SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
In English, the verb must agree with its subject in
number and person. In other words, the verb must be of
the same number
and person as the subject.
This agreement is also known as “Concord”.
1
If the
sentence begins with a singular subject, the verb will also in singular
Examples:
Hari Haran is also a great singer
India wins the match
2
If the
sentence begins with a plural noun, the verb will also in plural form
Examples:
We are playing
football
Americans are
fond of watching baseball
3
Subjects
don't always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately identify
the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Examples:
Where is my pen?
Where are they
going?
Is he your
friend?
4
Two or
more singular subjects joined by “AND” take a plural verb
Examples:
Geeta and Sita
have won the prize.
You and I are
friends.
Two and two make
four.
5
When
two singular nouns joined by “AND” refer to the “Same person” or “Same thing”,
the verb must be singular. In other words When “two subjects express one idea”,
the verb is in the singular
Examples:
My sister and
friend has come
The
Correspondent and Principal has
called for a meeting.
Red beans and
rice is my mom's favorite dish.
6
When
“gerunds” are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular form of
the verb. However, when they are linked by "AND," they take the
plural form.
Examples:
Walking is a good
exercise
Standing in the
water was a bad idea.
Swimming in the
ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.
7
When a
writer begins sentences with “THERE” or “HERE”, the verb agreement must match
the words that follow. If a singular noun follows, use a singular verb. If a
plural noun follows, use a plural verb.
Examples:
There IS a neem tree in our garden.
There ARE five neem trees in our garden.
Here IS the pen you’re searching for.
Here ARE the papers you requested.
8
If the
sentence begins with a subject “ALL”, “BOTH”, “FEW”, “MANY”, “SEVERAL”, and
“SOME” is of the Plural Number. Hence the verb is also in plural.
Examples:
All
citizens have duties to perform.
Some ARE talking.
9
When a
sentence begins with “ANYBODY”, “ANYONE”, “EACH”, “EVERY”, “EVERYBODY”, “EVERYONE”,
“SOMEBODY” and “SOMEONE” takes a
singular verb
Examples:
Every
citizen has to follow the rules of the society.
Someone IS
asking.
Everyone IS
talking at ones.
Each of them is
lovable
Each one IS
identified.
10
When
two singular nouns joined by ‘AND’ are preceded by “EVERY”, “EACH”, the pronoun must be singular and the verb is also
singular.
Examples:
Every man
and every woman has duties to perform.
Each boy
and each girl was given a special prize.
11
Some
of the collective nouns like ‘class, cabinet, committee, board, jury,
government, team and staff, take a singular verb when they are considered a
unit, and a plural verb if the members are considered individually.
Examples:
The whole class
is attentive.
The team is
performing well.
The staff
are arguing about the dates of the tour programmed.
The class
is organizing a debate.
The class
are arguing over the issue.
The jury
has given its verdict.
The jury
are divided in their opinion.
12
Nouns
such as advice, alphabet, brick, clothing, furniture, information, luggage,
poetry, scenery, thunder etc. are used only in the singular form and the verb
that follows them is also singular. They are neither preceded by an indefinite
article nor pluralized.
Examples:
The scenery
of Kashmir is enchanting.
All the
information he gave me was false.
All the
furniture has been remodeled.
Your hair
has turned grey.
His luggage
is missing.
13
A
plural noun which is in the name of a country, province, Titles of books,
movies, novels, Subjects, and other similar works are treated as singular and
take a singular verb.
Examples:
Human values is
of great importance
India is my
country
Titanic is a
Blockbuster movie
Mathematics is my
favorite subject
14 Some nouns denoting money, time and di
stance take a singular verb, as the specific quantity
or amount is considered a whole.
Examples:
Five rupees
has no value these days.
Three miles is a short distance.
Two weeks
is a long holiday.
14
When
two subjects, one singular and the other plural, are connected by “as well as”,
‘”WITH”, “ALONG WITH”, “TOGETHER WITH”, the verb agrees with the first subject.
If the first subject is singular the verb is singular; if the first subject is
plural,
15
the
verb is plural.
Examples:
Kumar, as
well as his friends has won the prize.
The
captain, with all his sailors, was drowned.
The
students along with their teacher, have gone on a visit to the Museum.
Her cousins as
well as she are hard working
16
Two or
more singular subjects connected by “OR”, “NOR”, “EITHER OR”, “NEITHER NOR”,
“NOT ONLY BUT ALSO”, take a singular verb.
Examples:
Either
Ramesh or Maren is in the wrong side.
·
Neither
Kamal nor Rahim was present at the conference.
17 When two subjects, one singular and the other
plural, are connected
by “NEITHER NOR”, “EITHER OR”, “not only but also” the
verb agrees in person with the subject nearer to it.
Examples:
Either Rahim or his brothers have to be
invited.
Neither his friends nor Victor is aware of the news.
17
When
two or more singular subjects are connected by “WITH”, “TOGETHER WITH”, “AND
NOT”, “BESIDES”, “NO LESS THAN”, the verb is in singular
Examples:
He and not she is to blame
18
When
there is more than one singular noun as the subject and the nouns in the
subject are connected with “OR”,” a singular verb must be use
Examples:
Drake or Drew IS
playing soccer.
A cat or dog IS
making noise outside.
19 When
a phrase interrupts the subject and the verb, the verb must agree with the
subject regardless of the phrase.
Examples:
The
man who plays soccer IS handsome.
The
men who play soccer ARE handsome.
That
toy, which I found in the oven, IS ruined.
20 Subordinate
clauses that come between the subject and verb don't affect their agreement.
Examples:
The
dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
Jacob,
who owns sixteen houses, is on his way to becoming a billionaire.