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Lesson 16 of 16 – Subject-Verb Agreement
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Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement means that the verb must agree with its subject in number and person. A singular subject generally takes a singular verb, while a plural subject generally takes a plural verb.

Important:
He works. (Singular subject + singular verb)
They work. (Plural subject + plural verb)
What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about. The verb expresses an action or state. They must agree with each other.

✔ She speaks English.
✔ They speak English.
✔ The boy plays cricket.
✔ The boys play cricket.

Hindi Meaning: कर्ता और क्रिया के बीच सही मेल

Rule 1: Singular and Plural Subjects

In the simple present tense, a third-person singular subject (he, she, it, or one person/thing) usually takes a verb ending in -s or -es. Plural subjects and I/you generally use the base form.

SubjectCorrect VerbExample
He / She / ItworksShe works hard.
I / You / We / TheyworkThey work hard.
The boyplaysThe boy plays cricket.
The boysplayThe boys play cricket.
Rule 2: The Verb “Be”

The forms of “be” change according to the subject and tense.

SubjectPresentPast
Iamwas
He / She / Itiswas
You / We / Theyarewere
✔ I am ready.
✔ She is happy.
✔ They are busy.
✔ He was late.
✔ We were at home.
Rule 3: Two Subjects Joined by “And”

Two subjects joined by “and” usually take a plural verb.

✔ Ram and Shyam are friends.
✔ A pen and a pencil are on the desk.
✔ My mother and father work together.

Exception: When two words refer to one idea or one item, a singular verb may be used.

✔ Bread and butter is my usual breakfast.
Rule 4: “Or” and “Nor”

When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor”, the verb generally agrees with the subject nearest to it.

✔ Either the teacher or the students are coming.
✔ Either the students or the teacher is coming.
✔ Neither Ravi nor his friends are ready.
✔ Neither the friends nor Ravi is ready.
Rule 5: “Each”, “Every”, “Everyone” and “Nobody”

These words are grammatically singular and usually take a singular verb.

✔ Each student has a book.
✔ Every child needs care.
✔ Everyone is welcome.
✔ Nobody knows the answer.
✔ Each of the players is ready.
Rule 6: Indefinite Pronouns

Words such as someone, anyone, everybody, and something are usually singular when they are the subject.

✔ Someone is at the door.
✔ Anybody can learn this rule.
✔ Everything looks fine.
✔ Something smells strange.

Use the verb that agrees with the pronoun used as the subject.

Rule 7: “There Is” and “There Are”

In sentences beginning with “there”, the verb agrees with the noun that follows it.

✔ There is a book on the table.
✔ There are two books on the table.
✔ There was a problem.
✔ There were many problems.
Rule 8: Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns such as information, advice, furniture, and water usually take singular verbs.

✔ The information is useful.
✔ This advice helps me.
✔ The furniture looks new.
✔ Water is essential for life.

Do not normally make these nouns plural by adding “s”.

Rule 9: Collective Nouns

Collective nouns name a group, such as team, family, class, or committee. In American English, they commonly take a singular verb when the group acts as one unit. In British English, a plural verb is also possible when the members are considered individually.

✔ The team is playing well. (as one unit)
✔ The family is large.
✔ The committee has made a decision.
Rule 10: “A Number of” and “The Number of”

“A number of” means several and takes a plural verb. “The number of” refers to the total and takes a singular verb.

✔ A number of students are absent.
✔ The number of students is increasing.
Rule 11: Subjects Separated by Extra Words

Words or phrases between the subject and verb do not usually change the subject's number.

✔ The box of pencils is on the table.
✔ The students in this class are attentive.
✔ The girl with two bags is my sister.

Identify the main subject instead of choosing the verb to match the nearest noun.

Rule 12: Amounts, Time and Distance

When an amount of money, a period of time, or a distance is considered one unit, it usually takes a singular verb.

✔ Ten kilometres is a long distance to walk.
✔ Five hundred rupees is enough for this book.
✔ Two hours is enough to finish the task.
Common Mistakes
WrongCorrect
He go to school.He goes to school.
They goes to school.They go to school.
Each student have a book.Each student has a book.
The list of names are here.The list of names is here.
There is two chairs.There are two chairs.
My friends is ready.My friends are ready.
Daily Life Examples
✔ My brother works in a bank.

✔ My parents live in Bihar.

✔ Everyone wants to succeed.

✔ The students are preparing for the exam.

✔ The price of these books is reasonable.

✔ Neither answer is correct.

✔ A number of people are waiting outside.

✔ The news is important.
Quick Rules Summary
  • A singular subject generally takes a singular verb.
  • A plural subject generally takes a plural verb.
  • In the simple present, use -s/-es with he, she, and it.
  • Subjects joined by “and” usually take a plural verb.
  • Each, every, everyone, and nobody usually take singular verbs.
  • With “there is/are”, match the verb to the following subject.
  • Do not let words between the subject and verb confuse you.

🧠 Lesson Quiz

1. Choose the correct sentence.



2. Choose the correct sentence.



3. Complete the sentence: “There _____ three chairs in the room.”



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