Subject-Verb Agreement: 12 Rules & Examples

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Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects-verb agreement forms a significant part of any statement that you make. So, if you aim to perfect grammar, you need to memorize the rules that apply when you put together a subject and a verb. These rules are collectively popular as subject-verb agreement.

We agree that these agreement rules can be a bit tricky and complicated but once you learn them, you will use verbs in their correct form with ease. So, go through them, and you are ready to ace any test on the subject-verb agreement like a grammar nazi.

What is a Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement, also known as “subject-verb concord,” is the matching of a sentence’s subject and verb in tense, aspect, and mood (abbreviated as TAM), which translates to number, person, and gender.

Except for pronouns, English does not utilise grammatical gender, and only the verb changes depending on whether it is in the first, second, or third person. That means, the majority of English subject-verb agreement is based on quantity:

  • If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular;
  • Whereas, if the subject is numerous, the verb must be plural.

Also Read: Learn English Grammar from Scratch

Analysis with Examples

When the subject follows the verb (especially in sentences beginning with the expletives “there is” or “there are”), special care determines the subject and makes certain that the verb agrees with it.

For example, if you use a single subject ‘He‘ then the single verb ‘is‘ would appear:

‘He is talking too much. The two subjects and verbs must align to ensure agreement.’

Even this can be perplexing because the first-person singular (“I climb the fence”) has the identical verb pattern as the first-person plural (“We climb the fence”).

Subject-verb agreement in English, besides the verb “be“, adapts verbs to the third-person singular (“It climbs the fence”).

12 Subject-Verb Agreement Rules with Examples

Mastering subject-verb agreement starts with understanding its fundamental rules. These rules serve as a guide to ensure verbs align with their subjects in both number and person. Let’s begin with the 12 most common and important rules of Subject-Verb Agreement:

1. A Singular Subject Goes with a Singular Verb

A singular subject requires a singular verb form. For instance:

Incorrect Sohra play the guitar every day.
CorrectSohra plays the guitar every day.

In this statement, Sohra is singular and therefore will take on a singular verb i.e., plays.

2. A Plural Subject Goes with a Plural Verb

The second rule of Subject-Verb Agreement is as follows: A plural subject goes with a plural verb. For instance:

IncorrectThey plays the guitar every day.
CorrectThey play the guitar every day.

In this statement, ‘They’ is a plural pronoun and therefore will take on a plural verb i.e., play.

3. Subjects Joined by ‘And’ Go with a Plural Verb

The next rule of Subject-Verb Agreement says that if you connect in a sentence two or more nouns or pronouns using “and” then the verb will be plural. For instance:

IncorrectRahul and Anekha is siblings.
CorrectRahul and Anekha are siblings

In this statement, there are two nouns Rahul and Anekha connected by “and” and therefore the verb used is plural i.e., “are”.

IncorrectRahul and Anekha sings together
CorrectRahul and Anekha sing together

In this statement, there are two nouns and therefore the verb used is plural i.e., sing.

4. A Conjunction connects Singular and Plural Subjects

The next rule of Subject-Verb Agreement focuses on the use of or/nor. If in a sentence two or more nouns or pronouns are connected using “or/nor” then the verb used will be singular. For instance:

Incorrect Your class teacher or the principal sanction your leave application.
CorrectYour class teacher or the principal sanctions your leave application.

In this statement, the two nouns class teacher and principal are connected using “or” and therefore the verb used is singular i.e. sanctions.

5. A Sentence Contains Both a Singular and a Plural Pronoun

In this rule of Subject-Verb Agreement, when a sentence contains both a singular and a plural pronoun, the verb used will be according to the pronoun closer to the verb. For instance:

Incorrect Shiva and his friends meets every week at the cafeteria
CorrectShiva and his friends meet every week at the cafeteria.

In this statement, the plural noun “friends” is closest to the verb and therefore will be plural i.e., meet.

6. Using “Do not” and “Does not” in Sentences

A singular pronoun uses “does not” and a plural one uses “do not”. But there is an exception to this rule. This rule of Subject-Verb Agreement explains that “Do not” is used with the singular pronouns “I” and “You” instead of “do not” as it ideally should be. For instance:

IncorrectShe do not eat ice cream
CorrectShe does not eat ice cream

In this statement, she is singular and therefore, the verb will not be used.

IncorrectThey does not eat ice cream.
CorrectThey do not eat ice cream.

In this statement, ‘They’ is plural and therefore, the verb ‘do not’ will be used.

Exception:

IncorrectI does not eat ice cream
CorrectI do not eat ice cream

In this statement, I am a singular pronoun but ‘do not’ will be used along with it instead of does not. And that’s why it’s an exception.

Also Read: Subject vs Predicate: Types, Examples, Practice Questions

7. Verb Always Agree with Subject in Sentences with Additional Phrases

In case a sentence has an additional phrase, the verb should always agree with the subject of the statement and not be influenced by the pronouns or nouns of the additional phrase. For instance:

IncorrectThis book, as well as all the other books of this writer are boring.
CorrectThis book, as well as all the other books of this writer is boring.

In this statement, “this book” is the subject and it’s singular. Therefore, the verb used will also be singular i.e., “is” and not “are”.

8. Words like ‘Each’, ‘Every’ and ‘No’ are Followed by Singular Verb

The next rule of Subject-Verb Agreement is about the use of each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody, somebody, someone, and no one as words which are singular in nature and therefore will always follow a singular verb. For instance:

IncorrectEach one of you are going to give a live presentation.
CorrectEach one of you is going to give a live presentation.

In this statement, “each one” is used and therefore, the singular verb “is” will be used.

IncorrectNeither one of you are allowed to go home.
CorrectNeither one of you is allowed to go home.

In this statement, “neither” is used and therefore, the singular verb “is” will be used.

Also Read: English Grammar Tenses rules with Examples

9. Mass nouns like Civics and Dollars are followed by Singular Verb

Mass nouns like civics, mathematics, dollars, measles, and news which cannot be counted use singular verbs under the rules of Subject-Verb Agreement. For instance:

IncorrectMathematics are my favourite subject.
CorrectMathematics is my favourite subject.

In this statement, the mass noun “mathematics” is used along with a singular verb i.e., is.

10. Plurale Tantum Uses Plural Verb

In English, there is a set of nouns called Plurale Tantum which doesn’t have a singular form like trousers, scissors, pants, etc. Such nouns always use a plural verb. For instance:

IncorrectThose black trousers is mine
CorrectThose black trousers are mine.

In this statement, black trousers refer to a single object but use the plural verb i.e., are.

11. Collective Nouns Take on Singular Verb

In this rule of Subject-Verb Agreement, collective nouns like class, committee, family, group, etc. take on singular verbs. For instance:

IncorrectThe history class start at 9 a.m.
CorrectThe history class starts at 9 a.m.

In this statement, history class is a collective noun and therefore the singular noun “starts” will be used along with it.

12. If the subject is singular, the verb will also be singular

The number of subjects is not influenced by expressions like accompanied by, in addition to or including. If the subject is singular, the verb will also be singular and it will remain so irrespective of such expressions. For instance:

IncorrectNeha, accompanied by her sister, are going to perform today.
CorrectNeha, accompanied by her sister, is going to perform today.

In this statement, the subject “Neha” is singular and therefore the verb used is also singular i.e., “is”. The phrase accompanied by has no impact on the verb.

12 Subject-Verb Agreement Rules with Examples
Download a copy of these rules to keep the errors at bay.

Subject-Verb Agreement Exception Rules

  • Neither” and “either” require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring to two separate things.
  • When a sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and only one is plural, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
  • “Anyone,” “everyone,” “someone,” “no one,” and “nobody” always require singular verbs.
  • Words that indicate portions of a whole, such as “Percent,” “fraction,” “some,” “none,” and “remainder,” require a singular verb only if the object of the preposition is singular.
  • “Who,” “that,” and “which” can be singular or plural, according to the noun directly in front of them.
  • The phrase introduced by “as well as” or “along with” modifies the earlier word but doesn’t compound the subjects.
  • Modifiers between the subject and verb do not affect whether the verb is singular or plural.

Also Read: All about Regular and Irregular Verbs

15+ Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement

We move on to make a comprehensive list of examples of subject-verb agreement. Improve your understanding of the Subject-Verb Agreement with these examples.

Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement

Compound Subjects

  • Sugar and flour are needed for the recipe.
  • Neither my mom nor my sisters know how to swim.
  • The creator and producer are arriving soon

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

  • Something feels wrong here.
  • Everybody enjoys a good cup of tea.
  • Each does a good job at work.

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

  • Several have reached the hotel.
  • The bag of cookies was eaten.
  • Both have had bad phases in life.

Noun Phrase as Subject

  • The causes of this accident are poor driving and indiscipline.
  • The bed and table I got at the showroom look nice in here.
  • The members of the football team are pleased with the performance.

Collective Nouns

  • The crowd is cheering.
  • The jury has made an unfair decision.
  • The majority has the authority most of the time.

Inverted Subjects

  • How are the friends taking the bad news?
  • There are stones in my bag.

Titles of Single Entities

  • Game of Thrones is a very long book to read.

Subject-Verb Agreement Exercise for Practise

So, these are the major rules of subject-verb agreement. We hope you understand every rule. Now it’s time to test your knowledge. Solve these questions and let’s see how many of them you get right on the first go.

Exercise

  1. John and his brother (is/are) playing football.
  2. Aryan (do not/does not) like to play basketball.
  3. Either of you (have/has) stolen the book.
  4. Your pants (is/are) in the top shelf.
  5. My family (belongs/belong) to the Mahou tribe.
  6. Mr, Swamy as well as his family (is/are) quite humble.
  7. Mary (sing/sings) very well.
  8. The novel, including all the essays (take/takes) about two hours to read.
  9. They (eat/eats) lunch together everyday.
  10. The players as well as the coach (want/wants) to win.
  11. My parents (lives/live) in Australia.
  12. Do anyone (knows/know) where the grocery store is?
  13. The little boy (do not/does not) like apples for some reason.
  14. Kavita and her sister (is/are) here to see you.
  15. You (has/have) brought all that I had asked for.

Answers

  1. Is
  2. Does not
  3. Has
  4. Are
  5. Belongs
  6. Is
  7. Sings
  8. Takes
  9. Eat
  10. Want
  11. Live
  12. Know
  13. Does not
  14. Are
  15. Have

Quick Read: 5+ Golden Rules for Prepositions in English Grammar

FAQs on Subject-Verb Agreement

Ques: What are the examples of subjects?

Ans: The subject is a thing which we are talking about like-
1. Tina is reading a book.
2. Sofia is eating an Apple.
3. Ram is dancing.
4. Riya is playing
5. Tarun is doing his HW on pc
6. Tushar is writing a letter to his Granny

Ques: What are the types of subjects?

Ans: Complete subject, simple subject, and compound subject.

Ques: What is the meaning of subject-verb concord?

Ans: The Collins Dictionary defines “concord” as the manner a term has a form appropriate for the number or gender of the noun or pronoun it refers to. The singular verb form and the singular pronoun “she,” for instance, are in agreement in the sentence “She hates it.”

Ques: What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Ans: Subject-Verb Agreement is the grammatical rule that the verb must match the subject in both number and person. For example, singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.

Ques: What are the basic rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?

Ans: Some basic rules of Subject-Verb Agreement include:
Singular subjects take singular verbs (e.g., “She writes”).
Plural subjects take plural verbs (e.g., “They write”).
Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs depending on the context.

Ques: What are the 12 rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?

Ans: The 12 rules of Subject-Verb Agreement include:
– Singular subjects take singular verbs.
– Plural subjects take plural verbs.
– Use singular verbs with uncountable nouns.
– Words joined by “and” typically take plural verbs.
– When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
– Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs.
– Indefinite pronouns like “everyone” and “someone” take singular verbs.
– Plural form subjects referring to singular entities take singular verbs (e.g., “The news is…”).
– Titles of works take singular verbs.
– Fractions agree with the noun they modify.
– Amounts of money, time, and distance take singular verbs.
“None” can take either singular or plural verbs based on context.

Ques: Can you provide examples of Subject-Verb Agreement rules?

Ans: Some examples of Subject-Verb Agreement rules are:
Singular: “The cat runs across the street.”
Plural: “The cats run across the street.”
Collective: “The team is winning the game.”

Ques: Why is Subject-Verb Agreement important?

Ans: Subject-Verb Agreement ensures grammatical correctness, clarity, and coherence in communication. It reflects proper language structure and avoids ambiguity.

Ques: How can I remember the rules of Subject-Verb Agreement?

Ans: Use mnemonic devices, practice frequently, and break the rules into simple categories for easier memorization.

Ques: What is Practice Exercises for Subject-Verb Agreement?

Ans: Test your understanding with these examples. Identify the correct verb:
Each of the students (is/are) responsible.
The committee (has/have) made its decision.
Either the dogs or the cat (is/are) making noise.
Answers:
is
has
is

With this blog, we hope that you understand what Subject-Verb Agreement rules are and how they are applied. This was all about nouns and pronouns. You can also follow Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs.

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10 comments
    1. Hi Sam
      We at Leverage Edu provide online preparatory classes for GMAT, IELTS, GRE and SAT through Leverage Live which is an online learning platform. Give us a call on 1800572000 and enrol yourself for a demo-session.

  1. This exercises n explanations in subject -verb agreement helped many people understand it clearer in simple ways

    1. Hi Sam
      We at Leverage Edu provide online preparatory classes for GMAT, IELTS, GRE and SAT through Leverage Live which is an online learning platform. Give us a call on 1800572000 and enrol yourself for a demo-session.

  1. This exercises n explanations in subject -verb agreement helped many people understand it clearer in simple ways