Subject - Verb Agreement- Grammar Rules

Subject - Verb Agreement- Grammar Rules

A subject agrees with a verb in terms of number (singular and plural). This agreement is called subject-verb agreement or concord. The two main rules of agreement are:

Singular subjects agree with singular verbs. (s + s)

-       A singular subject refers to one.

he, she, it, a boy, this pen, his book, each book, water, etc.

(A singular verb ends in ‘-s / -es’.)

is, was, has, does, v5 (goes)

Plural subjects agree verbs. (p + p)

-       A plural subject refers to more than one.

we, you, they, boys, elephants, all the boys, etc.

-       A plural verb doesn’t end in ‘-s / -es’.

are, were, have, do, v1 (go)

Singular Subjects:

-       Nouns and pronouns that denote ‘one’.

A boy is standing under the tree.

-       Indefinite pronouns (somebody, nobody, everybody, something, everything, etc.)

Nobody has entered the room.

Someone is waiting for you.

-       V-ing or to- infinitive as a subject

Smoking was not allowed in the hall.

To smoke is injurious to our health.

-       Every …. and ….. / No …. and …..

Every man and woman has the right to good medical care.

No boy and girl was dancing in the party.

-       One of / Either of / Neither of / Each of, etc.

One of the boys has pinned his article up on the board.

Either of you has broken the bench.

Neither of the students was in the park.

-       Certain amount, distance, measurement: rupees, miles, minutes, yards, kilometers, dollars, meters, etc.

Three thousand rupees is too much for that shirt.

Two hours is not enough to complete the task.

-       Two nouns giving one meaning

Whisk and soda is not only his food.

Time and tide waits for none.

-       Arithmetic sums

Two plus two makes four.

Eight minus two is six.

-       A bouquet of / a crowd of/ a herd of / a team of/ a series of / a galaxy of, etc.

A team of players was welcomed at the airport.

A series of books has been published on oil.

-       Uncountable nouns comprising of several items (luggage, baggage, furniture, equipment, apparatus, machinery, etc.)

All our luggage was kept in the room.

His furniture is very expensive.

-       Uncountable nouns ending with -s (news, physics, measles, politics, athletics, alms, civics, comics, economics, ethics, innings, mathematics, etc.)

Good news is always pleasurable.

Politics irritates him.

Plural subjects:

-       Nouns and pronouns that denote ‘more than one’- boys, girls, his sons, we, you, etc.

Girls wear skirts.

-       Many/ both/ several/ these / those / a few + plural nouns

Several farmers are using the pesticides.

A few students have taken the test.

-       Nationality words ending in -sh, - ch, -ese

The British have a long history.

The Nepalese are hard working.

-        The + adjectives + plural verbs

The poor are given food and shelter.

The unemployed are facing a hard time.

-       Police, people, cattle, gentry, public, vermin, poultry, etc.

Mrs. Denzopa said “The vermin are harmful.”

-       Pants, shorts, trousers, scissors, tongs, forceps, spectacles, etc.

These trousers were ruined in the wash.

-       Media, bacteria, fungi, cacti, data, etc.

The data are not sufficient for the research.

Singular and plural:

-       There+ singular noun + ……. 

There is a bat on the table.

-       There + plural noun+ …….

There are some bats on the table.

-       The number of + plural noun

The number of students who are newly admitted is going to the picnic.

-       A number of + plural noun

A number of students are going to the picnic.

-       Many a + singular noun

Many a worker has rejected the proposal.

-       Many + plural nouns

Many workers have rejected the proposal.

-       More than one + singular

More than one boy has submitted the application.

-       More than two + plural noun

More than two boys have submitted the paper.

-       all / some/ some of / a lot of / lots of / rest of / two thirds of / a quarter of / a good deal of / none of etc. + singular countable noun

All milk is spilt on the floor.

-       all / some/ some of / a lot of / lots of / rest of / two thirds of / a quarter of / a good deal of / none of etc. + plural uncountable noun

All books are thrown away.

-       Verbs agree with the number of the noun that comes before   as well as, of, in, on, with, together with, along with, like, in addition to, etc. 

The songs on the CD are very nice.

Riya together with her friends is going to a picnic.

-       When two nouns or pronouns are joined by either – or, neither – nor, or, etc., the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun nearest to it.

Either a hen or a cock is in the pen.

Subject - Verb Agreement Exercise with Answer:

1.    No one in this world wants to be unhappy.

2.    Everybody is singing and dancing.

3.    One of my brothers is an engineer.

4.    The trouble is that they eat a lot of food.

5.    Ten minus four is six.

6.    Mohan and his brother do homework daily.

7.    Each boy and each girl has submitted the report card.

8.    More than two sheep has been killed.

9.    Swimming is a good exercise.

10. Neither of his brothers has gone to market.

11. The number of pandas is decreasing.

12. Two-thirds of the students have failed the exam.

13. No students have failed the exam.

14. Slow and steady wins the race.

15. Good news is waiting for us.

16. More than a girl is participating in the program.

17. Physics is my favorite subject.

18. Most of the students have gone home.

19. Ten thousand rupees is sufficient for this project.

20. I have three bicycles. Each is red in color.

21. To smoke is dangerous to health.

22. All the furniture in this house is very expensive.

23. Many a student has left this school.

24. Either Riya or Tina is absent today.

25. Neither you nor I am tired.