definition and rules of subject verb agreement in english

3. DEFINE SUBJECT VERB
AGREEMENT:
Subject means the part, in a sentence, which names the
person or thing we are speaking about. Verb is a word
used to express an action or state. Subject verb
agreement simply means the subject and verb must
agree in number. In other words, the verb must agree
with the subject in Number and Person.

5. RULES FOR SUBJECT VERB
AGREEMENT
 If the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular.
e.g. : He is a good boy. (singular subject, singular verb)
 If the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
e.g. : They are good players (plural subject, plural verb)
 Some nouns which are plural in form, but singular in meaning, take a
singular verb.
e.g. : The news is true.
Physics is a branch of natural science

6.  Two or more singular subjects connected by ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘either’, ’neither’ or ‘nor’
take a verb in the singular.
e.g. : Neither Hari nor Ravi has come.
Neither the green dress nor the pink dress is available for now in our shop.
 If singular subjects have ‘each’ or ‘every’ before them, the verb is usually
singular.
e.g. : Each day and each hour brings its duty.
Everyone likes Tom n Jerry.
 A collective noun takes a singular verb when the collection is thought of as a
whole.
e.g. : The crowd cheers when the music is played.
The army defends the nation.

7.  The title of a book, play, story, musical composition and the name of a country, even
though plural in form take a singular verb.
e.g., Sons and Lovers is an interesting Novel.
The United States of America is a developed country.
 When two subjects are joined by ‘ and’ the verb is plural
e.g., My friend and his mother are in town.
 When two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ refer to the same person or thing, the
verb is singular.
e.g., The Captain and Coach of the team has been dismissed.
 When the percentage or a part of something is mentioned with plural meaning the
plural verb is used.
e.g., 40 of every 100 children are malnourished.

8. TEST
 One of my friends ____________ gone to France.( has/have)
 Each of the boys _____________ given a present.(was/were)
 Either Mary or Alice _________ responsible for this.(is/are)
 My parents _________________in Kerala(live/lives)
 The girl ____________ to be a famous singer.(want/wants)
 The river ______________ into the sea.(flow/flows)