits between a subject and its verb, and the noun inside that phrase is never the subject. Cross the phrase out, find the true subject, count it, and make the verb match.
The method takes a few seconds once you can spot the phrases. This guide covers the cross-out method, three twists that make it harder, and ten examples with answers, all based on our Verbs lesson notes. You can practice it in our Digital SAT question banks, and the June 2026 English bank is free.
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Video: Find the Real Subject. From the Mr. O series Verbs: Agreement, Tense and Form.
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Why prepositions show up in SAT grammar
College Board's list of grammar skills for the Digital SAT has no separate "prepositions" item. It does include Subject-Verb Agreement, described as "Students will ensure agreement in number between a subject and a verb" (Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite, Appendix B). Our Verbs lesson notes describe the usual trap: the question pushes the subject away from the verb and fills the gap with nouns of the wrong number, hoping your ear grabs the closest one. Prepositional phrases are how it fills that gap.
The cross-out method
Cross out every prepositional phrase between the subject and the verb before you decide anything. A noun that comes after of, in, on, beneath, among, with, along with, together with, as well as or accompanied by is never the subject. It does not matter how close it sits to the verb or how plural it sounds.
Example 1. The crate of hand-painted teacups ______ near the shop's front window.
- sits
- sit
- are sitting
- have sat
Answer: A. "Of hand-painted teacups" starts with of, so cross it out. What is left: "The crate ______ near the shop's front window." One crate, so the verb is singular: sits. B, C and D all agree with teacups, the plural noun parked right before the blank, and that pull toward the nearest noun is the trap.
A quick memory aid: singular verbs usually end in -s (she paints), and plural verbs do not (they paint). It runs backward from nouns, where the -s makes a word plural. The same logic covers the irregular verbs: is and was are singular, are and were are plural, has is singular, have is plural.
Video: Subjects After the Verb. From the Mr. O series Verbs: Agreement, Tense and Form.
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Phrases you should bracket on sight
| Phrase starts with | Example sentence | True subject | Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| of | The stack of overdue library books is on the desk. | stack | is |
| in | The tomatoes in the garden need more water. | tomatoes | need |
| among | The best idea among all the proposals comes from a student. | idea | comes |
| beneath | The pipes beneath the old school were replaced. | pipes | were |
| with | A bowl with three oranges sits on the counter. | bowl | sits |
| along with / as well as | The captain, along with two players, meets the press. | captain | meets |
Twist 1: the phrase comes first and the subject comes after the verb
Some sentences open with a place phrase, and the subject shows up after the verb. Nothing inside the opening phrase can be the subject. Flip the sentence back to normal order before you count.
Example 2. Along the base of the lighthouse tower ______ dozens of nesting seabirds that the keeper has learned to identify by call.
- nests
- has nested
- is nesting
- nest
Answer: D. "Along the base of the lighthouse tower" is all prepositional phrase, so base and tower are out. Look past the blank: "dozens of nesting seabirds." The head noun is dozens, and "of nesting seabirds" is one more phrase to cross out. In normal order: "Dozens of nesting seabirds nest along the base of the lighthouse tower." Plural subject, plural verb.
Twist 2: along with and as well as do not add a second subject
Phrases like along with, together with, as well as and accompanied by add information. They never turn a singular subject into a plural one. Only and does that.
Example 3. The head chef, along with two line cooks and a pastry apprentice, ______ the tasting menu for the spring opening. The answer is "plans." Cross out the comma phrase and one chef is left. Compare: "A hand plane and a coping saw are the two tools the apprentice reaches for first." Two nouns joined by and form a plural subject.
Twist 3: an and hidden inside the phrase
An and can sit inside a prepositional phrase. Then it joins two things in the phrase, and it does not touch the subject.
Example 4. The manager's review of the warehouse inventory and the shipping logs ______ still incomplete. The answer is "is." Cross out "of the warehouse inventory and the shipping logs," and one review is left. Each time you see and near a verb, ask whether it joins two full subjects or two things inside one phrase.
Of-phrases that change the rule
A few phrases with of follow their own rules.
| Phrase | Number | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a number of | Plural (it means "many") | A number of the seed packets were mislabeled. |
| the number of | Singular (one count) | The number of mislabeled packets was higher than expected. |
| each of, one of, either of, neither of | Singular | Each of the players has a jersey. |
| most of, some of, all of, none of | Depends on the noun after of | Most of the fabric was blue. Most of the bolts were blue. |
| one of the [plural noun] who | The verb after who is plural | She is one of the few glassblowers who have mastered the technique. |
The most, some, all and none rows are the exception to the cross-out method: with those words, the noun after of sets the number.
Ten practice sentences with answers
Cover the last two columns, cross out the phrase, then check.
| # | Sentence | True subject | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The box of old maps (sit / sits) on the top shelf. | box | sits |
| 2 | The flowers in the window box (need / needs) water every morning. | flowers | need |
| 3 | Each of the students in the robotics club (has / have) a locker. | each | has |
| 4 | The list of required supplies (grow / grows) longer every year. | list | grows |
| 5 | The paintings on the walls of the gallery (date / dates) from the 1800s. | paintings | date |
| 6 | The coach, along with three assistants, (drive / drives) the team bus. | coach | drives |
| 7 | Under the old bridge (sit / sits) two small fishing boats. | boats | sit |
| 8 | A number of the concert tickets (was / were) unsold. | a number of (many) | were |
| 9 | The number of empty seats (was / were) smaller than last year. | the number | was |
| 10 | The report on the city's parks and playgrounds (recommend / recommends) new benches. | report | recommends |
Your agreement checklist
- Scan the choices. If they differ in number, it is an agreement question.
- Bracket every phrase that starts with a preposition or with along with, as well as or together with.
- If the sentence opens with a place phrase, look for the subject after the verb.
- Check whether an and joins two subjects or sits inside a phrase.
- Watch the of-phrases in the table above.
For more, read our subject-verb agreement practice set, the complete subject-verb agreement guide, our page on possessive nouns that look like subjects, SAT verb forms and the SAT grammar rules cheat sheet. Then practice in the free June 2026 English question bank, and create a free account to open the Verbs lesson notes and Targeted Practice and to take one free full-length adaptive test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are prepositions tested on the SAT?
Through subject-verb agreement. The question places a prepositional phrase with a noun of the wrong number between the subject and the verb. Cross out the phrase and match the verb to the true subject.
Can the subject of a sentence be inside a prepositional phrase?
No. A noun after of, in, on, with, among or beneath is not the subject. The exceptions are most, some, all and none, where the noun after of sets the number.
Does along with make a subject plural?
No. Along with, together with and as well as add information but leave a singular subject singular. Only and joins two subjects into a plural one.
Is a number of singular or plural?
A number of means many, so it takes a plural verb. The number of names one count, so it takes a singular verb.
What if the sentence starts with a prepositional phrase?
Look for the subject after the verb. Flip the sentence into normal order, then count the subject.