Syntax - Subject - Verb Agreement

Definition: The use of verb according to the number and person of a subject in a sentence is called Subject-Verb Agreement.

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement: 

I. General Rules: 

1. Singular verb is used for Singular Subject.

2. Plural verb is used for Plural Subject.

3. First Person Singular Subjects take singular verb and Plural Subjects take plural verb.

4. Second Person Singular and Plural Subjects both take plural verb.

5. Third Person Singular Subjects take singular verb and Plural subjects take plural verb.

Note: I is used as a singular subject, but both singular and plural verb is used for it.

Ex - I am a teacher.

           s.v.

        I have a cycle. 

           p.v.

II. Special Rules: 

1. Suppositional Sentences generally start with if, as if, as though, if only, suppose, I wish, We wish, He wishes, She wishes always take Plural Verb 'Were'. 

Ex - I wish Manisha were my wife.

        If he were my boss, he would suspend me.

2. Two singular nouns joined with 'and', take plural verb.

Ex - A boy and a girl love each other.

        John and Robert have done well in the examination.

3. Two subjects(Nouns) joined with and but referring to one idea, same person, same thing, take singular verb.

                                              or 

When pairing words like - bread and butter, rice and curry, hammer and sickle, slow and steady, truth and honesty, horse and carriage, crown and glory, rise and fall, coming and going, screaming and shouting, age and experience, eggs and bacon, ham and eggs, long and short, sum and substance, bag and baggage etc. used as a subject in a sentence, singular verb is used.

Ex - Bread and butter is my favourite breakfast.

        Rice and curry is a popular dish.

Note: If two singular uncountable nouns joined with 'and', and used as a subject of a sentence then it refers to a class and Plural Verb is used for it.

Ex - Time and tide wait for none.

        Fire and water do not agree.

4. If two Singular nouns joined with 'and', and there is articles or possessive adjectives before the first noun, then it refers to same person and singular verb is used for it.

Ex - The Principal and Secretary was there.

        My uncle and guardian has come to see me.

5. Two singular nouns joined with 'and', and there is articles or possessive adjectives before both the nouns, Plural verb is used.

Ex - The Principal and the Secretary were there.

        My uncle and my guardian have come to see me.

6. If two Adjectives joined with 'and' are used before a common noun and there is an indefinite article(a/an) before the first adjective, singular verb is used.

Ex - A black and white cat is mewing.

7. If two Adjectives joined with 'and' are used before a common noun and there is an indefinite article(a/an) before both the adjectives, plural verb is used.

Ex - A black and a white cat were mewing.

8. Each/every/either/neither + singular countable noun = singular verb.

Ex - Each boy was handsome.

        Either pen writes well.

9. Each of/either of/neither of + plural noun/plural pronoun = Singular verb.

Ex - Each of these four pens is red.

        Neither of you knows English.

10. Two subjects joined with or, nor, either....or, neither...nor, not only ... but also take verb according to the second subject.

Ex - He or I am to blame.

        Neither Shyam nor his friends were innocent.

11. Two subjects joined with 'with' or 'as well as', take verb according to the first subject.

Ex - I with my guards was going to the market.

        You as well as your puppy were coming to Shyam.

12. When the structure of a sentence is Noun + preposition + Noun, then the first noun is the original subject and singular or plural verb is used according to it.

Ex - The water of these rivers is dirty.

        The pages of this book is missing.

13. Plenty of/a lot of/half of/most of + singular noun = singular verb and Plenty of/a lot of/half of/most of + plural noun = plural verb.

Ex - Half of the boys are absent.

        Half of the mango is rotten.

14. Many/a great many/A good many + Plural noun and Many of/A great many of/A good many of + Plural noun/Plural Pronoun = Plural verb.

Ex - Many students have passed.

        A good many of us have gone to London.

15. Many a/Many an + Singular countable noun = Singular verb.

Ex - Many a boy goes to college in time.

        Many an orange was rotten.

16. If Many, A good many, A great many is used as a subject in a sentence, Plural verb is used.

Ex - Many are absent from the class.

        There are two thousand students in this school and a good many are very laborious.

17. Indefinite Pronouns such as - Everybody, somebody, anybody, everyone, someone, no one, anyone are considered singular and singular verb is used.

Ex - Everybody should protect himself/herself from loo.

        Everyone wants to qualify in the NDA examination.

18. Indefinite Pronouns such as - Everything, something, nothing, anything are used for indefinite things and considered singular. So singular verb is used for them.

Ex - Everything looks beautiful itself.

        Everything has its own importance.

19. A number of uses Plural verb where as The number of uses singular verb.

Ex - A number of students were present.

        The number of boys are forty.

20. The amount of/A large amount of/A great deal of/A good deal of + Singular uncountable noun = Singular verb.

Ex - The amount of money is not sufficient.

21. Few/A few/Very few + Plural noun and Few of/A few of/Very few of + Pl. noun/Pl. Pronoun = Plural verb.

Ex - Very few girls are laborious.

        Few of these pens are in order.

22. None/None of + Singular Uncountable = Singular verb.

Ex - None has gone yet.

        None of this money is yours.

23. When Little, a little, the little, much is used as the subject of a sentence, Singular verb is used.

Ex - Little is known about this man.

        Much has been done.

24. If the subject of a sentence is Single infinitive, Single Gerund and Single Clause, Singular verb is used.

Ex - To swim is a good exercise.

        Swimming is a good exercise. 

       Where she goes is not known to me.

25. A/An + Singular Collective Noun + of + Plural Noun = Singular verb.

Ex - A herd of oxen is grazing in the field.

        A team of players has come here.

26. Furniture, advice, news, information, luggage, baggage, percentage, poetry, scenery, knowledge, dirt, dust, traffic, electricity, music, breakage, stationery, confectionery, pottery, bakery, crockery, behaviour, armour etc. are always singular and singular verb is used.

Ex - The news is true.

        Her knowledge of Physics is rich.

27. Some nouns seem to be Plural but are singular in meaning. So singular verb is used for them.

Ex - Measles is a dangerous disease.

        Billiards is not a popular game.

        The United States has a big army.

        The Lions of the East is a nice book.

28. If article 'The" or possessive adjectives are used before the name of a subject, Plural verb is used.

Ex - His Mathematics are poor.

        The Physics of Robert are good.

29. If the subject of a sentence is The + Adjective, Plural verb is used.

Ex - The poor are honest.

        The virtuous are blessed.

30. Some nouns seem to be singular but are plural in meaning, Plural verb is used.

Ex - The police are chasing the thieves.

        The poultry are sold here.

31. A pair of followed by plural nouns take singular verb.

Ex - A pair of trousers is new.

        A pair of shoes has been bought.

32. All the garments, tools, instruments etc. which have two parts are considered plurals and take plural verb.

Ex - His spectacles have been framed.

        His trousers are loose. 

Practice Set 

1. You, he and I ....... friends.(am/are)

2. One of the pupils in our class ... a car.(own/owns)

3. The Lions of the East ... an interesting book.(is/are)

4. Apple pie and custard ... my favourite dish.(is/are)

5. Mohan as well as Sohan ... guilty.(is/are)

6. The orator and the statesman ... dead.(is/are)

7. No news ... good news.(is/are)

8. Each of these minerals ... found in India.(is/are)

9. Most of the students ... their time.(waste/wastes)

10. The wages of sin ... death.(is/are)

11. A team of doctors... been called.(has/have)

12. The percentage of the failures ... high.(is/are)

13. Fifty miles ... long distance.(is/are)

14. A pair of scissors ... to be bought.(is/are)

15. Everyone of them ... innocent.(was/were)

[ Ans - are, owns, is, is, is, are, is, is, waste, is, has, is, is, is, was ]