Agreement with news, mathematics, and other tricky subjects
Tricky subject + correct singular/plural verb
The news isn't good. / The police aren't here.
Is mathematics your favorite subject?
💡 Some -s words are singular (news, physics). Some no-s words are plural (police, people). Amounts as single units take singular.
✓The news is surprising.
✗The news are surprising.
'News' is always singular despite the -s.
✓The police are looking for the suspect.
✗The police is looking for the suspect.
'Police' is always plural.
✓Five kilometers is a long walk.
✗Five kilometers are a long walk.
Amounts as single units take singular verbs.